The 240 acres I shoot on, for crop protection, normally has high numbers of pheasant and very low numbers of grouse. This year has low numbers of pheasant and I've yet to see a grouse.
I saw my first Deer yesterday, approached within 20 yards before slowly walking away. I was in a hide shooting at the time. Obviously it wasn't bothered by me or the gun.
High numbers of fox and badger. (Please note, I'm not suggesting shooting badger, it's just an observation)
High numbers of squirrels and rats.
That's just over the Sheffield to Derbyshire border.
My local grouse shoot seems unaffected and numbers are as normal.
My local pheasant shoot is not opening this year at all.
Both of those are the Sheffield side of the Derbyshire border.
So just judging on my local knowledge and what I've seen advertised on guns on pegs, it's a bit of a mish mash this coming season with some shoots operating normally, some not opening and some desperate to sell pegs.
One thinks that by careful selection and recce beforehand that a good season could be had. I would be very careful before committing my money though.
The land I do crop protection on is advertising shooting as normal and charging normal prices as is the adjacent land, yet if you read my first paragraph would you commit £s?
