What is the Glorious 12th?
The red grouse is fastest bird on earth and manages a staggering 80 mph in just a few beats of the wing . This lovely bird may, however, may want to think about a no-fly zone for a few weeks as August 12th, aka the Glorious 12th, is the official opening of the British Game season, with the red grouse, a much prized ‘bag’ for the hunting-shooting-fishing brigade. The red grouse is unique to Great Britain and lives out on the heather moorlands of Northern England and Scotland and on the North Yorkshire Moors alone, the hunt for little bird contributes an astounding £50 million to the local economy: from the hunters who fill up their Range Rovers at local garages, stay in hotels and lodges, eat in restaurants, to the jobs created for beaters, loaders and gamekeepers, this is not an amount to be sniffed at.How Much Does it Cost to Shoot Red Grouse?
Shooting one of the prized bird on the Glorious 12th and the following season, then according to William Langley in The Telegraph, can cost you up to £50,000 for a day’s shoot with this season’s typical party of eight guns, accommodation, commissions, tips, ammunition and refreshments.Where Can I Buy British Game ?
The surplus from a shoot will end end up for sale in local butchers and is also, available to buy on-line. Wild game, whether furred or feathered, is a healthy, lean meat and organic - as should farmed game be, though you may want to check traceability to be absolutely sure.Birds and animals caught in the wild do have a tendency to be dry and tough, which is why they need to be hung. Hanging tenderises the meat and allows the flavour to develop but (as in previous times) you no longer have to wait for the head and tail feathers to fall off, or for maggots to form in the gut. Ripeness is now judged by the smell; a high-bird will smell powerfully gamey; a rotten bird will smell rotten. If you are lucky to be on the receiving end of a brace or two of whatever creature, then what to do with it? Much will depend on age as young game prefers a quick roast or pan-fry, and with older, think of long slow casseroles.
