Promising start for grouse season

Published on Wednesday 12 August 2009 20:29

GAMEKEEPERS have predicted a successful grouse shooting season, despite fears over the recession and poor weather.

Experts were hopeful of a "promising" year as the season officially got under way on the "Glorious 12th" yesterday.

Until 10 December, game enthusiasts will roam heather moorlands in pursuit of the elusive bird, and despite worries about the impact of the credit crunch, wet weather and a blight of heather beetles destroying much of the grouse's moorland habitat, the season appeared to get off to a promising start.

The weather in Scotland provided "perfect conditions" for gamesmen, the Scottish Gamekeepers' Association said, with a light mist preventing the moors from getting too dry and a gentle breeze stirring up the birds' scent for gundogs to sniff out.

On the banks of Loch Tay in Perthshire, Ardtalnaig Estate owner Peter Gottgens said that 12 August "is what the season is all about".

He continued: "The grouse is a wonderful bird to eat – especially on 12 August. People fly grouse to London – they charter planes to get them to the restaurants. Back in the day, they used to put them on the first plane. The Glorious 12th is important in the sporting calendar as well as in the culinary calendar."

His gamekeeper, Ally McNaughton, said the Glorious 12th was important not only for gamekeepers and sportsmen, but also for Scottish tourism. However, warned that he had found that the grouse population had declined on his estate.

"In a good year, we will shoot around 400 brace – but things aren't looking that good this year. The grouse haven't bred well, but you never know what will happen."

Alec Hogg, of the Scottish Gamekeepers' Association, said: "I think it looks like a promising season. We have had some good, spring-like weather, which has been favourable for the grouse."

A spokesman for VisitScotland, the Scottish tourist board, said game connoisseurs could look forward to "a particularly delicious season".