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
Denne historien er fra September 25, 2019-utgaven av Shooting Times & Country.
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Denne historien er fra September 25, 2019-utgaven av Shooting Times & Country.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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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
Serious matters
An old gamebook prompts a contemplation on punt-gunning
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
Debutant gundogs
There's lots to think about when it comes to making the decision about when to introduce your dog to shooting
When the going gets rough
Al Gabriel returns to the West London Shooting School to brush up on his rough shooting technique
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
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
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
Stalking Diary
Stalkers can be a sentimental bunch, and they often carry a huge attachment to their hill
Gamekeeper
Alan Edwards believes unique, private experiences can help keepers become more competent and passionate custodians of the countryside