Overview
Indulge in the epitome of driven and wild shooting: driven grouse. The king of game birds and eternal denizen of the bucket list exceeds expectations as a challenging target…especially when driven over the butt.
What makes Famous Grouse’s poster bird the subject of obsession for so many? The fluffy feet and quirky red eyebrows? Its endearing predisposition toward monogamy? Or the fact that, when driven, they best resemble a winged stampede with individuals twisting, curling, jinking, skimming, swirling all (well, most) in the general direction of the line of butts strewn across a slope?
Approach the king of game birds with trepidation in your heart and caution in your trigger finger, and he’ll pass you by without further ado. This is not a pheasant scribing a trajectory across the sky. Like one of those tricky maths problems in which two trains approach each other at speed along the same track, a driven grouse is coming straight for you, ideally meeting the pattern of your shot enroute.
As soon as they are distinguishable, pick and stick with your choice of bird: like changing queues in the supermarket, swapping targets only turns out well for the grouse. Go with your instinct.
Nothing compares with the adrenaline rush of attacking driven grouse…or the flush of success that comes with having shot well and being on the receiving end of a compliment from your companions in the field…deserved or otherwise. This is the stuff of tall tales over incomparable whisky.
Fact File
Outside Days offers driven grouse shooting across the the north of England and Scotland full teams or individuals
SEASONS
12th August – 10th December
KIT & CLOTHING
Traditional clothing is tweed suit including breeches, dress code is more relaxed these days but this is still a formal event. Do not wear clothes that are white or of bright colour as these will make the keepers job of driving birds over the butts much harder and may result in birds avoiding your peg completely. Don’t forget that a day that starts cool may have you stripped down to shirt sleeves by midday.
Footwear dependant on time of year but good strong boots or wellingtons.
Gun
Double barrelled shotgun, normally 12- 20 bore
Semi-autos and pump actions are not allowed
Cartridges
28 gram No. 6 cartridges will suffice for most grouse shooting
All cartridges must be fibre wad
Group Size
A full team for a day’s shooting is normally eight to ten guns.
We do, however, run scratch days for individuals or small groups to join others to make up a full team.
VISAS & LICENCES
Travelling to the UK from within the EU needs no visa
Travel from outside the EU may require a visa at the port of entry
You will need a licence to bring a gun into the UK and Outside Days can arrange visitor’s permits for you or provide rental guns on your arrival.
MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS
None
INSURANCE
We require all our guests to have third party insurance, this can be obtained by membership to any of the British sporting organisations, for third party and shoot cancellation insurance we recommend the policy offered by Hiscocks.
TIPS
It is standard practice to tip the gamekeeper at the end of a day’s shooting. The rule of thumb would be £40 for up to the first 100 birds then £30-40 per hundred or part thereof after. We believe the tip should also reflect how well you believe you have been looked after.
CURRENCY
GBP sterling
TIME ZONE
GMT
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