This month, we met with our Deer Keeper, Oliver Seage, who has been a part of the Swinton Estate team for just over a year.
“I enjoy being part of a traditional English Estate and the diversity that the broader Estate has to offer. I am passionate about the upkeep and improvement of the herd of fallow deer here on the Swinton Estate, and I believe that my attention to detail really helps with the role, particularly while monitoring the deer.
“Typically, at this time of year, my day may begin one hour before first light, looking over restocks (newly planted trees) that are considered susceptible to wild deer and vermin impacts, and identifying which to cull when necessary.
“From there, I’ll go on to feed a ration of rolled barley to the main mob of park deer along with ad-lib foraging (grass silage). I check internal and perimeter fence lines for fallen trees and general damage – putting them right – feed round the in-house wild bird shoot, and can spend evenings stalking to monitor the wild deer, as well as rabbit lamping at night.
“Part of my job involves culling the park deer to be collected by the local butcher, and liaising with the Estate chefs to create an order for the park venison and other game from the Estate – an element to our estate-to-plate ethos that is extremely popular with our guests.
“If I had to give advice to anyone hoping to get into the same line of work, it would be to motivate yourself, don’t expect anything to be easy, and enjoy the product of your hard work. I would also recommend visiting other deer parks and taking inspiration from practices that are done a little differently.
“A little-known fact about me is that I really enjoy photography and time spent with my dogs. Many of the newer photos of the deer herd that you might see the Estate share on social media are my own work!”
