The FAT LADY Sings ?

[GADWALL41]

Well ,

not quite yet ! .

 

I have been thinking about this for a Long time and am Genuinely interested in your views and tips, Here is my Dilemma.

 

As a Gentleman of a Certain age , it is becoming apparent that I can no longer do as much as I once could .

The days of Hauling myself ,Gun , net , dekes , torch , gear bag , seat , ammo and spare ammo , just in case its a once in a season day Oh and of course ,

Mutley if he is in that form again Oh and the Fallen , if there is any , across and through Mud , water and all kinds of God made Slime and other growth , well is becoming too Much for me .

 

Cut back on the items I bring , as much as possible , but theres only so much you can do . I have gone from chest waders to Pants waders and cross the tidal channels earlier and later .

 

How do you manage ?.

 

Given as read , we are all Different , How Old is to old to go Out wildfowling ? Purely from a safety and what one can manage to do view point ,

 

At what stage does THE FAT LADY SING ?,.

 

With the above said and as the day is nearer and not farther away . I have taken to video recording my trips on the coast . Not for any Trophy re living moments , but , when the Chair and Fire are all I have to look forward to, I can put on a DVD and it will be My corner on the Coast and my dog and my memories and not Chris Greens !, .

 

No I am not past it yet and tomorrow holds the prospect of an early morn and an afternoon trek and Tide flight , but who knows ?.

 

Some days it is a struggle to get out there , though there is no where else I would rather Be !

[Albert 888]

Why not not mentor a young fit and reliable newcomer,and pass on all your knowledge to them and time and in return they carry a bit of your gear. It's a win win situation for both of you. Ps I'm young fit and stupid and hope when I'm older someone will return the favour and take me out when I'm struggling.

[WildCamper1982]

That's a very good idea Albert ,us newbie's need all the help we can get starting off and would be nice to see your knowledge passed down to good use.

[anser2]

I am now in the older bracket and had a serious illness last year and at one stage did not know if i would ever shoot again , but I was lucky and still manage to flight on the foreshore , but i have a few rules. Know my limits, Those distant far flung spots on th marsh are out of bounds. Work the areas close to the sea wall and safety, they can be surprisingly good with a little time and effort. Indeed I have found one mallard flightline within a few yards of parking the car that i never knew existed and regulary produces a few birds. Avoid danger spots with soft mud, lots of creeks to jump , rough ground and so on. Do not risk the need to run back before a spring tide.

 

As for decoys limit the number you use and think about using lighter makes. When after geese a back pack is a lot better than a side game bag. The weight is better distributed across your shoulders. As for a torch there some very good small LED hand torches than weigh a fraction of the ones I used to use. Be far more aware of the weather and any risks it may pose even if it means missing the best gale of the season. Indeed as I get older I find quiet pleasant days more enjoyable than productive weather in driving rain or freezing cold , ok the bags might be smaller , but there is a lot more to wildfowling than just killing stuff.

 

Foreshore shooting will always be my first love , but there some clubs who have good inland wildfowling where the walk out to flight is shorter and over easy ground and still keep the atmosphere of real wildfowling. One of my clubs gives me the option of shooting on a huge inland marsh with large tidal rivers with wide reed beds or on a large lake by boat , ok not quite the same as shooting below the high tide mark , but still in realy wild places and in my mind still wildfowling rather than just duck shooting. As we get towards our late 60s its still possible to continue wildfowling as long as you reconise your limitations and do not exceed them.

Edited October 20, 2014 by anser2

[birdsallpl]

I am now in the older bracket and had a serious illness last year and at one stage did not know if i would ever shoot again , but I was lucky and still manage to flight on the foreshore , but i have a few rules. Know my limits, Those distant far flung spots on th marsh are out of bounds. Work the areas close to the sea wall and safety, they can be surprisingly good with a little time and effort. Indeed I have found one mallard flightline within a few yards of parking the car that i never knew existed and regulary produces a few birds. Avoid danger spots with soft mud, lots of creeks to jump , rough ground and so on. Do not risk the need to run back before a spring tide.

 

As for decoys limit the number you use and think about using lighter makes. When after geese a back pack is a lot better than a side game bag. The weight is better distributed across your shoulders. As for a torch there some very good small LED hand torches than weigh a fraction of the ones I used to use. Be far more aware of the weather and any risks it may pose even if it means missing the best gale of the season. Indeed as I get older I find quiet pleasant days more enjoyable than productive weather in driving rain or freezing cold , ok the bags might be smaller , but there is a lot more to wildfowling than just killing stuff.

 

Foreshore shooting will always be my first love , but there some clubs who have good inland wildfowling where the walk out to flight is shorter and over easy ground and still keep the atmosphere of real wildfowling. One of my clubs gives me the option of shooting on a huge inland marsh with large tidal rivers with wide reed beds or on a large lake by boat , ok not quite the same as shooting below the high tide mark , but still in realy wild places and in my mind still wildfowling rather than just duck shooting. As we get towards our late 60s its still possible to continue wildfowling as long as you reconise your limitations and do not exceed them.

