SG: Firstly, many congratulations on your MBE. How does it feel to have those three letters after your name, Alex Hogg? Alex Hogg: I feel very proud to have been given the MBE but, at the same time, very humbled. This has been a huge team effort from all the…
Scotland
One of the most expensive-ever Scottish estates goes on the market
The Stobo Estate in the Upper Tweed valley is for sale for offers over £12 million and comes with its own herd of Sika deer. John Buchan said of the river: “I asked for nothing better than to spend my life by the Tweed” and his adventure stories such as…
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…
Huge Scottish wild boar shot after Highlands sheep rampage
A large wild boar, estimated to weigh 24 stone (150kg), has been shot dead after being considered responsible for a spate of sheep killing on a Highland farm. Twitter account user @highlandfowler wrote on 17 June: “A keeper friend of mine was called to help find out what was killing…
Mountain hare shooting banned in Scotland
Mountain hares in Scotland will have year-round legal protection following an amendment to the law proposed by Green MSP Alison Johnstone, which passed by 60 to 19 votes. At present mountain hares are controlled between 1 August-28 February to protect trees, fragile habitats and to manage tick populations. The mountain…
What will the Scottish stalking season be like this year?
Usually at this time of year everyone involved in deer stalking in Scotland – ghillies, agents and guides – would be gearing up for the season ahead. However, thanks to the COVID-19 crisis, recreational stalking and sporting tourism have been hit hard. Scottish National Heritage (SNH) has ruled: “… Unaccompanied…
Reactions to the Werritty report on grouse shooting in Scotland
The newly published Werritty report on grouse shooting in Scotland states that licensing should be introduced if there is no marked improvement in the ecological suitability of grouse management within the next five years. However Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has hinted that licensing could be imposed sooner than the five year…
General licences restricted on Leadhills Estate following wildlife crime
In the past week Scottish Natural Heritage has announced that it is restricting the use of general licences on the Leadhills Estate in South Lanarkshire after evidence of wildlife crime against birds was provided by Police Scotland. Nick Halfhide, SNH’s Director of Sustainable Growth, explained: “There is clear evidence that…
Scottish roe review 2017
With a score of 175.93, K. Mehl’s Aberdeenshire trophy took top honours for Scotland in 2017, maintaining that county’s place as one of the country’s great roe hunting territories. However, this year it was eclipsed, numerically at least, in the top 10 heads by its principal competitors, Angus, Fife and…
What did we learn from Langholm?
(More background on Rob Yorke here). There is a chunk of moorland in Scotland that has been subject to a 24-year project involving upland land uses, habitat, nature conservation designations, biodiversity, fieldsports and rural economics. It all started with the Joint Raptor Study (JRS), funded by major conservation organisations, on…
Scotland seeks to solve salmon crisis
The Scottish Government has pledged £700,000 to tackle declining wild salmon stocks. With survival rates for salmon at sea having dropped to just five per cent, ministers say that the money will help to fund new research and activities and mitigate damaging factors such as predation, illegal poaching and salmon…
Gamekeepers and beekeepers work together on moorland heather
A new film explores how Scottish grouse estates are supporting local businesses, by teaming up with honey producers to give bees access to managed heather. Estates in Tayside, the Angus Glens and the Lammermuirs work with beekeepers who put their hives on the moors every August and September. The bees…
Scottish estates urged to seek rates relief
Scottish landowners are being urged to take advantage of rates relief to avoid paying “eye-watering” new sporting fees. Scottish Assessors has issued notices to around 6,500 landowners after repealing rates exclusions on shoots and deer forests brought in by the Land Reform Act. The rates will apply to any landholding…
War of the words as hen harrier tag goes quiet
Rural groups have rejected claims that grouse moor managers were responsible for the disappearance of a hen harrier. RSPB Scotland says a satellite-tagged bird, named Calluna, vanished over an Aberdeenshire grouse moor near Ballater when transmissions from the tag ended abruptly on the Glorious Twelfth. First day of the season…
It’s time to ban firearms decides ScotRail
BASC chairman Peter Glenser says: “ScotRail claims its Scotland’s railway but it is striking at the heart of rural businesses and communities that rely on the estimated £155million injected each year into the country’s economy by country sports tourism. BASC understands the ban comes as a result of a shotgun…
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…
Scottish Government turns tail on working dog tail docking
Those of us with British passports may think that we live in a united kingdom, but that’s certainly not the case, as a look at the law will soon confirm. In Northern Ireland, it is legal to shoot a jack snipe or a scaup, but not a moorhen. It is the other way round in mainland Britain.…
Scotland drops its ban on tail docking
Holyrood has announced plans to change tail docking legislation to allow the tails of spaniel and hunt, point, retrieve (HPR) puppies to be shortened wherever a vet believes they are likely to be used as a working dog and risk serious tail injury in later life. Tail docking was banned in Scotland in 2007 as part of…
Scottish chef Nick Nairn moves from the grouse moors to cook up a feast
Nick Nairn says: “As a keen shot myself, I really value many different aspects of the grouse season… “It has long been acknowledged that Scotland’s food and drink and country sports sectors are truly world class so it is wonderful to demonstrate how the two can blend together so well. Grouse…
Grouse counts now underway
Moorland estates across Scotland are gearing up for the start of the shooting season and are carrying out counts to gain an accurate measure for the season ahead. Given the long winter and wet summer months breeding conditions have been less favourable on many estates. However, thanks to perseverance and…