Grouse

Great Britain is the only place in the world where you will find driven grouse shooting.  The grouse is totally wild - no birds are put down to boost numbers.  The habitat of the grouse are the high ground (or moors) of the North of England and Scotland.

Due to the nature and height of the terrain, the walking can be hard work.  The weather can be very changeable switching from bright sunshine to pouring rain and back again in a short space of time. Low cloud also feature, making shooting driven grouse very challenging.  On warm windless days, midges will make their presence felt.  These are hugely irritating insects which can easily spoil your day unless you are well prepared with insect repellent.     

Shooting takes place in butts either made of the local stone or wood spaced between 40-50 yards apart.  The grouse tend to fly very low through or around the butts which can cause a few problems to the inexperienced.  Most important is the safety aspect which must be respected at all times.  It is all too easy to swing your gun barrels through the line with the potential of shooting towards your neighbour.  It is very important to know your shoot angles prior to the start of shooting.  All butts will have sticks to help prevent you inadvertently shooting down the line. 

The start of each day is the opportunity for the shoot host to explain the rules of the day, stress the gun safety required on the moor, introduce the keeper and any other facts that will ensure a smooth running of the day.

Driven grouse is probably the most exciting form of shooting there is in the UK but a lot of respect is needed.  Gun safety is paramount, weather can be interesting and the scenery is breathtaking.

The season starts on the “glorious twelfth” (12th August) until 10th December.