GROUSE PROSPECTS 2010Grouse prospects 2010 - Cartridge orders for the grouse have been confirmed and excitement mounts as the countdown to the Glorious 12th begins. It is always difficult to give accurate forecast of grouse prospects as moorland areas as so diverse and even in the same geographical area fortunes can be so different either side of the moorland march. So, with the caveat that the following predictions are made with a broad brush, prospects are generally very good indeed for the North Pennines and Yorkshire Dales, the Derbyshire Peak District and parts of Northumberland and County Durham. Grouse in the North Yorkshire Moors National Park have fared better than last year but tick infestations are still spoiling any meaningful bounce in numbers. Tick continues to decimate grouse chicks in parts of Scotland although management tools have been employed to kill off this parasite; however the process is a long one, typically 5 years before it shows any benefit. Heather beetle also continues to be concern on a number of moors in the North West which have high annual levels of rainfall. Looking forward to the start of the season, it is a wonder that any grouse have survived at all, with so many odds stacked against them. After the end of last season, which was a fantastic one for many moors, the snow which started to fall on the 19th December continued falling for weeks on end. Where grouse couldn’t get access to heather ground, in ghylls and rougher ground or where sheep had made snow holes, grouse left the higher ground for shelter in the valley bottoms and further afield. Luckily there wasn’t a thaw followed by a freeze so an impenetrable ice cap didn’t form over the snow and some birds managed to find shelter and a meagre supply of food. Further north in parts of the Lammermuirs the whole moorland area was literally covered in a deep blanket of snow and the grouse disappeared for months. Despite early gloom however, some of the grouse counts in this area have been surprisingly good giving hope for an average season. On the positive side the icy winter has cleared any old or diseased grouse leaving behind young and healthy stock which went into the breeding season in prime conditions. With very low worm burdens and the benefit of a long dry spring, brood sizes are impressive and chicks well grown. I would not be surprised to see some records fall this year, and a number of later days come onto the market at sort notice. Grouse prospects 2010 are looking promising. August 2010
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