Thank you, Patrick - several interesting and noteworthy points in this article, especially the reference to "Guns On Pegs" (GOP), the wildly successful online booking service that allows one to book a day, week, or month (infrequent due to established syndicate leases) on the moors for driven grouse. I referred one of my case-repair clients who had just received back his matched pair of "between the war" Purdeys and was wondering when he'd ever have a chance to use them (as a true pair) to the GOP website, which he had never heard of. He started in 2013 with a single full day (at the end of which he was invited to fill a complimentary peg cancelled by another client). He went back in 2014 for 3 full days and just last month made his third trip for 4 full days. When I asked him if the grouse really were that fast, he said, "you have no idea!" His comment about the experience, "breathtaking!"
Another point is the relative cost - as the USD gains against the British pound (albeit slowly!) more and more shooters from the US 'find a way' to experience this mesmerizing type of shooting. Utilizing the GOP website for booking individual days (and locations as well) combined with selecting smaller, B&B or local inns, some very nice accomodations and shooting experiences may be had. Complicating factors include the constant 'juking and jiving' by the airlines in structuring fares and service schedules, the ever-annoying value-added taxes (VAT), and the bar bill for those fond of fine single-malt Scotch!
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