Grouse, Northern England, England
Driven Grouse shooting is generally considered to be the pinnacle of driven shooting, a potent mixture of wild (not reared) birds, stunning scenery and deep rooted tradition provides the ultimate shooting challenge.
The grouse are driven across the terrain towards the line of guns, traditionally between 6 and 9 people standing in stone or turf 'butts' set wide apart, normally 20 to 35 yards. The birds hug the contours and, when the wind is behind them, can reach speeds upwards of 70 mph!
However, grouse numbers are very unpredictable owing to a number of factors that can lead to population booms and crashes although the downturns have become less pronounced in the last few years. This is mainly due to better management as well as owners investing heavily in the infrastructure of their moors. This has led to many areas having a significant improvement on numbers and reliability.
