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12 August, more commonly known as the Glorious Twelfth, is a notable date in the shooting calendar of the United Kingdom. Often described as the start of the 121-day grouse shooting season, it marks the point when the moors come back into focus for many people involved in field sports. While tradition remains central to the day, modern shooting clothing and equipment also play their part, and readers looking at current kit can explore the shooting collection and men’s shooting clothing collection.
The early beginnings – 1773
The shooting law to put restrictions on when you could and couldn’t shoot game appeared way back in the Game Act of 1773 – “An Act to explain – the preservation of the moor or hill game”.
Enacted on 24 June, the Act stated that no one would be allowed to hunt or even buy “black-game” or “grouse, commonly called red-game, between the tenth day of December and the twelfth day of August.” In that instant, 12 August became the first day of the season.
Licences change the game – 1831
Moving on to 1831, another Game Act was introduced to clarify the law surrounding game hunting, and it was the introduction of licences, a practice that still exists today.
“Before any person takes, kills, pursues or aids or assists in any manner in so doing, or who uses any dog, net, gun or other engine for the purpose of taking, pursuing or killing any game, woodcock, snipe or any deer, must take out a licence to kill game.”
The concept of licences was an important moment for the sport. Not only did it mark the end of ‘Royal Forests’ – the monarch’s protected hunting grounds that had been around since the 11th century – but it was also a sign of how popular game shooting had become.
The sport grows in popularity – 1853
The most significant surge in popularity of grouse shooting occurred in the 1850s, during the Victorian era. The introduction of widespread railway networks across the UK suddenly allowed more people than ever to reach the moors.
Teamed with the advancement of breech-loading shotguns, which allowed easier and faster reloading, bags from a day’s shooting in those days could be enormous. That combination of access and equipment helped shape the scale of sporting shooting in the period.
The impact of rationing – 1940s/50s
With food supplies being cut off by Germany, Britain’s food imports dropped from 55 million tons to 12, barely a month into the war, and rationing took hold.
As a result, game shooting quickly went from being seen mainly as an aristocratic preserve to a more practical countryside pursuit. There are examples of farmers and landowners with large areas of land inviting their employees to shoot. The owners got free pest control, and the employees kept the meat.
The Glorious Twelfth today
These days, the Glorious Twelfth continues to hold a distinct place in the sporting calendar, with grouse shooting remaining closely tied to the moors and to the traditions that surround them. The red grouse, in particular, is the best-known bird associated with the season because it is uniquely native to Britain.
Modern shoot days may still be shaped by long-standing custom, but they also depend on practical clothing and weather-ready outerwear. For current categories, readers can explore the men’s shooting jackets collection, the men’s shooting clothing collection and the wider shooting collection.
