Scotland's grouse estates are facing an exceptionally poor season this year after the Beast from the East cold snap and the recent heatwave caused the number of birds breeding successfully to fall.
The unusually severe weather has led to a number of moors cancelling all shooting or delaying the start of the season, sparking fears for hundreds of jobs in economically fragile upland areas across the country.
Colin McGregor, head gamekeeper on Lochan Estate in Perthshire, said that hens had given birth to fewer chicks and were less able to look after their young.
“The heather didn’t come through the winter very well and was in very poor condition in the spring so the hen grouse did not put on weight for nesting,” he said.
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“As a result, there were smaller clutches and when they did hatch the hen grouse were not in good condition to look after the young ones.
“The heat didn’t help. We had no spring: it went from winter to summer. It was so hot you could see the grouse panting for breath.
“It was the perfect storm of things coming together at the same time - hopefully a once-in-a-lifetime scenario.”
The grouse season has become increasingly lucrative and is now estimated to be worth £32 million to Scotland each year.
Shooting also supports 11,000 full-time jobs north of the Border, of which 2,640 are in the grouse sector.
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Two areas of Scotland which rely heavily on the season are the Lammermuirs and the Angus Glens.
One survey of six estates in the Angus Glens showed that £4.7m worth of trade was generated for local businesses, with hundreds of jobs supported.
And according to a new poll covering five local estates in the Lammermuirs Moorland Group, the loss of shoot days this year will mean a reduction of nearly 550 man-days of seasonal work over a two-month period. Young people, pensioners and migrant workers are all set to lose out.
Helen Savage, coordinator of the Lammermuirs Moorland Group, said: “For young people in this area, shoot days can be a first introduction to the workplace. It is the chance to earn a bit of extra money over the season, develop team skills and confidence and meet a wide array of people from all backgrounds. It will be disappointing not to see the same volume of visitors this year however, people have to think about future grouse stocks and sustainability.”
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The concerns come as the House of Bruar in Highland Perthshire todaysat launches a weekend-long celebration to mark the opening of the grouse season. Its menswear department will be offering free gun valuations, alongside a programme of themed events in store.
A spokesman for the Gift of Grouse campaign predicted that estates would remain resilient.
“Despite the economic hit this year to estates and downstream businesses, owners continue to invest in grouse moors and to maintain employment,” he said.
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