Roy, yes. Not many grouse moors actually bother to start that early though as they usually wait until the young birds are bit stronger on the wing.

Now, straight from the Horse's mouth; or at least his wife's, I have just telephoned my grouse moor Gamekeeper friends house. This particular grouse moor in North Derbyshire seems to have had some sort of problem with Heather Beetle, heather being the staple food of grouse, and hasn't done very well so not known if there will be a shoot this year. I go working my dogs there and have been going there for about 40 years. Some years there are plenty and some not so many. Being totally wild they are at the mercy of the weather and other factors and are somewhat cyclical having ups and downs for no discernable reasons. Grouse moor Keepers are a rather pessimistic crowd anyway and there never is enough grouse to hear them talk.

According to his wife some other Derbyshire moors have got dates for shooting later this month but not known if my local one will be having a shoot this year. It will be the first time they have missed in my time. They normally have around three driven days with just one some poor years.

The Going North picture has another called Coming South. They are very large pictures and hang in the National Railway Museum in York. I will be there at the museum in October. The pictures are very impressive and filled with detail.

We have had some odd weather but then again English weather is always a bit odd. Last year we had a very warm mild spring with drought like conditions followed by a cold very wet summer unlike Scotland where it was warm and dry. This year we had a long cold winter and spring followed by a very hot summer. A wet period when the grouse chicks are hatching can be very bad as it chills them also there are not enough insects for the chicks.

I'll keep you informed on the subject when I have a bit more information if you are interested.

My old Chessie and a part of the bag. She is guarding them and would not allow anyone but me to appraoch at this stage. Lagopus.....

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v188/lagopus/PictureFile902.jpg