It has been a good start to the grouse season, in the Borders at least, and I'm getting fitter by the day after four long days walking, seemingly always against the wind!
Two days were walked-up shoots, with the dogs and I part of the picking-up team. The bags were a modest 15 brace on each day, but as I've said before the sport is about so much more than shooting. The hills were looking at their best, there were a lot of keepers and dogs out in support and the banter was great as always. The other two days were driven shoots and I was one of the flankers, so plenty walking there too, and lots of beaters making the most of their purposeful day out in the hills.
There are no more shoots for a few days so I've time now to catch up on what's been happening out with the moors, and was shocked to read about the Perthshire Minister who was attacked by a sea eagle in his own garden! His wound needed stitches and he was clearly badly shaken - I certainly would have been. But what if it had been a small child that had suffered the attack? It's probably just a matter of time before that happens because these birds are being released into what is a comparatively densely populated area and competing for food so they're coming into contact with humans on a daily basis. It's almost inevitable that it will lead to increased attacks.
And yet there's no strategy in place for dealing with the consequences of the "more reintroductions at any cost" approach as far as I'm aware. It's high time there was.