Walked-up grouse
Some 200 years ago, the moorlands of northern England and Scotland were most likely much as they are now. Local farmers would use the inhospitable landscape to graze their sheep and cattle in order to draw a living out of a landscape that would not accept crops and was largely…
Grouse shooting
The grouse shooting season opens on August 12 and closes December 10. Grouse is a challenge for shooters because the birds fly fast, making them particularly testing.
In addition the habitat of grouse makes them hard to spot – they are mostly found in heather moorland.
The sport is regularly under fire by those that oppose it, from attempts to licence grouse moors to accusations of illegally killing birds of prey. However, a GWCT study estimated that shooting grouse could support over 1,000 jobs and contribute £23.3million to Scottish GDP.
The knowledge of the keepers, owners, moor managers and experts that work tirelessly on the conservation of moorland, the husbandry and management of grouse is essential.
Practising clays from the grouse butt
Preparing for shooting grouse
It is important that you put the work in before you head to the moor. Find an experienced gameshooting instructor who shoots grouse who will be able to put you through your paces. Many clay grounds have special grouse butts where you can practise your technique and hone your skills.
Walked-up grouse
Walked-up grouse, whether over pointers or spaniels working in front, is memorable. You will need to be fit, as you’ll be walking over rough terrain and hills.
A grouse butt
Driven grouse
Here the Guns shoot from special grouse butts. When the drive is coming to an end you will hear constant loud horn blasts from the keepers in the beating line.
For those lucky enough to be heading to the grouse moors, shoot straight, have fun and above all, be safe.
Grouse recipes | Tips for shooting grouse | Walked-up grouse | What to wear shooting
12 GLORIOUS photographs that will make you wish you were out on the grouse moors. Wearing tweeds.
Sorry, but not sorry if these Glorious Twelfth photographs give you serious field envy. We’ve also thrown in 10 tips for better grouse shooting by Adam Calvert. 10 ways to be better at grouse shooting – by Adam Calvert 1. Practice If you want to be better at grouse…
The man-made idyll of grouse moors
Coming from the soft south, I didn’t see a live grouse until I was 19. That was in the summer of 1974, when I took off to the Cairngorms for a couple of weeks to go youth hostelling with a friend. There were new sights around every corner, with dotterel,…
Etiquette tips you need to know before setting off for the grouse moors
If you’re lucky enough to be heading off to the grouse moors this season then you’ll want to make sure you behave correctly and following the right etiquette for grouse shooting. However, this isn’t just a matter of saying please and thank you. It’s all about behaving considerately towards your…
Top tips for a Glorious season
As a game shooter living in deepest partridge country, I consider any time spent on a grouse moor as a treasured experience. The chance to shoot grouse in that landscape is a privilege, though one available to us all. But how do we make the most of our chances when…
What does the future hold for Ilkley Moor without grouse shooting?
On the other end of the phone the keeper let out a short, exasperated sigh. “The peewits will go, curlews, grouse of course, they’ll lose the lot.” “How long until there is a big impact” I asked. “Two years maybe, certainly not more. ” We were discussing the likely outcome…
I’m a driven grouse shooting novice. Help!
I’ve bought a small day, driven grouse shooting in late October, in a charity auction for me and seven mates.
Grouse shooting: 12 facts you need to know about the Glorious 12th
1. It’s all thanks to the train Grouse shooting got going when the Victorians built railways that made it easier to get up onto the moors, back in the mid-19th century. Suddenly you could travel relatively comfortably with all your equipment and your gundogs. Around the same time, the breech-loading…
Police donation to BASC funds school trips on grouse moors
North Yorkshire Police has donated £3,000 to BASC, which will be used to enable hundreds of primary school children to experience first-hand the work done on conservation on grouse moors and to meet the people who do it. The grant came from the Police Property Fund, which turns unreturnable stolen…
How the grouse debate was won
More than two years of hard campaigning by those who wanted to see driven grouse shooting banned has ended in complete failure. Securing parliamentary time for their issue was more than the anti-shooting campaigners dared hope for when they launched their latest petition to ban driven grouse shooting, and their excitement was palpable. The activists’ hopes were dashed however when what seemed…
Why restrictions on grouse shooting would reduce rural tourism
It will come as no surprise that the inquiry and debate into driven grouse shooting, which was triggered by the online petition on Parliament’s website calling for the sport to be banned, has been at the forefront of the Countryside Alliance’s activities over the past couple of months. However, we have also seen further “attacks” on shooting…
MPs give overwhelming support to grouse shooting
The debate was never going to result in legislation but did represent an important opportunity to get some facts concerning moorland management into Hansard, the Parliamentary record. A large number of MPs attended and over 20 made contributions – which meant that speeches had to be restricted to seven minutes…
Highlights from yesterday’s Parliamentary grouse shooting debate
1/2 IN CONCLUSION: #GrouseShooting debate – @theresecoffey “Gov has no intention of banning DGS…” — Shooting Times (@ShootingTimes) October 31, 2016 2/2 IN CONCLUSION: #GrouseShooting debate – @theresecoffey “But every intention of bringing to justice those who break the law” — Shooting Times (@ShootingTimes) October 31, 2016 Stunning work @CAupdates…
Protecting grouse moors
With around 75 per cent of the world’s heather moorland located in the UK, tied with the fact that heather moorland habitat is in a more critical condition than the rainforests, it is clear that conservation and positive management of the moors to maintain this diverse habitat is vital for its survival. Continuing the overwhelming efforts of the previous generations…
SIGN the petition to keep grouse moors and grouse shooting
Grouse shooting is under threat. And we need YOU to sign the petition to protect grouse shooting and grouse moors. The petition to ban grouse shooting is to be debated in Parliament on 31 October. To aid our side of the debate please SIGN the petition to protect grouse moors…
Grouse counts with cocker and springer spaniels
There I was stretched out on a sun-kissed beach drinking cold rum and cokes when all of a sudden I could hear a high pitched shrieking – it was my alarm. As I slowly opened my eyes I realised it was 4.30am and I was “back up north” to help out on a couple of days’ grouse counting.…
Fancy an affordable way of grouse shooting?
It always amazes me how quickly the season comes around, but here we go again — and if you are about to head north, I am sure the excitement is building. Grouse shooting, especially early-season driven grouse, is an expensive form of shooting. However, if you are keen to try shooting this amazing wild bird, then walked-up grouse…
Rain and snow could mean a late start for some this grouse season
Bad weather has once again led to mixed prospects for the start of the upcoming grouse season, according to gamekeepers and sporting agents across England and Scotland. A prolonged period of wet weather, combined with very late snowfall, has led to reduced brood sizes in some areas and some cancelled days. However, keepers are confident that good sport will…