Scottish Venison is calling on families to give their everyday favourites a wild twist during Great British Game Week, which runs from 2nd to 9th November 2026.

Great British Game Week, led by BASC, returns this November with a focus on familiar family meals. Rather than asking people to try something unfamiliar, this year’s campaign encourages cooks to take the dishes they already make and swap the meat for game.

Scottish Venison is backing the week with a recipe a day across its social channels, showing how easily venison mince, steaks and diced meat slot into everyday cooking, from a midweek bolognese to a weekend sharing board.

Alongside taste, the campaign is pushing venison’s credentials as a high protein food. Gram for gram, venison offers more protein and less saturated fat than other red meats, along with naturally occurring iron, zinc, B vitamins and omega 3.

There is also an environmental case. With no natural predators, Scotland’s wild deer must be managed to prevent overgrazing and protect habitats and biodiversity. Wild deer also graze land unsuitable for conventional farming and require no housing, heating or imported feed.

Dick Playfair, from Scottish Venison says: “Most people already have a venison meal in their repertoire, they just don’t know it yet. If you make bolognese or chilli on a Tuesday night, you can make it with venison. It’s richer, it’s leaner, and every meal supports the careful management of Scotland’s wild deer.”

Events will take place across the UK throughout the week. Recipes are available at scottish-venison.com/recipes, and the public is encouraged to share their own swaps using #GreatBritishGameWeek.

Notes to editors
Great British Game Week runs from 2nd to 9th November 2026 and is led by BASC.
High resolution food and wildlife photography is available on request.
Media contact: mail@scottish-venison.com