From the ling to the larder

Yorkshire Dales Moorland Group

The grouse season is in full swing across the moors with Yorkshire enjoying a much more productive year for these unique upland birds. All grouse find their way from the ling to the larder then onto the plates of many discerning diner be they country folk or game connoisseurs who frequent the top city restaurants.

When the shoot day ends the sumptuous grouse are assessed, hung and then allowed to cool for a few hours in temperature controlled environment. The gamekeepers separate the young birds of the year from older birds and this is an important step for two reasons. Firstly it allows the keeper to evaluate the ratios of young birds to old and this data is recorded and factored into the ongoing management of the stock of birds present not only on the moor as a whole but also between beats. Secondly the younger birds will realise a higher value at the game dealers as they are the preferred choice for those culinary dishes so prized in the restaurant trade.

But how does the gamekeeper tell the difference between a young grouse and an older one? It must be said that this is a skilled task and many an observer has been flabbergasted at not only the expertise of the keeper(s) but the speed at which the age grading is carried out. Well here are some of the secrets.....

Young grouse can be separated by observing a small number of visual clues. The most often used method is to inspect the primary wing feathers. Young grouse will have their third and longest primary wing feather still completing its growth and therefore it will appear marginally shorter than its adjacent counterparts. Older grouse will have relatively even primaries across the wing. Another clue that can be used in ageing birds is the condition of the toe nails. Older birds can show subtle ridges across the keratin nail plate or signs of wear and tear. Young birds tend to lack these for the most part.

As the season progresses these ageing signatures become less and less obvious and even the most skilled keeper will begin to take a little longer to grade the birds. Other methods might involve testing the hardness of the skull by pressing between thumb and finger or checking how fragile the lower mandible is on a particular bird. Older birds have hardened skulls and the mandible is much more tough and brittle.

At the end of a shoot day it is an impressive sight to see grouse being aged at high speed by staff. Once the grouse are collected they are quickly processed. Even the feathers are used in fly-tying and decorations. Little is wasted.

Its worth reminding ourselves that red grouse are unique to the British Isles. They are truly wild birds of the uplands and not reared, released or artificially propagated. The only support they receive is habitat maintenance, the rest is down to the weather and the grouse themselves.