Wearing ex military issue and items

[Jock Scot]

So here’s a specific: I see black-cock feathers on civilian dress from time to time. Do they not have a military meaning of some sort?

It’s an uncommon thing to see a bonnet being worn with civilian kilt attire anyway and even more uncommon to see a civilian( who is not perhaps a member of a band) with a black cock tail in it. I can only think of one reason for a civilian to have a blackcock tail in his bonnet and that it is traditional in some places that a person having shot his first blackcock will usually have that beautiful tail presented to him by the gamekeeper. A large tip is usually handed over and often the tail is proudly worn in the bonnet for a wee while in the shooting field. Not something I have seen for some time now, mainly due to most estates who are now trying to preserve the magnificent bird.