The Kindest Cut Of All
Shooting Times & Country|December 6,2017

Sometimes burning heather can be impractical or even dangerous, but cutting it can rejuvenate precious moorland, says Patrick Laurie

Patrick Laurie
The Kindest Cut Of All
We often read that the demand for grouse shooting has never been higher. People travel from across the world to shoot on our moors and even late-season days still sell at extraordinary prices. Investment has grown exponentially, which is great news for the sport, but is now focused on a few small pockets of “grouse country” across northern England and Scotland. Having worked for the past 10 years on grouse in south-west Scotland, it feels like the big players continually get bigger and the marginal moors just wither away.

Fifty years ago, excellent numbers of grouse were being shot in Wales and on Scotland’s west coast, but change has smashed our uplands. Caught between trees and sheep, many grouse moors have foundered and died. In their wake, fragments of heather lay between extensive forests and the grouse were ground down into a handful of pairs on the edge.

As the big moors command ever more money and attention perhaps we are missing an opportunity on the margins. There are extensive upland areas where existing grouse populations could be resurrected, but perception is that this work comes with a crippling price-tag and few people have the stomach to attempt it.

However, projects in Wales have shown what is possible with a little investment and hard work, and there are similar stirrings of life in marginal moorland areas across the country. Much of this work is founded upon  the basic principles of moorland management, but some people have been taking a second look at the rule book and designing new techniques to suit modern limitations.

Esta historia es de la edición December 6,2017 de Shooting Times & Country.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición December 6,2017 de Shooting Times & Country.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE SHOOTING TIMES & COUNTRYVer todo
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 minutos  |
August 02, 2023
Serious matters
Shooting Times & Country

Serious matters

An old gamebook prompts a contemplation on punt-gunning

time-read
3 minutos  |
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 minutos  |
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 minutos  |
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 minutos  |
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 minutos  |
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 minutos  |
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 minutos  |
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 minutos  |
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 minutos  |
August 02, 2023