Newnham Estate Shoot

Newnham Estate is a long established shoot with game books going back to the 1840's. We shoot over nearly 2000 acres along the Teme valley downstream from Tenbury Wells, with some 30 drives some of which are outstanding. In some ways it is a difficult shoot to manage as we are nearly 5 miles long with only a bridge at either end, but with the advantage of the valley contours.

We shoot on Fridays, 10 days per season, but are not able to produce large days, and average 60 head per day. I employ a part time keeper [the last full time keeper was 20 years ago] and we basically shoot pheasant, with only the occasional partridge that strays into the area. I feed the river, and if water levels are suitable we will "jump" any wild mallard that are there. I have acted as shoot captain/organiser for 25 years, when I took over from my uncle who ran the shoot before me, having himself taken over from my grandfather. It had been a famly shoot, but has been a syndicate for a long while.

We are a congenial group, who have aged together with few changes among our number, but time is taking its toll, hence the need for new blood. We meet at my home and use our vehicles to get about on the day, with the beaters using the estate landrover. We have lunch in the adjacent water powered cornmill with the guns bringing and usually sharing their own food [very variable]. An average day might consist of 4 or 5 drives in the morning and a further 3 after lunch.

The subscription for a full gun last year was £3400, and I estimate that it will be the same for the coming season.