The impacts of a poor season
Many grouse moors have cancelled some or all of their planned days. Tim Baynes, director of the Scottish Moorland Group, reports on the consequences for the estates and local communities
YOU don’t have to travel far through Scotland’s shooting communities to feel the anguish when prospects for a season are poor. With an estimated 70% to 80% of shoot days cancelled, there’s no hiding from the harsh consequences of the Beast from the East, followed immediately by the hottest, driest spell for many years. To appreciate the impact on estates and rural businesses you need only to listen to the voices on the ground.
Philip Mackenzie, owner of Farr estate in the Monadhliaths, tells an all too familiar story. “At Farr we would hope to have 15 driven days per season and four or five walked-up days. This year we have cancelled all grouse shooting. Our 15 driven days would have produced an income in excess of £100,000, which we reinvest in the estate. In addition, we would have offered 350 man days of employment during the season.
“We can’t now take on any of those people, so they will lose that pay. The local community shop relies on income from beaters and casual workers, which it will not now receive, which makes it difficult for it to stay in operation. Our general costs in terms of ongoing maintenance, care of the land and conservation measures continue, and our three full-time gamekeepers have to be paid regardless of the lack of income from shooting. All the estates in this area are in the same position.”
His comments are echoed by Garrogie estate, Invernesshire, which has cancelled 14 driven days and 10 walked-up days. Usually the estate employs 30 to 35 people each day on the hill on driven days, with an additional four staff working at the lodge. This effect is replicated across rural Scotland.
Grouse-shooting contributes about £40m to the economy in a good grouse year. Shooting and stalking combined contribute £200m every year and generate 970,000 bed-nights for accommodation providers in Scotland.
Robert Rattray of Galbraith Sporting Lets has experienced the highs and lows of grouse-shooting seasons for three decades. He says: “This year has been one of the toughest in recent memory and we are seeing bookings being cancelled left, right and centre. The effect of this is widespread and goes far beyond the estates, which invest so heavily year-round in preparation for the season, and the shooting parties that are understandably disappointed when the outlook is poor. It is not an overstatement to say that shooting is a lifeline for rural communities. It is difficult to imagine how revenue on this scale could be brought into remote villages and hamlets by any other means. Not only hotels and accommodation providers but also pubs, cafes, shops, taxi firms and other rural businesses rely on the tourism generated by shooting.
“Being an eternal optimist, there is always the possibility of a late-season surprise and we have teams of guns who would jump on any opportunity that arises later in the year.”
A survey of 45 grouse estates across Scotland, conducted by Scotland’s seven regional moorland groups in 2017, found that more than £23m flowed directly into local businesses in trade generated by estate activity. In the region around Loch Ness, for example, local businesses benefited to the tune of £6.2m; in Angus, £4.9m; in Speyside, £3.9m.
Not all grouse estates completed the survey, so the true figure will be even higher.
When it comes to employment, we know that 2,640 jobs are supported directly by grouse shooting. Danny Lawson, head keeper at Glenogil estate, and a member of Angus Glens Moorland Group, said: “A survey of seven of our local estates highlighted that 57 full-time jobs are created with 512 beating staff employed during the season. Last year beaters on our estate worked 2,165 shifts between them on grouse-, partridgeand pheasant-shooting days.
“No matter how good or bad the predictions for a season are, massive investment is made before a single shot is fired. The benefits of this go well beyond tourism and employment. As important are the conservation and habitat benefits that result from managing the landscape. We’ve all seen the horrendous damage wildfires can do and I’m proud to have seen fellow keepers out helping fire services battle wildfires across Britain. And we should always spread the message about the vast range of birds breeding, feeding and rallying on land managed by gamekeepers.”
On one hand, these testimonies paint a bleak picture but what is equally compelling is that they demonstrate the massive contribution of grouse shooting to rural Scotland, particularly at a time when a Scottish Government-led review into grouse shooting is ongoing. Those of us who live and breathe grouse shooting are resolute in our belief that our community can give a good account of the multiple social, economic and environmental benefits we provide.
On 13 August this year I was on Forneth Moor in Perthshire with a small party on an informal walked-up shoot. A 14-year-old in our party, Angus Turnbull, who had never shot a grouse before, bagged a brace with a leftand-right. Justine Muir and Sheila Eastwood from the Scottish Ladies Shooting Club were thrilled to be there and talked excitedly about their transition from clays to game (particularly when Justine bagged her first grouse).
An experience like this demonstrates why the grouse season is coveted by sportsmen and women all over the world. We must continue to spare no effort in getting that message across, through supporting local moorland groups and industry-wide initiatives, such as the Gift of Grouse campaign.
Angus Turnbull is the perfect example of an ordinary lad taking part in a country tradition that has remained unchanged for generations. He is the future, and therefore we have much to celebrate – whatever the prospects over an individual season.
This year has been one of the toughest in recent memory… the effect is widespread