Why oh why is Scotland the only country in the UK to still have the ban on tail docking of working dogs?
Just back in from ferreting a plantation of young larch and scots pine trees. I am soaked to the skin and frozen. My daughter is visiting us with her boyfriend and I thought it would be a good chance for him to see some different animal tracks in the snow.
I am not a happy chappy. I was cutting old rabbit fences away this morning and my ear is bleeding profusely. I detest that high tensile wire; when you cut it with the wire cutters it goes off like a coiled spring. It felt like I had been shot in the ear.
Why oh why is Scotland the only country in the UK to still have the ban on tail docking of working dogs?
Just back in from ferreting a plantation of young larch and scots pine trees. I am soaked to the skin and frozen. My daughter is visiting us with her boyfriend and I thought it would be a good chance for him to see some different animal tracks in the snow.
I am not a happy chappy. I was cutting old rabbit fences away this morning and my ear is bleeding profusely. I detest that high tensile wire; when you cut it with the wire cutters it goes off like a coiled spring. It felt like I had been shot in the ear.
Just stopped to say hello to a group of guys out walking and enjoying the un-seasonal warm weather we are having just now. I think they were rather taken aback when I thanked the two dog owners among them for keeping their dogs on a lead.
The first of November and the midges were still biting as I walked the dogs this morning, I’m sure we are in for a wake up call with a good hard frost and a return to winter
The tail end of Hurricane Katie is making its presence felt on the grouse moors this week and Alex watches other wildlife cope with the storms.
Alex gets a short break after some strenuous days on the grouse moors and has time to reflect on news of the sea eagle attack on a Perthshire Minister.
Deer, dogs and the cakes in Invergarry are the highlights of Alex's week!
Grouse move into focus on heather moorlands across Scotland this week and Alex does his share of promoting the significance of the "Glorious Twelfth".
With summer holidays in full swing there's little appetite for political meetings so Alex gets the chance to catch up on work at home. However he has a strong message for keepers who are struggling to cope with buzzard predation.
View more blog posts in our archive.