Grouse Shooting

Going grouse shooting for the first time is an exhilarating experience!  You have heard all the stories and you are anxious not to let yourself down by missing too many or even worse making a dangerous shot.  The environment is strange but surprisingly comfortable as you look out from your stone built butt onto a beautiful heather clad hills unfolding before you.

Nothing can prepare you for the adrenaline rush as contour-hugging grouse propel themselves downwind straight at you like a swarm of bees.

You have been taught from an early age never to shoot low and so the first covey whizzes by unaddressed – your apprenticeship has begun!

The red grouse is a fascinating and frustrating bird, living on heather moorland and indigenous to the North of England, Scotland and to parts of Wales. Grouse cannot be artificially reared and released successfully so it can genuinely be said that all grouse are completely wild and like all wild creatures the grouse population is determined by the ability of the bird to reproduce successfully.  That success is dependent on a range of factors – condition of stock, habitat, predation and level of parasites and of course weather.  With good management and keepering it is possible to optimise all of these factors but nothing can be done to control the weather, which at critical times has a significant influence on breeding success.

Forecasting the likely success is difficult and it is not until the July counts have been completed that a realistic indication can be made. 

Going grouse shooting is the most exhilarating driven game bird shooting you can have but it is not like taking a day’s pheasant shooting where numbers are guaranteed.  Having decided you want to bring your group to shoot grouse the following is intended as a guide to help you plan your shooting trip with us.

WHERE AND WHEN?

The glorious 12th of August has a magic all of its own.  The heather is in full bloom and everyone is in a holiday mood.  The weather should be good and the days are long. It is the “first time over” the moors and a better than expected day is a cause for celebration; it should be a good long season.

Early September is often regarded as the best time to shoot grouse.  All the birds will be mature and they will be flying strongly.  The bloom is off the heather and picking up should be easier, but there is more chance of bad weather as the autumn equinox approaches.

In late September grouse tend to get into large packs.  They become more difficult to drive and although you will see all the birds on the moor they may be flying out of the drive over the flanker’s flags or back over the heads of the beaters!

After a rest of a week or so, October shooting can provide the very best sport, before the clocks go back at the end of the month.

WHERE TO SHOOT

Grouse moors vary considerably in size and accessibility.  Some moors are relatively flat and others mountainous enough to bring on an attack of vertigo!

Grouse moors in the North of England have proved to be the most consistent over the years although Scottish moors have a very loyal following of dedicated sportsmen.

There are only a handful of good moors, which are large enough to provide a week of grouse shooting in one area and being able to stay in a private shooting lodge adds considerably to the attraction of these estates.  Coming from afar most groups take at least 2 days shooting and we can put together packages of moors to make up a complete sporting week.

ACCOMMODATION 

It is important that you are not too far from where you will be shooting and we would suggest 1 hours drive as a maximum.

Due to the fickle nature of grouse shooting it is vital that you understand the hotels policy for late cancellation of a booking. Also you should be aware of other expenses you may incur in the unfortunate event of a late cancellation by the estate.

GOING TO THE MOORS

You have now chosen your days, signed the contract, paid the bill, booked the flight, paid the hotel deposit and are on your way!  If you are going to be away on holiday in July and not contactable at the office, home or by mobile phone it is vital that you tell us how we can contact you if your grouse shooting is cancelled.

Our advice when booking a grouse-shooting programme is to build some flexibility into your schedule.  In other words do not plan to arrive the day before and leave the day after the last day of shooting as it may be possible for us to find an extra day to replace a cancelled day.  You can bet your life that this will not be on the same day!

Joining instruction cards with a location plan of the moor will be sent to you in July.  As well as giving you the name of the owner, host and head keeper it will also tell you where to meet, at what time and give you an emergency telephone number to ring if you get lost.  We always like to attend our let days, to lead out to the moor in the morning so don’t panic!

At the hotel it is vital that you and the kitchen know what time you will need to leave to get to the moor on time.  Know the procedure for unlocking the hotel’s gun safe and make sure that the key is available and not in the Manager’s pocket if he is due to arrive at work at 9.00 a.m. The day has been carefully planned and late arrival does not put your host or the head keeper into the best of moods.

On arrival at the moor you will meet your host and be introduced to your loader – you will probably not meet the keeper until lunchtime, as he will be running the beating line.

After drawing for your butt and being briefed on the programme for the day and safety you will proceed to the first line of butts

Once you arrive at your butt you should place your safety sticks in the front corners to delineate the safe arc of fire.  Stand facing the front and have a practice swing with an empty gun, to make sure these are in the right place.

Get comfortable and make sure your shooting “companion” is out of your way, preferably on a shooting stick with ear muffs on – butt marker in hand to record the location of your dead birds.

Have a practice change of guns with your loader; relax and stay alert.  There is usually no signal for the start of a drive but it is polite to let the other guns get into position before shooting.  Check the location of any public footpaths and keep an eye on these throughout the drive.  The two end guns must acknowledge the position of the flankers and it is polite to raise your hand to let them know that you know where they are.  Also be aware that the flankers will probably be in range throughout the drive.

During the drive on no account should you shoot inside your sticks or swing through the line.  Always remove the stock of the gun from your shoulder as you turn to take a bird behind the line, reposition your feet and mount the gun behind the line of neighbours butt.

When the beaters come in range the keeper will blow a horn to signal no more shooting “in front” i.e. towards the beating line although you can shoot “behind” until the end of the drive.  It is no excuse to say you haven’t heard the horn – use your own judgement as well.  If your view is obscured make sure your neighbour signals to you by raising their gun vertically and holding it away from their body until you acknowledge their signal.

Once there is “no more shooting in front” make sure you raise your barrels vertically and rest them on your shoulder.  This is the convention for safety.

Even if a high grouse presents itself for what may be a perfectly safe shot in front after the horn has gone do not shoot it as it may give an incorrect signal to the other team members and someone may make a disastrous misinterpretation of your actions.

Try and remember where your shot birds have fallen and make sure they are all picked up.  It is better to wait for a dog to retrieve them, as trampling over the area will destroy the scent.

There are usually five or six drives during the day and lunch on the moors tends to be an informal picnic taken outside if the weather is good or if wet in a lunch hut.

At the end of the day tip your loader and the head keeper - (in sterling) before heading home.
 
BOOKING UP

Taking grouse shooting is not quite as simple as picking up the telephone and making a booking.  We like to interview all our grouse shooting clients and go through the arrangements in detail before a booking is made.  A detailed written contract will be sent to the team leader, which covers almost all eventualities, so there can be no misunderstandings on the day

Why not start the process by contacting us, either by telephone or email?