Although more than half of the estate has maximum legal protection under EU and Scottish law, Glen Feshie is a mess. It has suffered terribly from over-grazing and erosion from the red deer. Few of its magnificent granny pines are less than 100 years old. The woods are dying. In February, a survey recorded 2,200 deer - more than at any time since the 1970s and double last year's population.
Conservationists say the answer is simple.
They want deer culled and fences removed. The result has been a stable capercaillie population over the last eight years. But deerstalking is big business for Scotland's powerful landowners who charge millions of pounds for the shooting rights. Whether the forestry commission is prepared to take them on and seriously reduce deer numbers remains to be seen.