Glorious Twelfth
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The Glorious Twelfth is usually used to refer to August 12, the start of the open season for grouse shooting in the United Kingdom. This is one of the busiest days in the shooting season, with large amounts of game being shot. It is also a major boost to the rural economy. While the date itself is traditional, the current legislation enshrining it is the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (and in Northern Ireland, the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985). It should be noted that not all game (as defined by the Game Act 1831) have the same start to their open seasons - most begin on September 1, with October 1 for woodcock and pheasant.
Since the start of the season traditionally does not begin on a Sunday, it is sometimes postponed to August 13, as in 2001 [1]. In recent years, the event has been hit by hunt saboteurs, the 2001 foot and mouth crisis (which further postponed the date in affected areas [2]) and the effect of sheep tick and the gut parasite trichostrongylus tenius [3].
The phrase Glorious Twelfth is sometimes also used to refer to the annual Orange Order celebrations of July 12, more commonly referred to as simply The Twelfth.
