Grouse Season is well underway, thousands have descended to the UK and up to the Moors of Scotland in pursuit of the King of game birds, the Red Grouse. The bird is native to the UK and is one of very few species of bird that is not artificially reared. Gamekeepers ensure that land is well tendered and heather well looked after, in order to protect and preserve this iconic, feathered friend. The fact that its survival is based on nature means that numbers naturally fluctuate from year to year.
The term Glorious Twelfth refers to the 12th August and the official start of the 121 day grouse shooting season. The date was first dictated by the Game Act of 1853 and specified the first day of the Red Grouse season.
Purveyors of shooting clothing and the tailors of Savile Row are in the full throws of finishing out shooting suits and vests and gunmakers are giving matched guns a onceover. Colour palettes tend to be kept quite somber when out on a Red Grouse shoot, with a tendency towards the heathers, browns, greens, and berry reds of the landscape within which the birds reside. They are amongst the trickiest of game to shoot, flying low and at speeds of up to 70 mph, changing direction at the very last moment. Movements and appearance must be quiet and stealth-like.
Budd carries the perfect shirts and accessories to pair with your shooting ensembles. Our checked, brushed cotton shirts and tattersals tick the traditional field-wear brief, whilst our twill shirts and soft cotton and cashmere both offer solid, cosy options should it get chilly out on those moors (an odd thought at the time of writing this #hottestsummeruk). A superb and comfortable option when shooting, is our raglan sleeve shirt, developed by Budd’s Senior Cutter, Darren Tiernan earlier this year. Available bespoke, the raglan sleeve design is ideal when out shooting.
In terms of accessories, ties come knitted, woven or printed, with solid tones assisting in bringing out the check on a tweed, or madders and animals prints providing a cheeky and playful note. Pocket squares are a handy touch, being both practical and adding an accent to your outbreast pocket. Again, we have a variety of squares to work with your outfit, all hand rolled and chosen by our team in the shop.
The Red Grouse has a distinctive call that sounds rather like it is shouting “Go Back, Go Back, Go Back!” Perhaps they are just very smart birds and sending out a warning to their other chums hiding in the heather…
This year, the birds will have a day’s reprieve. Grouse shooting is banned on a Sunday, giving them their own “Glorious Twelfth” before the season kicks in to full swing on the 13th.