Glorious 12th marks start of new season

It perhaps is perplexing to those who are not involved as to why we would want to shoot grouse, when they are revered as relatively rare and special.

There are several aspects to the discussion, but what is true beyond doubt is that an unmanaged moor will be void of its bird life.

The Shropshire branch took a tour over the border when we joined the North Wales branch to visit Ruabon Moor – home to by far the largest population of Black Grouse in Wales. The most stunning summer evening revealed Shropshire and Cheshire below us – and the Curlews above.

Flick the clock back 100 years and the Great War shattered our men and our heritage. Until then the moor had provided employment for at least five keepers and enjoyed a very significant black grouse population, however the onset of War was to be a turning point: No keepers, no vermin control, virtually no grouse.

Our hosts for the evening were Harry Williams-Wynn, with keeper at Ruabon, Stuart Hall and Dr David Baines, the GWCT's chief grouse scientist. Ruabon Moor extends some 7,600 acres and today is a designated SSSI, with various management agreements in place. The aim is to increase wildlife on the moor, especially the black grouse population, which this spring counted 200 black grouse.

What was quite magical as we ascended the moor was that the aforementioned team were able to identify the flight display of curlews taking to the sky, as consistent with having broods of chicks on the ground; most wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

Since 1997 there has been a partridge shoot on the Moor which funds two keepers and indirect management which has nurtured the likes of the black grouse and the curlews. The lesson to us all is that with appropriate vermin control, habitat management, friendly farming and good neighbours, some of our treasured species can and will thrive.

Congratulations must go to Mairi Eyres, of Llangedwyn, Powys who captured a delicate image of a beetle to win the GWCT's Julian Gardner Award 2014, 16 years and under category.

Finally, after the huge success of Shropshire's Fantasy Shoot, which raised £50,000 for the GWCT and local charities in 2012, I am delighted to say we have just secured four stunning venues for a similar prize draw in South Shropshire. Watch this space.

*Tim Main is chairman of the Shropshire branch of the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust