By Ross Ewing, Director of Moorland, Scottish Land & Estates

For many Scots, August 12 was probably like any other day. Going to work, preparing for the return to school, or maybe even basking in the uncharacteristically warm Scottish summer.

But high in the glens, amid a resplendent eruption of purple heather, a timeless tradition was taking place: the start of the grouse shooting season – ‘the Glorious Twelfth of August’.

This year Jet (my cocker spaniel) and I joined a group of guns from the southeast of England for a morning of walked-up grouse shooting on the West Glenalmond Estate in Perthshire.

West Glenalmond is a picturesque upland estate nestled between Crieff and Dunkeld. Land is used for a variety of purposes, including agriculture, deer stalking, conservation, forestry and grouse shooting.

The estate also holds a coveted accreditation from Wildlife Estates Scotland – an accreditation scheme which independently measures how land management benefits biodiversity. Local gamekeepers tell me that that this corner of Perthshire boasts nearly 100 different bird species.

Having exchanged pleasantries, we embarked into all-terrain vehicles and ascended high into the glen on well-maintained hill tracks. At times these felt more like rollercoaster than road, such was their steep incline, but they fulfill an important access function for hill walkers (and the emergency services in the event of a wildfire or mountain rescue).

Having driven for about 15 minutes, we gathered for a safety brief from West Glenalmond’s head gamekeeper, Davie Campbell. Safety is of paramount importance when shooting, and the brief is a standing feature of all shoot days – irrespective of the guns’ experience.

From there we lined out up the hill, ready to walk the moor. The guns were in great form; laughing, joking and enjoying each other’s company as anticipation started to build.

There was virtually no wind that day and everyone was struck by the sheer number and diversity of insects. This, as one of the guns remarked, is indicative of a healthy ecosystem with plentiful supplies of food for insect-eating species.

Working dogs are integral to grouse shooting. There were four handlers on the shoot: Davie, two other gamekeepers and myself. Our role was to help flush the grouse and retrieve shot birds. Sounds simple enough, but gamekeepers invest significant amounts of time in training their dogs – watching a well-trained gundog at work is a true spectacle.

Having interspersed the dog handlers between the guns we set off across the moor, pollen from the heather dissipating into the air like a light mist. It wasn’t long before the first covey (group) of grouse sprung from the heather. The proximal guns mounted their shotguns and fired, but the grouse flew on. This was followed by some gentle ribbing by the adjacent guns, as is often customary upon missing the target!

Many assume grouse shooting is artless, requiring little marksmanship. The truth is that it is bloody hard. Red grouse are wild birds: astute and fleeting. They are not easy to shoot, and this was made doubly difficult by the gamekeepers and guns choosing to only shoot older birds. This is because 2025 is being treated by many estates as a ‘building year’ for grouse populations following some very poor breeding last year, courtesy of an unprecedently wet Scottish spring. As such, older birds are targeted to preserve the younger grouse and improve the health of the overall population.

It wasn’t long before another covey of grouse rocketed from the heather. The guns fired again and two grouse tumbled. As the dogs bounded ahead to retrieve the birds, the line paused and guns exchanged congratulatory remarks and friendly banter.

Locating the shot birds is not as easy as it might seem. Their plumage mirrors the colour of moorland vegetation, so we rely on the dogs to pick up the grouse scent to find and retrieve the birds. This was made challenging by the pollen, which was charging the air with a mild sweetness.

As we proceeded across the hill several more coveys of grouse emerged, swiftly followed by the crack of shotgun fire. Jet, my cocker, did well – executing four retrieves on the bounce to the admiration of my neighboring guns. This is Jet’s third grouse season and at this point I am feeling relieved he has remembered what to do after six months of no shooting!

Lunchtime on a shoot day is always a highlight. The guns brought a feast of meats, spreads, cheese and bread, and they were joined by family members who had been enjoying the breathtaking Perthshire scenery. The children were having the time of their lives, swimming in a refreshing burn next to the lunch hut.

The afternoon saw more quality, conservation-minded shooting interspersed by excellent work from the dogs. A gargantuan white-tailed eagle treated us to a fly-past in the distance, hunting the moor for its next meal.

After many miles walked, the day drew to a close and the guns thanked Davie and his team for a superb day. They would return the following day for more high-quality shooting, after first spending money in an assortment of local hospitality businesses, along with countless other shooting parties.

For so many reasons, the twelfth of August is simply glorious. Whether it be the diversity of moorland wildlife, the sustainment of rural jobs or the stimulus provided to the rural economy, grouse shooting is a world-class draw about which Scotland can be very proud.

Ross Ewing is the Director of Moorland at Scottish Land and Estates – a membership organisation for landowners, rural businesses and rural professionals.