Upland Keeper
Shooting Times & Country|September 25, 2019
With the EMBER study and edicts from Natural England, damage is being done that means we are at risk of losing our cherished uplands
Lindsay Waddell
Upland Keeper
If any of you thought that fake news and misinformation were only found in politics, you were wrong. I have never seen so much of it regarding grouse shooting in the run-up to, and on, the start of the season this year.

One contributor even stated that part of the management for grouse shooting was to drain the moors, then insinuated that this had contributed to the fires we had earlier this year (News, 3 March and 8 May). The fact that the drainage was done by the farming lobby, paid for by Defra and its earlier counterparts, had obviously passed them by.

Not only that, but the said drainage has been blocked up by the moor owners over the past 40 years, to the point that any sign of it has more or less gone. Salvo after salvo is being fired at driven grouse management all on the back of carbon capture.

Yet, as I headed over the border for a holiday in Galloway, what did I see? Acres of peat still being scraped from the ground for what I can only presume is horticulture. Any noise from the environmental lobby about that one? Not a jot. While the Scottish government is so critical of shooting, how can it allow that to continue?

Scientifically flawed

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM SHOOTING TIMES & COUNTRYView all
United we stand
Shooting Times & Country

United we stand

Following United Utilities' decision to end grouse shooting on its land, Lindsay Waddell asks what will happen if we ignore our vital moors

time-read
5 mins  |
August 02, 2023
Serious matters
Shooting Times & Country

Serious matters

An old gamebook prompts a contemplation on punt-gunning

time-read
3 mins  |
August 02, 2023
They're not always as easy as they seem
Shooting Times & Country

They're not always as easy as they seem

While coneys of the furry variety don't pose a problem for Blue Zulu, he's left frustrated once again by bolting bunnies of the clay sort

time-read
5 mins  |
August 02, 2023
Debutant gundogs
Shooting Times & Country

Debutant gundogs

There's lots to think about when it comes to making the decision about when to introduce your dog to shooting

time-read
4 mins  |
August 02, 2023
When the going gets rough
Shooting Times & Country

When the going gets rough

Al Gabriel returns to the West London Shooting School to brush up on his rough shooting technique

time-read
5 mins  |
August 02, 2023
The Field Guide To British Deer - BDS 60th Anniversary Edition
Shooting Times & Country

The Field Guide To British Deer - BDS 60th Anniversary Edition

In this excerpt from the 60th anniversary edition of the BDS's Field Guide To British Deer, Charles Smith-Jones considers the noise they make

time-read
4 mins  |
August 02, 2023
A step too far?
Shooting Times & Country

A step too far?

Simon Garnham wonders whether a new dog, a new gun and two different fields in need of protection might have been asking too much for one afternoon's work

time-read
6 mins  |
August 02, 2023
Two bucks before breakfast
Shooting Times & Country

Two bucks before breakfast

A journey from old South London to rural Hertfordshire to stalk muntjac suggests that the two aren't as far detached as they might seem

time-read
6 mins  |
August 02, 2023
Stalking Diary
Shooting Times & Country

Stalking Diary

Stalkers can be a sentimental bunch, and they often carry a huge attachment to their hill

time-read
2 mins  |
August 02, 2023
Gamekeeper
Shooting Times & Country

Gamekeeper

Alan Edwards believes unique, private experiences can help keepers become more competent and passionate custodians of the countryside

time-read
3 mins  |
August 02, 2023