Practice Makes Perfect: 3 Top Tips For Grouse Shooting Prowess

Grouse season is now in full swing so, no doubt, you’re all eager to get out and about on the moors to start reaping all the spoils. 

However, what you may find in 2025 is that many shoot days are either drastically reduced or even outright cancelled in response to low grouse numbers - so you might be better served practising your shooting skills instead.

Last year’s breeding season was particularly bad and the knock-on effects of this are still being felt, with red grouse numbers still low across many regions. 

Various issues are to blame for this, including cold, wet weather in spring 2024, dry conditions in the summer, parasite and disease outbreaks and poor insect availability… so it might well feel like a bit of a wasted effort if you do get dressed up for a shoot and come home empty handed.

So, with all this in mind, honing your skills seems to be like a good option at the moment. To help you do just that, here are a few top tips from the Field & Moor team. Enjoy!

1. Head to the clay shooting ground

Not all clay shooting sites are created equal and if you want to get better at grouse shooting, look out for a ground that has a good grouse butt and the option to use proper grouse butt sticks so that you really get a feel for the true experience.

2. Get match fit!

Grouse shooting can be fast and furious, so you want to be as fit as you can in order to maximise your chances of success. Hit the gym at least once a week and work on your pushes and pulls on the cable machine to give you all the staying power you need.

It can also be beneficial to practice dry gun mounting, where you repeatedly bring an unloaded shotgun to your shoulder, cheek and eye to develop muscle memory and give you one less thing to think about when you’re actually on the moors.

3. Kit yourself out properly

Making sure you have all the equipment you need means you’ll be ready to roll when grouse numbers recover (hopefully next year!).

Must-have clothes for driven grouse shooting include darker shirts, coats, vests, breeks and caps so that you aren’t as easy to spot, beautifully camouflaged against the peat and heather. Birds won’t fly towards you if you’re dressed all in white, after all!

Colour aside, you want to make sure that you’re protected against the elements (tweed is perfect for this, of course), with fleece lining your pockets for added warmth, tall collars on jackets to protect your neck, ear flaps on your cap, shooting glasses for safety… and appropriate footwear, naturally.

You’ll be covering rough terrain that may be wet, soggy or frozen, so a tougher pair of countryside boots is advisable to give you all the support and protection you’re likely to need. 

Not sure where to begin? Peruse what we’ve got in stock - and give us a call if you need any help or advice.