It’s a good but not a great year for both grouse and grouse shooting bookings, say sporting agents and the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust.

In the fifth issue of its Grouse Moor News, out on 12 August 2009, Savills’ William Duckworth-Chad says that while the passion to own and shoot over one’s moor remains strong, there is still a shortage of good quality moors coming to the market. Leasehold values in England for big moors between £120-£150/brace driven grouse. English moors freehold would base value on around £4,500/brace driven grouse. Scotland finds it difficult to provide a value because nothing has been sold since 2005 but at the peak of the market values were probably in exscess of £4,000/brace driven grouse. Prices in Scotland are now probably in the range of £3,500-£4,000/brace driven grouse.

CKD Galbraith says that demand remains strong for this year’s grouse shooting and predicts grouse numbers will be up in many areas of Scotland, with grouse counts better than in recent years.

Robert Rattray, a partner at CKD Galbraith who leads the firm’s sporting lettings department, says: “Bookings have been good this year despite the economic climate, with the price of driven grouse shooting holding up well between £130 and £150 per brace.

“The supply of driven grouse shooting continues to be confined to core areas in Scotland, and we find that, wherever possible, experienced parties are looking to take some of their driven grouse shooting in Scotland as they hugely value the sporting qualities of our Scottish grouse, which remain good value compared to many moors in the north of England.

“The Scottish moors which have grouse should have a good season this year, and weather conditions over the critical period of the last few months have been excellent.

“We continue to receive daily enquiries particularly for walked up shooting, and although we are well booked, more days may become available as we get into the season and stocks can be fully assessed.”

Following on from the record-breaking shooting season in 2008, the pre-season grouse counts carried out by the GWCT suggest that prospects for 2009 are more of a mixed bag in the north of England. Areas that had a record-breaking season last year such as the Northerndales and North Pennines are likely to have succumbed to the periodic crash caused by disease and thus shooting in this region will be patchy. However, other regions such as the Southerndales, and the Peak District will have a good season and it is predicted that some moors will have an exceptional year.

In Scotland, Scottish moors have seen an upturn in red grouse productivity this year, according to the results of the recently completed pre-season counts carried out by the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust. This should bring a fresh impetus to investment in the management of Scotland’s heather clad hills.

Many grouse moor managers have been rewarded by encouraging numbers of young grouse and, with some local and regional exceptions, abundances of these wild birds are broadly 25% up on recent years. The average number of grouse on 100 hectares of heather moorland this year is over 70 birds suggesting there could be over 900,000 red grouse in Scotland at the moment!

Another issue facing grouse moor managers in England and Scotland this year is the growing problem of heather beetle. This is a consequence of a third mild and wet summer, which has caused an increasing number of outbreaks of heather beetle across the North of England and in Scotland. Some estates have reported widespread devastation of heather on their moorland and the Trust is keen to obtain funding to carry out research on this moorland pest in order to assess the likely long-term implications of heather beetle attack on precious heather moorland habitat.

The GWCT’s scientists have been collecting data annually on upland grouse moors for the past 30 years providing detailed information on grouse population trends to all those with an interest in uplands ecology including grouse moor managers and gamekeepers.

Dave Newborn, Senior Grouse Scientist with the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, says: “We have just finished our pre-season counts and it is evident that this season will not be as good as last year. However, although the picture is very mixed across the north of England some estates will enjoy some very good days with some particularly bright spots dotted across the region.”

Over the past 30 years the GWCT has been using pointer dogs to accurately pin-point the location of grouse on more than 250 moors across England, Scotland and Wales. This long-term data is essential in helping to develop techniques such as using sheep as ‘tick mops’ to reduce the impact of tick diseases that can seriously affect humans, grouse and other wildlife.

This long-term monitoring also clearly shows that management carried out on our grouse moors benefits a whole host of other species as well as conserving increasingly rare and precious heather habitats. According to Trust data, eighteen species of birds of European significance are found within the British Uplands, many of these species are declining, particularly important waders such as golden plover, lapwing and curlews. However, the Trust’s research shows that wild birds have been breeding far better on moors with gamekeepers than without.

