Grousenomics

[burnie]

I've just picked up a copy of the Field magazine,get one from time to time.There's a full page advert from the Churchill sporting agency,for the Lammermuirs(which I think is in the borders)3 days Grouse shooting for 3 guns shooting 300 birds,?10500 per gun.Gives you an idea of how desperate they might be to add a couple more birds at those prices!!over ?30000 for 300 birds!!

[Wildfisher]

Good news story here for Mull.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-13783555

Value of sea eagles for Mull alone  -  5 million. Looks pretty impressive compared  to 11 million for grouse for the whole of Scotland.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-11748775

[Scotaidh]

What I don't understand is why these rich people need to shot 100's of birds in 1 day, that isn't sustainable.  Manage the land for a mix of wildlife and shooting, get rough shooters and bird watchers.  Maybe on different days though

[Wildfisher]

I think you are right Scotaidh. Nothing at all wrong  with shooting if it's done sustainably. My own definition of sustainable is shooting a natural surplus, not some artificial high number that may have been created by the slaughter of raptors that appear to be of  more value to Scotland's economy than the grouse they are killed to protect.

[Scotaidh]

ideally this would be good for everything, if we ate pike, perch, roach etc, dined on wild roe deer, which are becoming a road hazard in places, not sure about eating magpies and cormorants but i like the formula.
we breed an awful lot for entertainment and food while populations of things that used to be food explode into problems.

My grandmother used to say cormorant was the best eating seabird.

[River Chatter]

My grandmother used to say cormorant was the best eating seabird.

I imagine it tastes like wild brown trout from my local loch.  :x

[Wildfisher]

I imagine it tastes like wild brown trout from my local loch.  :x

more likely stockie rainbows  from one of the many dubs.    C'mon the cormorants!!!  :lol:

[Wildfisher]

christ knows why people fished for trout in the first place, pike is like eating mud with needles

Salmon too, the most culinary overrated fish that swims, even the the wild stuff is pretty dire.  Nice smoked, but then so are most things.  Give me a bit of haddock any day! 

[Inchlaggan]

I have always been interested in what we Britons will or will not eat- horse anyone?
On safari in Kenya our Masai guide would tell us the common (English), latin and local names of each animal spotted. An antelope was identified as "kongoni" and I commented that I had tried that for dinner the previous night- delicious. The other couple in the Land Rover were horrified- how could I eat wildlife?

[zeolite]

Salmon too, the most culinary overrated fish that swims, even the the wild stuff is pretty dire.  Nice smoked, but then so are most things.  Give me a bit of haddock any day! 

I really don't know what goes on with your tastebuds Fred but fresh caught salmon is a delight! The fish I really don't care for is cod. That is the most overrated fish. Unless you give it a decent sauce it is very bland.