Learn how choosing wild venison this Christmas cuts carbon, supports biodiversity, and connects you to the land.
December sweeps in with its familiar rush of lists, lights, and last-minute obligations, yet for the stalker it remains a moment to pause and reconnect with something more grounded. While millions of households reach for farmed turkeys, each kilogram generating the equivalent of 15–20 kilograms of carbon dioxide and contributing to the nation’s estimated 65 million kilograms of CO₂ from Christmas turkeys alone, wild venison offers a genuinely low-impact alternative. Carefully harvested through conservation-led culls, venison produces just 2–3 kilograms of CO₂ per kilogram of meat, a fraction of the carbon cost of farmed poultry or beef.
Choosing venison for Christmas isn’t just a culinary delight, it’s a tangible act of stewardship. It supports biodiversity, encourages healthier woodlands, and ensures the land is managed responsibly. Wild, lean, and rich in flavour, it is the meat of choice for those who want their festive table to reflect both taste and conscience. In a season dominated by convention, venison stands proudly as the sustainable, ethical, and delicious alternative.
A Nod to the Smaller Deer Species
This month is one of the finest for those pursuing the UK’s smaller species.
Chinese Water Deer, Muntjac and Roe become more visible as the understorey thins, and their manageable carcass size makes them ideal for anyone wanting a genuine field-to-fork Christmas.
December also brings the CWD rut, a wonderful spectacle involving a species that has walked the earth for some 30 million years.
Care is needed with Roe of course. With the bucks casting their antlers, good identification is essential. Afterall, thoughtful, selective management is the cornerstone of what we do.
Why Venison Belongs at Christmas
There is something deeply satisfying about placing venison at the centre of the Christmas table. While the nation settles into its annual consumption of millions of farmed turkeys, with all the carbon consequences that follow, those who choose wild venison can genuinely claim to be doing something better for the countryside. It is healthier, lower in environmental impact, and quite simply tastes superb.
In our own home, the theme will be “back to basics.” Fish on Christmas Eve as a nod to my wife’s heritage, and then a Christmas Day where game takes the lead: venison tartare, “Rodolph’s in blankets,” and a pairing of partridge and venison loin. Simple, honest food that connects us to the landscape from which it came.
Finding the Right Animal
With every deer species in season, December offers no shortage of opportunity for those hoping to serve their own venison on Christmas Day. But it is hunting—so don’t leave it until the final hours of the festive countdown. Patience is rewarded, but procrastination rarely is.
Looking Forward
From 2026 our monthly look ahead will be taking on a new exciting look. This comes after ten years of writing almanacs. And what comes next is bigger, broader and more exciting than anything we’ve done before.
It occurs to me that for too long, the world of shooting and deer stalking has spoken only to itself, a conversation held within familiar circles, echoing the same voices, the same passion.
But the outdoors has never belonged to one voice… it belongs to all of us.
The runners and mountain bikers who chase horizons. The climbers who conquer peaks. The campers who sit beneath a canvas of stars. The mountaineers who find peace above the clouds.
We believe it’s time to open up the conversation and reach out to others with whom we share the outdoors, to highlight the benefits of conservation-led hunting. Because sourcing your own food, understanding the land, and taking responsibility for what you eat, that’s something anyone who loves the outdoors can relate to.
Throughout 2026, we’ll be bringing you ‘Wild Witness’ a new series of films that connect these worlds, exploring how outdoor pursuits, adventure, and wild places intertwine and bind us as one community.
I hope that you'll join and support us in this exciting new journey.
We begin this series of new films this Boxing day at 3pm with someone who embodies the spirit of the mountains and the mental fortitude demanded by those who step into the wild: British mountaineer, Nigel Vardy.
This is where new conversations begin.
This is where the outdoors connects us all.
Until then, enjoy the field, breathe in the winter air and take pride in knowing that by choosing wild venison you are supporting healthier landscapes, richer biodiversity, and a more sustainable festive season.
If you’ve enjoyed what we do and want to continue this journey with us, all we ask this Christmas, is that you take just a minute to subscribe to our YouTube Chanel and hit the notification bell. That way you’ll be notified as soon as a film is released. You can do this by following this link to our YouTube channel: County Deer Stalking - YouTube
In the meantime, may I wish you all a very happy Christmas!
IN Season in England & Wales: Roe Doe, Fallow Doe & Fallow Buck, Sika Stag & Sika Hind, Red Stag & Red Hind, CWD Buck & CWD Doe, Muntjac Buck & Muntjac Doe.
OFF Season in England & Wales: Roebuck.
In Season in Scotland: All deer.
(Peter S Jones - editor)
