Gamekeepers throughout the Scottish uplands are taking the lead to ensure mountain hare (Lepus timidus) numbers are sustainably managed for the future by implementing a new counting methodology that provides better insight into their abundance. Nearly 70 gamekeepers and land managers across 47 estates have now attended formal training workshops, led by the Game and

Scotland is a major stronghold for hen harriers, with 80% of the UK population. Land managers and gamekeepers have been stepping up efforts as part of the ‘Heads Up for Harriers’ project to help protect the hen harrier population in Scotland. Last week a parliamentary question submitted by Andy Wightman MSP asked how many estates

By Tim Baynes, Director of SLE’s Moorland Group. Setting the heather alight is an idiom that most are familiar with – even if some might not be sure exactly where the phrase originated from. The benefits of controlled heather burning on moorland has long been known to land managers and scientists and the reasons for

Scotland’s grouse sector has taken a multi-million pound hit due to the poor weather – but that has not dampened the private investment in vital conservation work yielding significant results for the nation’s treasured wildlife. New figures estimate the financial impact of the shoot cancellations to be approximately £38.5m – direct spending on grouse shooting

The number of women taking part in both clays and game shooting, such as grouse, in Scotland has risen steadily over the past few years, breaking the stereotypical male dominated image of country sports. The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) has welcomed the influx of women into shooting sports in recent years and

Countryside and wildlife organisations today appealed for the Scottish Government-led review into grouse moor management to be allowed to take its course in the interests of rural Scotland. The British Association of Shooting and Conservation, The Scottish Countryside Alliance, Scottish Land & Estates and the Scottish Association of Country Sports issued a joint statement as

Moorland estates won a clutch of prizes and nominations at the prestigious Helping It Happen Awards, announced last night in Edinburgh. The winner of the Enhancing our Environment Award was Philiphaugh Estate in the Borders, for its peatland restoration work and the other two finalists in this category were grouse-shooting estates, with Invercauld Estate and

Gamekeepers from Angus Glens Moorland Group (AGMG) are battling it out with some of the country’s top celebrity chefs to be crowned ‘Game Hero’ in this year’s Eat Game Awards.   The national Eat Game Awards is an exciting initiative aimed at recognising and helping to develop game as a healthy and modern addition to

Hoteliers in Scotland have reported a downturn in business due to the widespread cancellations of shoot programmes. Approximately 70% of grouse shooting days have been cancelled this season because of the extreme weather conditions across most of Scotland earlier this year. Hotels, pubs and other businesses in rural areas are reliant on the trade generated