This year’s grouse shooting season is being reported as one of the most successful in living memory.
According to Scotland’s leading sports agency, Sporting Lets, there were record grouse numbers in parts of Aberdeenshire and Moray, and an increase in the Cairngorms.
In Moray, one moor started the season with 220 brace on their first day’s shooting on August 12, breaking the previous record of 205.
In the Monadhliaths, one estate had a best day ever of 316 brace on August 15, believed to be another record, although records have not always been written down.
Sporting Lets is predicting a record overall count of grouse shot and a multimillion-pound income generated for the Scottish economy by the time the season officially ends on December 10.
The value of grouse shooting to the Scottish economy last year was £38 million – and it is expected this will be surpassed.
The season started on August 12 and most estates are reporting this year’s birds to be in good condition.
This is partly due to a favourable climate. Last year’s mild winter was followed by a long and mild spring and equally favourable conditions throughout the summer months. Together with one of the driest Septembers in Scotland since records began, this resulted in the best breeding conditions possible.
Spring counts were good but some moors did report a slight loss in brood size as July approached. Although some estates sensibly adopted strict biosecurity measures in light of outbreaks of the contagious disease “bulgy eye” south of the border and some areas of southern Scotland, this did not have any material impact on shooting.
Robert Rattray, partner at CKD Galbraith estate agents and head of Sporting Lets, is delighted with the season’s results to date. He said: “The grouse have been particularly well grown this year, with record bags being recorded right across the country due to the fantastic shooting available right from start of the season, and continuing through October which has benefited from the dry and mild weather.
“The Cairngorms and Aberdeenshire continued to improve this year with new records also being set on the Monadhliaths; one estate had a best day ever of 316 brace on August 15 – possibly a record for the Monadhliaths.
“Perthshire has really done particularly well, with grouse numbers well up on those moors being actively managed. One mid-Perthshire estate had a best early season day of 277 brace in just four drives in a stiff wind. Generally, bags of 100 plus brace were not uncommon throughout the region’s moors.”