It’s in the blood for winning Scottish young gamekeeper

A 23-year-old land manager was crowned Scotland’s Best Young Gamekeeper during a ceremony at the GWCT Scottish Game Fair on 5 July. The awards recognise inspiring young ambassadors for gamekeeping, deer management and stalking. 

Finnley Struthers, from Aberfeldy in Perthshire, started his keepering career with lessons from his grandfather and uncle. The UHI North Highland gamekeeping graduate has managed for grouse, deer and salmon fishing on estates in Perthshire, Aberdeenshire and Angus. Finnley works on the Millden Estate and his passion for moorland management has seen him win high praise from staff and peers. 

“It is the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do,” he said. 

He received the 2024 award from Alex Hogg. The chairman of the Scottish Gamekeepers Association (SGA) was delighted to present the award to the youngster in the year that the representative body for Scotland’s professional gamekeepers also introduced its first ever Youth Committee. Mr Hogg emphasised the importance of young people and said individuals, such as Finnley, represent the industry’s future. 

“We are seeing such rapid change in gamekeeping, in deer management and pressures on our salmon,” said Mr Hogg. “It’s never been more important to have capable, passionate voices who really care and want to take the industry forward in a positive way, into the decades to come.”