THE League Against Cruel Sports has countered reports from the Moorland Association of a poor 2018 grouse shooting season by suggesting the use of clays instead of live targets.

The MA has reported rural upland businesses and communities across the north of England have been counting the cost of a poor grouse shooting season and a financial loss that runs into millions of pounds.

They claim that over the course of the four-month season which finished on December 10, an estimated 70 per cent of shoot days were cancelled and says recent survey data indicates the financial impact of these cancellations is approximately £11m, a substantial direct loss for rural businesses and those who live and work in remote upland communities.

Amanda Anderson, Director of the Moorland Association said: “2018 has been a disappointing year for most of the grouse shooting community in England where overall 70 per cent of shoot days were cancelled due to low red grouse numbers. The knock on negative economic impact has been significant and rural businesses have really felt the hit.

“The good news is that despite the poor season, grouse estates across the country continue to invest heavily in the conservation of the moorlands benefitting a wide range of flora and fauna, including vulnerable ground nesting birds such as the curlew, merlin, lapwing, ring ouzel and red grouse.”

While the much-reduced shoot programme was a blow for country sports lovers, the MA says the real impact was felt by local businesses who rely on vital grouse shooting income, especially in the shoulder months of the tourist season. Hotels, pubs, restaurants, game dealers, contractors and other ancillary businesses have lost much-needed revenue due to the lack of grouse shooting customers.

The poor season is said to have been caused by low red grouse numbers and only when there is a healthy surplus of grouse can they be harvested for shooting.

Red grouse are wild birds and cannot be reared - unlike pheasants - such they are at the mercy of mother nature. The intense cold in February brought by the Beast from East followed by a prolonged drought impacted the growth of heather, the red grouse’s principal food source, resulted in a shortage of birds.

The MA added: "Despite the poor season, English grouse moor owners continue to invest over £50m of private money annually into the conservation and enhancement of upland landscapes. This ongoing conservation work on moorland across England, including peatland restoration initiatives, predator control and habitat management, is producing positive results for a range of upland species despite the substantial fall in income for estates with sporting interests."

However, the League Against Cruel Sports states having clay shoot events could provide an ideal alternative to live shoots and still support the local economy.

Nick Weston, head of campaigns at the League Against Cruel Sports, said: “Simulated grouse shooting – which uses clay discs as an alternative to live birds – can provide substantial investment for rural communities and a small army of loaders, technicians, catering staff, garage owners, publicans and landowners benefit. Rather than damaging the ecology and regional economy like its live-quarry-counterpart, simulated shooting allows the countryside to be conserved by benefitting all wildlife beyond the red grouse.

“There are wider economic and social benefits which would come through replacing shooting game birds with simulated grouse shooting. This includes bringing an end to the flooding, landslides and water pollution caused by damaging grouse shooting practices such as burning, as well as boosting wildlife which would otherwise be targeted by gamekeepers.”