Monitoring services
We offer basic disease and population monitoring services to assist with ongoing management ambitions. We can:
- Do your worm counts
- Undertake spring and summer grouse counts
- Identify the presence of louping ill by blood testing grouse, hares and sheep
- Analyse worm presence where densities are too low to shoot using caecal pat sampling techniques
GTS costs (all fees quoted exclude VAT)
- Grouse counts - £375 per count. Counts are detailed in an emailed report, which includes map of transect and pair/brood locations.
- Worm counts (postal service) - £300 per 20 samples; or £17.50 per bird*. Results are supplied quickly in an emailed report which includes clear concise data interpretation and analysis.
- Worm counts (collection from larder) - £300 per 20 samples + 45p/mile.
- Caecal egg counts - £300 per 20 samples (or £17.50 per sample)*
- Red grouse blood sampling for LIV (postal service) - £17.50 per sample* Results are supplied in an emailed report including clear, concise data interpretation.
- Shoot Day Full Health Check – £1200 per day - includes 20 worm counts and 40 blood samples.
- Shoot Day Half Health Check - £800 per day - 20 worm counts only.
- Shoot Day Half Health Check - £1000 per day - blood testing only (40 samples).
* Please note that where gut or blood samples are delivered to us for processing a supplement will be charged to cover postage costs.
GTS packages
We can help advise on the restoration of a moor or audit existing management strategies. Following an initial assessment visit we will create a range of customised packages to address your objectives.
The individual package elements include:
- Population/Harvesting analysis
- Grouse health (Strongyle worm and sheep tick and louping ill)
- Predator analysis (effort and techniques employed)
- Habitat management
- Wildlife/biodiversity
- Statutory Body support
- Training
Predator control courses
The past few years have seen ever increasing complexity in the licensing and legal regulations governing predator control techniques. To address this, our best practice courses seek to ensure that predator control is carried out according to all the relevant legal requirements and best practice codes, in a way that minimises attempted prosecution and, should it occur, provide the best defence in court.
Each course covers the legal aspects, the methods employed including equipment required and best practice, practical hints and tips and an outdoor demonstration. At the end there is a short test which if passed will result in a Certificate of Attendance. For more information please see our tailored courses.
In Scotland, training in the use of snares became obligatory in 2010. The Trust, in partnership with SGA and BASC, can provide accredited fox and rabbit snare training. For more information please contact our Scottish Headquarters at scottishhq@gwct.org.uk or call 01738 551511.
How GTS will benefit you:
- Provide effective and cost efficient advise
- Ensure you undertake the right management action at the right time
- Make recommendations to improve the productivity of your moor
- Provide an agreed ongoing monitoring programme
- Advise on improving grouse health
- Advise on ways of optimising your heather cover and minimising the impacts of key predators
- Provide, in combination with our research team, scientific evidence to help negotiations with statutory bodies
- Survey and review wildlife data for your moor for negotiations with statutory bodies
- Provide accredited training courses
- Provide written reports with raw data, maps and an accompanying analysis
- Make available a dedicated GTS advisor with whom you can discuss issues
- Complement the inputs from your other estate advisors
For more information please complete the enquiry form on the right or call the GTS office on 01738 551511.