Officially opened in 2011 the Game and Wildlife Centre provides industry standard facilities to practise all aspects of game rearing and game meat processing. The rearing facility includes an egg store, incubator and hatchery, along with an indoor rearing area for winter quail rearing projects. A game larder, cold store and preparation room give students first-hand experience of larder and game meat processing work and allow them to follow deer and game from the field to fork.
Access to on-site Rifle Ranges allow students studying Game and Wildlife Management to build their confidence, discipline and accuracy in shooting.
Opened in 2019, the 100m Fullbore Outdoor Rifle Range was officially added to Sparsholt’s suite of Game and Wildlife Management Facilities. Opened by Olympic Medalist Steve Scott, this new development has been ten years in the planning, and features an imposing 11.5m high stop butt created from 30,000 tonnes of clean white chalk, moved by TJ Transport from a recent local housing development in Winchester. This is a fantastic new addition to the college and Sparsholt is the only land-based college in the UK to have a resource of this size on their campus, approved for use by the National Rifle Association.
To develop an understanding of the importance of robust systems of health and safety management, students are taught the safe-handling, use, and storage of a range of guns. Facilities such as the college’s secure gun armoury allow students to gain hands-on experience that will prepare them for working in the industry.
Game and Wildlife Management students at Sparsholt College also have access to the on-site Clay Shooting Range. Using this facility gives students the opportunity to practice with moving targets, whilst learning how to operate and run this largely popular industry equipment. In addition to this, students also complete their rifle and shooting skills development by using both College Campus rifle ranges, and external sites.
Sparsholt College’s countryside campus is the perfect learning environment for Game and Wildlife management students to develop their deer an estate management skills.
An established park herd of Sika Deer reside on the campus, and involvement in deer stalking and local shoots helps to develop an understanding of the importance of robust systems of health and safety management. Students are involved in the management of the deer herd, which includes culling and venison production.
Other standout facilities for Game and Wildlife students on the College campus include a one-hectare fishing lake, which attracts wildlife and wetland species, a semi-ancient natural woodland area, and a fleet of 4×4 vehicles, such as quad bikes and Land Rovers.
The Game and Wildlife expert teaching team have outstanding industry contacts, and students benefit from this with excellent access to exciting work placements and study tours across the country and via local estates. Through these industry links, students can develop an understanding of commercial pheasant and partridge shooting, stalking, grouse management and a range of shoots from large commercial, to part time keepered enterprises.