A three-page spread devoted to the carnage wrought by driven grouse shooting has been published in The Herald today, including a lead-in from the front page:
This feature article by journalist Neil Mackay is based on a series of interviews with members of REVIVE, the coalition for grouse moor reform.
It includes details of the hundreds of thousands of animals (e.g. foxes, stoats, weasels, crows) lawfully killed on grouse moors every year in order to increase the number of grouse available to be shot, in addition to the ongoing unlawful killing of birds of prey, again, to enhance the number of red grouse available to be shot for entertainment. And all this in the middle of a biodiversity crisis.
It also covers muirburn (the burning of heather on peatland), surely the stupidest idea in a climate emergency, as well as taking apart the grouse shooting industry’s claims about the so-called economic and employment benefits of this tawdry ‘sport’. REVIVE’s campaign manager Max Wiszniewski is quoted: “If the Scottish economy was the size of Ben Nevis, then the [contribution of the] grouse moor industry would be the size of an Irn Bru bottle”.
Amanda Burgauer, director of think-tank Common Weal and a REVIVE partner, says: “There are a lot better uses for land than grouse moors which would be much more productive for communities, biodiversity and the economy. We should start looking at grouse shooting as something the Victorians did”. She also suggests a public campaign to make grouse shooting “morally abhorrent” as was done around drink-driving.
There’s nothing in the article that regular blog readers won’t already be aware of but having a three-page feature in a national paper will bring this subject to the attention of many new readers, and judging by the reaction I’ve seen on social media, it’s done exactly that.
For new blog readers, welcome, and if you want to find out more about the work of REVIVE and its campaign for grouse moor reform, please visit the website here. If you’d like a more in-depth understanding, have a look at REVIVE’s publications page here.
Raptor Persecution UK 
It’s always been an outrage to me. A chance for Hooray Henrys to blast away with shotguns to kill poor innocent birds.
U like The Scotsman’s coverage saying how wonderful this sport is attracting international visitors, putting money and keeping nobs in rural communities etc … Blah blah blah1
I would love to see a decent source or sources for the many claims about the money which shooting tourism brings into local economies.
Mind, I think the same whenever I read or hear that Tourism Proposal X Will Generate Squillions Of Dollarpounds For The Local Economy. Never seen one yet which is properly backed up, just a load of puffery.
I likened it to drink driving sometime ago and have no doubt in time that is how it will be looked on its just too cruel to continue and the more publicity it gets the less popular it will become so congratulations to all concerned the spotlight needs to be kept on this barbarity so that in time to come people will be too ashamed to parcitpate at all.
Saw that Scotsman article, all of the above and preventing firebreaks for wildfires in hot weather apparently by doing the muirburn. Very glowing sport with lots of economic and conservation benefits as you would expect from Ross Ewing even mentioned hen harriers and merlin…… but not the carnage bit as you would expect, funny that wonder why? Think we all know the answer to that one!
It’s disgusting, outdated and horribly cruel…and since my birthday is 12th August, spoils it every year. Glorious ? I think not.
The unspeakable pursuing the uneatable……..undefendable
Yesterday the Independent today the Herald. Surely the writing is on the wall now?
Wake up Sturgeon.
I have the impression that the relationship between the Holyrood mob and many landowners could be described as being “conjoined”.
Glorious Twelve- in my opinion- totally inconsistent with The Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill 2022 and parliaments recognition that animals are sentient beings, which introduced the notion that all new government policy must take this into account.
So when the Scottish government get round to passing legislation on grouse moor licencing then we must make sure politicians fully adhere to the principles of this new piece of legislation.
Great stuff. Interesting that the same newspaper carried this piece on Friday:
https://www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/20622347.agenda-successful-grouse-season-vital-rural-scotland/
“Expect us”, https://www.huntsabs.org.uk/no-ifs-no-butts-shooters-shafted-on-glorious-twelfth/
Good on you all….were I younger I’d join you.