The seventh grouse

I think my most cherished grouse shooting memory is of two men standing by the side of a road arguing over who got to keep the extra bird. It was relatively lighthearted, but they were keen grouse-eating men.

We’d been at it all day and we’d had only seven birds between us: two each to take home, plus the singleton. It was a fine day’s shooting and the relatively warm cans of beer that we drank when we got back tasted better than any beer I can remember, on account of the miles and miles we’d walked, but it was the way that the Guns cherished the quarry so much that makes it such a special memory.

Grouse shooting has become a bit political, but to my mind, it represents the very best of our sport. When moors are managed right, they provide great habitat for endangered birds, grouse shooting supports rural communities and the shooting is brilliant, not to mention the gastronomic delights of Lagopus lagopus scotica. If you were lucky enough to be out on the Twelfth, I hope you had a great day, and if not, why not book something, even if it’s for next season?

Follow Patrick on Twitter @paddycgalbraith