WHAT TO WEAR GROUSE SHOOTING
Grouse shooting in the UK can be traced back to 1853 with the rise of its popularity most likely due to the improvements in railways making it easier for people to get to the moors. It became especially popular in the late Victorian era as a fashionable sport for the wealthy. Grouse shooting, whether driven or walked-up, is now enjoyed by a much wider audience though the grouse still holds the reputation as the king of game birds.
There are four species of grouse in Britain: red grouse, black grouse, capercaillie and ptarmigan. Red grouse are only found in the British Isles.
Grouse are a challenge for shooters due to their speed (they can fly up to 130 km/h or 81 mph) and the fact they are difficult to spot in their native moorland habitat.
WHEN IS GROUSE SHOOTING SEASON?
Grouse shooting season starts on the 12th August (or the Glorious Twelfth as it’s commonly referred to) and runs to 10th December in Great Britain. In Northern Ireland it runs from 12th August to 30th November. Since game shooting is prohibited in England by law on Sundays, if the 12th falls on a Sunday, then the Glorious Twelfth is postponed to the 13th.
The UK shooting season is carefully regulated for both practical management and conservation reasons.
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WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DRIVEN AND WALKED-UP GROUSE SHOOTING?
With a driven shoot, large numbers of grouse are driven towards ‘Guns’. A shooting party normally consists of around 8-10 ‘Guns’ who stand in a line in butts. These are hides for shooting and screened by a wall or turf. Beaters drive the grouse towards the waiting Guns flushing the birds in the desired direction. Typically, there will be a requirement for more birds with driven shooting.
On a walked-up grouse shoot, the participants walk forward in a line and flush the birds as they go, usually with specially trained dogs.
There is a strict code of conduct governing behaviour on the grouse moor for both safety and etiquette.
BEST CLOTHES FOR GROUSE SHOOTING
Typically, the weather may not always be glorious, although the start of the grouse season can correspond with the warmest days of the year, so you need to ensure you are appropriately dressed to enjoy the thrill of the shoot whatever the weather conditions.
Layering is often a sensible choice and remember that dark colours are favoured to avoid being easily spotted by the birds. It’s also advisable to check the dress code with your host in advance.
It's likely to be warm if you’re shooting early in the season so it’s best to avoid anything too heavy. Sensible options would be either a fleece gilet such as Alan Paine’s Aylsham gilet or a Combrook tweed shooting waistcoat worn over an Ilkley or Lawen country shirt. For an even lighter shooting waistcoat which has the appearance of tweed, the Axford technical tweed effect shooting waistcoat is crafted in a machine washable, water repellent cotton twill. Driven grouse shoots tend to be more formal so you may want to wear a Ripon silk tie with your shooting waistcoat.
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WHAT TO WEAR FOR GROUSE SHOOTING
Grouse shooting in the UK can be traced back to 1853 with the rise of its popularity most likely due to the improvements in railways making it easier for people to get to the moors. It became especially popular in the late Victorian era as a fashionable sport for the wealthy. Grouse shooting, whether driven or walked-up, is now enjoyed by a much wider audience though the grouse still holds the reputation as the king of game birds.
There are four species of grouse in Britain: red grouse, black grouse, capercaillie and ptarmigan. Red grouse are only found in the British Isles.
Grouse are a challenge for shooters due to their speed (they can fly up to 130 km/h or 81 mph) and the fact they are difficult to spot in their native moorland habitat.
WHEN IS GROUSE SHOOTING SEASON?
Grouse shooting season starts on the 12th August (or the Glorious Twelfth as it’s commonly referred to) and runs to 10th December in Great Britain. In Northern Ireland it runs from 12th August to 30th November. Since game shooting is prohibited in England by law on Sundays, if the 12th falls on a Sunday, then the Glorious Twelfth is postponed to the 13th.
The UK shooting season is carefully regulated for both practical management and conservation reasons.
↓
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DRIVEN AND WALKED-UP GROUSE SHOOTING?
With a driven shoot, large numbers of grouse are driven towards ‘Guns’. A shooting party normally consists of around 8-10 ‘Guns’ who stand in a line in butts. These are hides for shooting and screened by a wall or turf. Beaters drive the grouse towards the waiting Guns flushing the birds in the desired direction. Typically, there will be a requirement for more birds with driven shooting.
On a walked-up grouse shoot, the participants walk forward in a line and flush the birds as they go, usually with specially trained dogs.
There is a strict code of conduct governing behaviour on the grouse moor for both safety and etiquette.
BEST CLOTHES FOR GROUSE SHOOTING
Typically, the weather may not always be glorious, although the start of the grouse season can correspond with the warmest days of the year, so you need to ensure you are appropriately dressed to enjoy the thrill of the shoot whatever the weather conditions.
Layering is often a sensible choice and remember that dark colours are favoured to avoid being easily spotted by the birds. It’s also advisable to check the dress code with your host in advance.
It's likely to be warm if you’re shooting early in the season so it’s best to avoid anything too heavy. Sensible options would be either a fleece gilet such as Alan Paine’s Aylsham gilet or a Combrook tweed shooting waistcoat worn over an Ilkley or Lawen country shirt. For an even lighter shooting waistcoat which has the appearance of tweed, the Axford technical tweed effect shooting waistcoat is crafted in a machine washable, water repellent cotton twill. Driven grouse shoots tend to be more formal so you may want to wear a Ripon silk tie with your shooting waistcoat.
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