The Unacceptable Reality of Abuse Against Our Upland Gamekeepers

Imagine a job where physical assault is a regular occurrence, where threats and insults are a daily reality, and where protecting the environment means constantly confronting crime and public misconduct. This is the shocking reality for many of our upland gamekeepers, the dedicated stewards of Britain’s precious moorlands.

A recent in-depth study, gathering detailed information directly from gamekeepers across 58 English grouse moors, paints a stark and sobering picture of the threats they face daily.

The Shocking Scale of Abuse

Physical assaults are a disturbing reality, occurring on average every 12 days for an upland keeper. In a single 12-month period, 30 gamekeepers were physically assaulted, with five of these incidents unfortunately requiring medical attention.

Beyond physical attacks, gamekeepers and their families recorded over 1,000 separate threats and more than 1,500 instances of insults, communicated both face-to-face and online. This relentless barrage takes a severe personal toll.

The study found that 33 keepers experienced mental health issues and 94 suffered financial loss due to crime and intimidation in just one year, highlighting the significant human cost behind these numbers.

Battling Crime and Misconduct

Gamekeepers are often at the sharp end of rural crime. In one year alone, there were 654 incidents of damage to estate property and 336 instances of poaching reported across the surveyed moors. Other serious criminal acts include the theft of vehicles, machinery, and fuel. Gamekeepers are frequently the first responders to these incidents, often stepping in where police resources are stretched thin.

Much of this conflict arises from public misconduct.

Gamekeepers routinely ask people to put their dogs on leads to protect ground nesting birds (nearly 10,000 times annually), encourage them to keep to designated footpaths to avoid nests being trampled (over 8,800 times for walkers and cyclists), and critically, urge them to extinguish dangerous campfires and barbecues (over 2,300 times annually) to prevent devastating wildfires.

They also dedicate countless hours to clearing litter (nearly 5,000 instances) and fly-tipping (over 280 instances) left behind by visitors.

Regional Hotspots

While these issues affect gamekeepers across England, certain areas experience a disproportionate amount of abuse. The Peak District stands out as a particular hotspot, accounting for a staggering 88% of threats, 78% of insults, and 63% of physical assaults against gamekeepers. This region also sees the majority of poaching of farm animals, livestock worrying, and damage to property.

The Indispensable Role of Gamekeepers

Despite these severe challenges, gamekeepers remain deeply committed to their multifaceted roles. They are conservation managers, wildlife wardens, firefighters, educators, and rescuers. Their work involves active vegetation management and diligent predator control, creating vital mosaic habitats that support a diverse array of species.

Their efforts are particularly crucial for threatened ground-nesting birds; approximately 53% of the UK’s curlew population and 42% of its lapwing population are found on English grouse moors. Beyond their environmental contributions, gamekeepers are a constant, reassuring presence for the public, assisting people in distress on almost 2,000 occasions annually.

Please Share Your Story

We call on all gamekeepers and land managers who have witnessed or experienced abuse or assault to share your stories by emailing agilruth@moorlandassociation.org.

With your permission, and anonymity, we would then like to compile and publish this anecdotal evidence to further highlight the seriousness of the situation.