Archived from groups: uk.rec.shooting.game (More info?)
No, I wasn't out today, the first shooting tenants won't arrive until
Saturday evening. Apart from that, the hills here are shrouded in mist
down to about five hundred feet, and have been for days - certainly not
the best of conditions to go shooting grouse in.
Sadly, the overall picture is looking rather grim. The grouse hatch this
year was poor due to a cold late spring and the coveys, leastways those
that I have been able to find, are smaller than average. And matters
haven't been helped by a bad outbreak of heather beetle. Much of the
hill above a thousand feet is in a deplorable condition. Many of the
surrounding estates have suffered from beetle for the last couple of
years. Now it appears to be our turn.
All things being equal, we'll probably have a day on the hill some time
next week. What birds are there won't be difficult to find as they'll
congregate wherever there's good heather. Trouble is, such pockets of
birds can give a false impression, leading one to believe all is
hunky-dory on the moor when much of the ground is in actual fact barren
and empty. This year more then ever, those that are shooting will have
to show some restraint.
--
Kim Sawyer
Sutherland
Scotland
No, I wasn't out today, the first shooting tenants won't arrive until
Saturday evening. Apart from that, the hills here are shrouded in mist
down to about five hundred feet, and have been for days - certainly not
the best of conditions to go shooting grouse in.
Sadly, the overall picture is looking rather grim. The grouse hatch this
year was poor due to a cold late spring and the coveys, leastways those
that I have been able to find, are smaller than average. And matters
haven't been helped by a bad outbreak of heather beetle. Much of the
hill above a thousand feet is in a deplorable condition. Many of the
surrounding estates have suffered from beetle for the last couple of
years. Now it appears to be our turn.
All things being equal, we'll probably have a day on the hill some time
next week. What birds are there won't be difficult to find as they'll
congregate wherever there's good heather. Trouble is, such pockets of
birds can give a false impression, leading one to believe all is
hunky-dory on the moor when much of the ground is in actual fact barren
and empty. This year more then ever, those that are shooting will have
to show some restraint.
--
Kim Sawyer
Sutherland
Scotland
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram