The Economics of Grouse Shooting

"The income gained from shooting in the uplands is incredibly important to the ability to manage the area properly and to conserve wildlife"
Baroness Young of Old Scone, Hansard; 5 October 2000

"There is …. no doubt that shooting provides, in many upland areas, the only income, and it is that which pays for the maintenance, heather burning and so on…."
Baroness Mallalieu, Hansard; 5 October 2000

"It is sad that the enormous all-year-round effort that moorland keepers put into managing the habitat for red grouse will not be rewarded with much to harvest this year. It is crucial that their work continues to safeguard these treasured and globally rare moorland landscapes for the future. Grouse moor management has a huge knock on benefit for a range of important and rare wildlife, whilst providing a real boost to the rural economy - particularly in some of England's most remote areas."
Jim Knight, Minister for Rural Affairs; Moorland Association press release; 8th August 2005

Background
In England and Wales there are about 160 estates where grouse shooting occurs, covering an estimated area of 2750 km2 with an average estate size of 20 km2, (5000 acres). The total area where grouse shooting occurs covers approximately 800,000 acres. On average, 200,000 grouse are shot in England and Wales in a shooting season. Grouse are a short lived species which rely on young heather shoots as a food source. They have a high mortality rate - within 12 months of birth - regardless of shooting.

Grouse Numbers
Grouse have a natural boom to crash population cycle, and depending on the type of ground, this can be between seven and 12 years. In practical terms this means that, during the early, 'recover' years of that cycle, there are often not enough grouse to shoot at all. Any surplus revenue from good grouse shooting years is therefore essential to continue moorland management and to maintain the delicate upland infrastructure in years when there is no shooting.

In late July, the grouse are counted to see if there are enough to plan a shooting programme that season (12th August to 10th December). If the count realises 200 grouse/ km2 a shooting programme can proceed, but anything less and there would be no shooting. This is to ensure that a decent surplus stock of grouse remains for the following year.

The average keeper density in England and Wales is one keeper per 3,500 acres of moorland to ensure best grouse numbers through predator control. An estimated 200 full time keepers (equivalent) are employed directly in England and Wales. The total wage bill for keepers is estimated at £3 million/year based on a £15,000 salary. Added to this are the costs of employment, equipment and materials to manage the moorland, vehicle running costs, telephone, council tax, property repairs and insurance. These are all fixed costs every year, whether shooting happens or not, and in effect doubles the wages bill. Revenue expenditure will sometimes be added on top of fixed costs in any year for buying in bracken and rush control, heather re-seeding, dry-stone walling and road creation/upgrades.

Heather moorland, dominating much of our National Park and AONB landscapes in England, helps to attract visitors, but this is hard to quantify. Equally the management for grouse shooting benefits rare and declining plants and animals, many of which are on conservation target lists, locally, nationally and indeed internationally. Without the investment by land owners, there would need to be measures put in place to safeguard the environment at the tax payers expense.

If there are enough grouse to shoot for a full programme across all moors (Shooting potential 16 days/7000 acres), 1800 shooting days per year for England and Wales could employ 54,000 beater days amounting to a total of £1.89 million per season. This would provide an important source of local, seasonal employment. (30 beaters per shoot/ per day @ £35/day). There is also the indirect benefit of employing local people to perform all functions on the moors, who then spend their earnings in the local area.

Accommodation providers in the immediate vicinity to the moors also benefit from parties of guns, their wives and often loaders. They will often stay the night before a shooting day, paying for dinner and breakfast, but can also stay the night after shooting as well.

There is a whole host of other trades that benefit from the grouse industry including contractors e.g. for heather re-seeding, bracken control and traditional skills such as dry-stone walling, equipment suppliers, (predator control, medicated grit, vehicle purchase and maintenance), specialist clothing, moorland track construction/maintenance etc. Game dealers and restaurateurs also make a profit from the on-sale of the end product. Where a shooting lodge is concerned, staff are essential for house keeping and catering - providing lunches and dinners, often sourcing the best of local produce.

On average 16 shooting days would be hoped for from 7000 acres during the season from 12th August to 10th December in the North West in a good shooting year. (Please note the effect of the grouse cycle - figures would be for full shooting potential if let commercially. The five yearly average will be lower.)