Tomorrow is the 'Glorious Twelve'. The Glorious Twelve is on the 12th of August every year. It is a day were Grouse birds are shot.
The day is called the 'Glorious Twelve' because it is a day which marks the start of the shooting season. Usually the birds which are shot are Red Grouse and Black Grouse.
It is a day which is very big on the hunting and shooting calendar. The two well-known days on the hunting and shooting calendar are The Glorious twelve and the Boxing Day Hunts.
Both of the events are controversial.
The Glorious Twelve may be immoral, however, it is legal. Under the Game Act of 183. The only time when shooters are not allowed to shoot birds on the Glorious Twelve, is if the 12th falls on a Sunday.
The Grouse shooting season starts with the Glorious Twelfth every year. And it ends in December. Therefore, bird shooting season runs fromAugust to December every year in the UK.
The birds that are shot are not wild birds, but birds rared especially for the event. Given that the birds are essentially domesticated with no awareness to ope in the wild.
And, they fall into a false sense of security, by trusting the humans who breed them. The birds have no chance of surviving when released.
Despite the name of the 'Glorious Twelfth' the twelfth is not so glorious. Not for the birds anyway. Thousands of Grouse are killed every year through this sik event.
In the 21st century UK, Grouse shooting shames us as a country. There is no need to inflict unnecessary cruelty onto creatures.
Especially not in the name of 'fun'. The Victorians may have started Grouse shooting. But, like many things from the Victorian era, it should stay in the past.
Author
Jennifer Johnstone