The distribution of the Capercaillie, Tetrao urogallus, in Scotland has become increasingly restricted in the last two decades and the species is on the ‘Red List’ of high conservation concern (Gibbons et al., RSPB Conservation Review Vol 10, pp7-18). Artificially high numbers of Red Deer, Cervus elaphus, are preventing the regeneration of many of the remaining fragments of native Caledonian pine wood.