Grouse stocks have not been affected by the summer downpours and a harsh spring, the Moorland Association has revealed on the Glorious 12th.
The Moorland Association reports that the grouse population in north Northumberland was so low it was thought that there could be insufficient birds to shoot this year, but bumper populations elsewhere will ensure a good season.
James Scott Harden, of the Moorland Association, said: ‘There is around a six-year cycle and last year was quite good and this year will be similar. There was some cold weather in June and that knocked some of the chicks, but they seem to have survived.’
However, Richard Dodd, of the Countryside Alliance, believes that the industry could suffer anyway as a result of the poor summer weather: ‘I’m hearing mixed reports about the levels of birds in the region. You can’t rear grouse – they are raised totally naturally. But it’s not been a great year so far, so there may be a scarcity of birds.
‘A lot of wealthy people come to pay big sums of money to shoot and it provides a means for those in the very, very isolated areas.’
The Moorland Association maintains in its Glorious 12th report that, overall, grouse stocks have not been affected by the harsh weather.
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