Those wandering in the Scottish Hills today, Friday August 12, might care to remember that it is the first day of the grouse-shooting season aka The Glorious Twelfth. Glorious for shooters, perhaps, but not so much fun for the grouse. I suggest all activators on grouse moors in GM-land keep their heads and backsides down, antennas retracted and wits about them as not all participants on the Glorious Twelfth are crack-shots! One glimpse of a low-flying dipole or a KX2 emitting a squawking sound could see them suddenly peppered with shotgun pellets… I’ll be hiding in the shack chasing activators, not grouse. It’s somewhat safer. 73 Mike
I tried a bit of grouse hunting here in the US but never had much luck. Little SOBs wait until you’re right on them before they take off like a rocket.
I do better with squirrels and deer. Some of my favorite hunting grounds are on or near SOTA summits, so I may combine the two this year. I need a Q-code for “hold on let me take this shot”.
There is a definite lack of the Red Grouse this year (and for the last four years). Many shoots have abandoned plans for a shoot this year (us included).
The local farmer asked us to help with a plague of crows yesterday so it was suggested we send a boxfull of those to the London restaurants and see what these Michelin starred chefs could do with them
This product (a staple of many a summit sandwich years ago in the days when it was still considered treason to eat a real swan in the UK) contains no traces of swan, although as a youngster I was not so sure!
I suggest all activators on grouse moors in GM-land keep their heads and backsides down, antennas retracted and wits about them as not all participants on the Glorious Twelfth are crack-shots! One glimpse of a low-flying dipole or a KX2 emitting a squawking sound could see them suddenly peppered with shotgun pellets… 
I’ll be hiding in the shack chasing activators, not grouse. It’s somewhat safer. 73 Mike
