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A busy time ahead as shoot season gets under way
TODAY marks the start of the shooting season for red grouse.
The "Glorious Twelfth" of August is usually one of the busiest days in the shooting season, with large numbers of game birds being shot.
North York Moors landowner George Winn-Darley is also vice-chairman of the Moorland Association.
He said: "We normally get started a little later in North Yorkshire with many of our shoots taking place in September. However I've no doubt that there will be some shooting taking place on the North York Moors today."
Game bird shooting is worth around 12.5 million to the upland economy in northern England.
"It is one of the primary sources of income for the people who take care of our uplands," said Mr Winn-Darley.
"For instance, the money pays for the gamekeepers, who work to protect the 46 different species of birds which can be found on our moorland.
"They also help to maintain proper access to the moors."
Mr Winn-Darley said the 2008 season on the majority of moors on the North York Moors was very disappointing.
But this year had seen an increase in the overall densities of grouse in some areas.
He said: "The average grouse population has risen from 180 birds per square kilometre in 2008 to an average of 265 birds in 2009.
"However these densities are not widespread across the region with some areas suffering from the impact of sheep tick and louping ill which has dramatically reduced brood sizes and shooting prospects.
"Shooting will take place, however the prospects are quite mixed with some estates only having a very limited number of days to allow populations to recover."
Mr Winn-Darley added that continual financial investment needed to be made in order to sustain the moorland.
He said: "It doesn't matter if it's a good year or a bad year financially, the investment needs to be made every year to maintain our moorland."
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Weather for Scarborough
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 24 mph
Wind direction: East
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Temperature: 10 C to 17 C
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