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Gamekeeper

Gamekeepers manage habitats and wildlife in upland and lowland areas used for shooting and fishing.

Annual Salary

£19,000 to £28,000

Average UK salary in 2022 was £33,200
(source Office for National Statistics)

Working hours

41 to 45 variable

You could work: evenings / weekends / bank holidays; flexibly

1.8%
Future employment

There will be 1.8% more Gamekeeper jobs in 2027.

Day to day tasks

As a gamekeeper, you could:

  • organise shooting and fishing parties
  • manage staff and work and train gun dogs
  • breed birds to release on the land you manage
  • protect animals from poachers and predators
  • maintain habitats, using equipment and machinery

Working environment

You may need to wear protective clothing.

You could work in a park, in woodland or in a workshop.

Your working environment may be physically demanding and outdoors in all weathers.

You can get into this job through:

  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
  • working towards this role
College

You could take a Level 2 Certificate in Countryside and Environment, or a Level 3 Diploma in Countryside Management.

A college course may help you when applying for a job as a gamekeeper.

Entry requirements

You may need:

  • 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course
  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course
For more information
Apprenticeship

You could do an Underkeeper Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship.

This takes a minimum of 18 months to complete.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
For more information
Work

You might be able to start as an assistant gamekeeper or underkeeper. You can then work your way up to gamekeeper as you gain more experience and learn on the job.

Volunteering and work experience

It will be useful to get some volunteering experience, working in the countryside or on an estate.

You can find out about volunteering and work experience opportunities from:

Requirements and restrictions

You'll need to:

  • You'll need a firearms or shotgun certificate for some jobs.
  • have a full driving licence

More information

Career tips

Some jobs include accommodation on the estate where you'll work.

Further information

You can find out more about becoming a gamekeeper from the National Gamekeepers' Organisation.

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With experience you could:become a head gamekeeper; work self employed or as a contractor; move into countryside estate management

Skills required and how your skills match up

What skills are required?

You'll need:

  • knowledge of public safety and security
  • the ability to work on your own
  • customer service skills
  • legal knowledge including court procedures and government regulations
  • the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • to be flexible and open to change
  • patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • knowledge of biology
  • to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
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