The opening of the grouse shooting season tomorrow – the Glorious 12th – looks like it won’t live up to its name.

Few shoots are likely to be held tomorrow and some moors will not be used this season.

A crash in the population of the bird because of disease has left some areas with only 20 red grouse a square kilometer.

About 12 days shooting are anticipated on the Duke of Devonshire’s estate at Bolton Abbey, near Skipton.

And Keighley Moor is not expected to show many birds, said a spokesman, while the adjoining Emmott Moor, where there has been a devastating fire, was unlikely to produce a good season. Some shooting was expected on Ickornshaw Moor near Skipton.

Edward Bromet, of the Bingley Moor Partnership and chairman of the Moorland Association, said some areas may not shoot at all.

He said: “With such mixed reports of prospects, it looks as though some areas will not shoot at all, while others may only manage two or three days. “Nevertheless, grouse moor managers know that there are many factors beyond their control and have a very long term view.”

Bolton Abbey Estate’s agent Ben Heyes said a count of birds would be carried out with specially trained dogs to see if there would be enough grouse. We have got a provisional programme with shoots booked for a dozen days, but we will have to walk the moors and flush the birds out and then we will have a better idea.

“We are still a long way off the numbers of grouse recorded during our best years.”

Mr Heyes said the popular walk for tourists on the moorland up to the collection of rocks, known as Simon’s Seat, would remain unaffected by the shoots, but shots may be heard.

The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, said following on from the record-breaking shooting season in 2008, the pre-season grouse counts carried out by the Trust suggest that prospects for 2009 were more of a mixed bag in the north of England. e-mail: clive.white @telegraphandargus.co.uk