The rare black grouse, which is now teetering on the edge of extinction in this country, is a species that is reaping the rewards from the management carried out by moorland managers and gamekeepers. Dr Phil Warren, who leads black grouse recovery in the North Pennines for the Trust said, “The North Pennines is surrounded by active grouse moors. Black grouse are one of the few Biodiversity Action Plan species that are likely to hit their conservation target of 1,000 males on time because of the management techniques practiced by moorland managers, particularly habitat management, heather burning and targeted predator control of species such as stoats – a major predator of black grouse chicks and eggs.”

Dr Stephen Tapper, the Trust’s director of policy and public affairs has just published a new report titled ‘Restoring the balance’, which outlines why the nation’s current approach to conservation isn’t working well enough. Tapper explains how moorland management is a shining example of sustainable land use that is delivering wildlife. “Much of the heather moorland across Europe has been lost or seriously eroded over the last century, but in Britain the rate of decline of this threatened habitat has been much reduced because landowners and gamekeepers manage it for grouse.

“Our studies confirm that grouse shooting makes a huge contribution to nature conservation in the uplands and the financial investment in moorland management for grouse provides a highly sustainable form of land use,” he says.

Edward Bromet, chairman of the Moorland Association says: “Red Grouse are totally wild so all grouse moor owners and managers can do is manage their heather moorland habitat in which they live. With such mixed reports of prospects, it looks as though some areas will not shoot at all, while others may only manage two or three days. It is not a huge return for the 365 days-a-year effort put in along with substantial private financial investment. Nevertheless, grouse moor managers know that there are many factors beyond their control and have a very long term view. In the meantime, all the management efforts continue to be of fantastic benefit to other important wildlife, our cherished purple landscapes, carbon lock-up and local rural economies.”

In the Trough of Bowland, an average density of 143 birds per km2 was counted in 2009; this is very similar to 2008 when 150 birds per km2were counted. Poor brood size was again the problem with only a mean brood size of 4.2 chicks per brood recorded this year, coupled with low densities; the wet mild weather through July has possibly amplified the sheep tick and louping ill problems in the region. Very limited shooting in the area with the estates in the north of the region having the most grouse.

The Southerndales didn’t have the record breaking season last year as did their neighbours further north, however many of the moors had an above average season. The grouse numbers have held up very well for the 2009 season with grouse densities very similar to 2008. The 2009 grouse densities averaged 265 birds per km2, this compares to an average of 290 birds per km2 in 2008. Productivity has been very good with brood sizes up on 2008 on some moors. With these sorts of grouse densities an average or above average season is expected in 2009, with one or two moors having an excellent year.

The 2008 season on the majority of moors on the North York Moors was very disappointing, 2009 has seen an increase in the overall densities of grouse on the areas we have counted to date. The average grouse population has risen from 180 birds per km2 in 2008 to an average of 265 birds per km2 in 2009. However these densities are not wide spread across the region with some areas suffering from the impact of sheep tick and louping ill which has dramatically reduced brood sizes and shooting prospects. Shooting will take place. However, the prospects are quite mixed with some estates only having a very limited number of days to allow populations to recover.

The Northerndales is the region which has seen the greatest crash in the population. On a number of estates, 2008 will go down as the record breaking season. Unfortunately, with so many grouse some populations were under shot and too many grouse were left at the end of the season. This high density of grouse caused large increases in the strongyle worm population and subsequently the grouse suffered. The grouse counts in some areas have fallen from in excess of 400 birds per km2 in 2008 to only 20 birds per km2 in 2009. The average grouse density in 2009 is 129 birds per km2, whilst the average densities in 2008 were 362 birds per km2 .

The picture in the North Pennines is similar to the Northerndales. Following last seasons bumper year, the region will see a reduced amount of shooting across the region.

Prospects are looking quite good for the Peak District - in particular the northern and north-eastern region. Densities of grouse have increased from 2008 to 2009, not only have overall grouse densities increased but brood sizes have improved. A number of days will be enjoyed in the region this year.

For the experts' view, watch web tv station Fieldsports Channel's programme Fieldsports Britain which goes out from 7pm on 12 August 2009.