Keeping the balance: A conversation with Max, Head Gamekeeper at The Grange

In our new journal series, we’re speaking to people behind the scenes – those who know the land, the seasons and the quiet graft that holds everything together here at The Grange Hampshire.

First up, we talk to Max Armitstead, our Head Keeper, who has been a part of The Grange for over a decade. From 5am starts chasing poults, to wild deer management and wedding day logistics, his job is as varied as it is vital. We sit down to talk pheasants, sustainability and flail mowers – read on to learn more about the one tool he couldn’t live without.

Tell us a bit about you and your journey – how did you get into Gamekeeping?

I first found out about gamekeeping from my uncle, who’s a keeper in Cambridgeshire. Visiting him with the family as a child felt like a special occasion. In the summer months they had pheasants, partridges and rearing jobs to do and it was all very exciting and felt like something I wanted to do. Beating on shoot days with my father and two older brothers only deepened my interest for the job.

After school, I wasn’t sure whether to pursue farming, forestry or gamekeeping – I just knew I wanted to work outdoors.

In the end, gamekeeping won out. I studied at Sparsholt and left with an extended diploma in Game & Wildlife Management. I came back to The Grange in 2013 as a general estate worker and assistant gamekeeper and took over as Head Keeper in 2017.

We’re now in August, what are your main jobs this month, what’s keeping you busy?

August is one of the busiest months. We’ve just released our 7-week-old pheasant poults into the woodland pens. These don’t have roofs – the birds roost in the trees – and as it begins to get light the birds will come off the roost and land out in the fields – so mornings start at 5am to check they haven’t wandered off!

They love following hedgerows or tracks towards the sun especially. Unless your there to stop them, you’ll soon see your pheasants cross onto neighbouring land. Later, we’ll keep them in with feed, water and regular “dogging-in” – using spaniels to gently guide them back to the area we want to hold them in.

I’m also helping with weddings and events at The Grange – moving furniture and setting up spaces for the busy season ahead. On top of that, August marks the start of the fallow buck season, so deer management becomes a big part of the job as well.

Is there a moment in your work here that’s stuck with you – maybe something funny, meaningful, or memorable?

An endless amount of funny moments, but a meaningful and memorable moment would have been completing my first shooting season as the Head Keeper. Then breaking the Estate’s largest bag record in 50 years – something I’m very proud of. We have since downsized, but it felt good to prove myself, and to prove to the previous keeper that his life’s work was in good hands for the future.

What is the tool you couldn’t live without?

Our old Wessex chain flail topper. This lives on the back of a small 90hp Massey Ferguson tractor that is used for mowing all the woodland rides around the Estate. Going through 6ft tall brambles, hitting hidden tree stumps, pushing fallen trees out the way, mowing off game covers, tidying up field margins and grass meadows. The old chain flail topper does it all without question!

How do you see sustainability in your role, and do you have any tips for people looking to live more sustainably?

Sustainability is central to what I do. We plant hundreds of trees, restore habitats like a former watercress farm to filter nitrates from the chalk stream, and sow wild bird seed mixes to support songbirds through winter.

Game shot on the Estate is processed for our events or sold locally – zero food miles and much healthier than supermarket meat.

If there’s one thing I’d urge people to try, it’s British wild game. Visit your butcher and give it a go – it’s delicious, sustainable and far more ethical than your average supermarket chicken.

What’s the one thing you wished more people understood about your line of work?

That it’s not just about killing things. We respect every animal we see. The countryside as we know it is all man managed, and without it being managed in a sensible, balanced way, you wouldn’t have the abundance of wildlife that people love to see.

We manage certain target species, using lawful and highly controlled methods, to protect and promote the less successful wildlife. From trapping crows to protect ground-nesting birds, to carefully culling deer to promote healthier herds and controlling numbers to ensure the environment can support their feeding – it’s all done because we care deeply about the environment and its wildlife.

What’s it like working with The Grange and being part of our community?

It’s a beautiful Estate with ever-changing scenery – a great pleasure being able to call this place my work. What really stands out is the people though. Whether it’s the events, winery or maintenance teams, everyone’s here because they care about what they do. We work as one large team to ensure that everything runs smoothly – and there’s never a dull moment!