Driven grouse shooting Driven grouse shooting Driven grouse shooting is the hunting of the red grouse, a field sport of the United Kingdom. It is popular because it provides a challenge due to the rapid flight of the grouse. The grouse shooting season extends from 12 August, often called the "Glorious Twelfth", to 10 December each year. Shooting takes place on grouse moors, areas of moorland in northern England and Scotland. The name 'driven grouse shooting' refers to the way in which the grouse are driven towards the hunters (otherwise known as 'Guns') by beaters. A shooting party usually includes 8–10 Guns who
Red grouse virus), also known as sheep encephalomyelitis virus. Flaviviruses are transmitted by arthropods, and louping ill virus is transmitted by ticks. In red grouse, this virus can cause mortality as high as 78%. The main tick vector is the sheep tick "Ixodes ricinus". Although traditionally tick-borne diseases are thought to be caused when the parasite bites its host, it has been shown that red grouse chicks can be affected when they eat ticks with which they come into contact. This virus may be a significant factor in red grouse populations. Red grouse The red grouse, "Lagopus lagopus scotica", is a medium-sized