 

Very well put. I can completely relate to your situation and perspective.

[oxfordfowler]

Well gentlemen - just to cheer you all up and to prove what is possible with a bit of assistance.

 

My Father will be going up onto the Solway again this coming January - I remember him making his first trip when I was 15/16 (I am now 57).

At 81 and accompanied by 3 sons (who are all in their 50's) If I can still do what he does 20 years time I will be very happy.

 

Admittedly we are very careful where we take him and many areas are now out of the question due to distance or terrain. However for a guy with only one eye and various ailments with his back and hips he sometimes needs to be held back as to where he thinks he can get too.

 

 

So come January will all be out together for the week - after all If he didn't come who would make the mid flight coffee

[mudpatten]

Assuming, hopefully, that you`re fit and healthy, don`t sit back and wait for creaking old age to overtake you.

 

Take a step back and look at your lifestyle. Give up the fags and cut back on the booze. Take a long,hard look at your eating habits and general levels of physical fitness.

 

Adjust the above as required and,If necessary, sign up to a gym, or at the very least do some meaningful exercise to keep things moving.

 

I whole heartedly agree with the philosophy of passing on what you know to the next generation of fowlers. I was very fortunate to have served an apprenticeship with four or five of the last of the local professional punt/shoulder gunners and I`m determined to pass on what I learned from them.

 

One thing is for certain, if you don`t onwardly transmit your knowledge, it will die with you.

[kent]

I was very seriously ill once, the thing that really kept me going was if I am honest I had more to do with the Rod and gun. One day it will be our last who the heck wants to spend that day sat doing nothing, not me!

 

Don't put anyone else at risk and know your limitations physically. A friend and fowler had a big heart attack a year or two back, when questioned by a slightly older ex-fowler why he was walking off the marsh so soon after it he said " No point surviving it was there if I did xxxx all with it was there now" I thought at the time how right he was and took more pity on the guy who was only watching from the car park. Take the minimum of gear and use your hard won knowledge to bring the odds in your favour or do as Albert suggests and find a young fit guy to act as Sherpa in return for the imparting and handing down of that which you know.

 

I think if we are honest most might prefer to go to bed in the evening and just never wake up when their call comes but I should not worry too much if it came when I was out doing what I love

[marsh man]

I agree with all the above comments , I find having a dog and a general interest in the countryside gives me plenty of exercise that I enjoy doing . Having done manual work and been outside all my working life it have kept me fit, but wildfowling can be classed at times a extreme sport and you need a decent level of fitness and be in fairly good health. My cut off point was reaching 65 as I had then done 50yrs wildfowling and from there onwards it became a slowing down process and even though I still go most nights, it is not much harder than taking my dog out with a gun with me , as I don't have far to go and the walk is over grass land and with the modern clothing and boots the normal to bad weather is no longer a problem its only when it gets to adverse weather you have to use a bit of common sense . But we are wise enough to know we have got less time in front of us than the amount were had behind us in the past , so I count myself one of the lucky ones who can still take part in one of the hardest forms of field sports , but its all down to knowing your limitations.

[GADWALL41]

Well theres food for thought ,

thanks for the tips and insight . It obviously is something we all have an eye on in the Future and I sure couldn't stick more than one Winter by the fireside without being able to Get out There AND listening to Jon Swift singing Run River on MP3 , look it up on youtube , a great song , touching on our favourite place .

 

Yes the Back pack is a great help , much more control of the load carried , fewer items inside it to . Think regular swimming pool trips might be needed to .

 

45 YEARS of knowledge of local areas and still learning of course , well this Season I get to spend some more time with my son - Sherpa , as he has finished his 12 month College stint in London. He has been shooting with me since about 8 years old , but Rugby and College have kept him away from salt water for to long . I am doing my best to pass on what I know to him and at least he will get up at 4am to go out with me in any weather , I love the Wildest days .

Of all the Guys I know only 1 , yes 1 other person would be there at , 3.30 or 5.30 am if you arranged it with them to be all the others just wont make the effort, so no other apprentices at the moment .

 

Beretta A400 XTREME, on Slack days I will walk across the marsh shooting Snipe with this gun , getting a little heavy for that now , so that's my next slim down job ,

 

I am lucky I have never smoked and never ever had a drink in my life , however that doesn't help the Blood pressure, 4 pills for Brekie and 1 for tea cut into energy levels, must have a talk to the doc about that next visit ,

 

Yes the pass in the Night peacefully would be my choice But knowing my luck it will be , stuck in the Mud on a slow advancing spring tide with no credit in my Mobile and a spare signal flare in my Blind bag with sambos that the dog ran off with !

 

Still you got to have a sense of humour about these thing to !!

[Chad63]

My old man is 84. He's still Roe Stalking, Rough Shooting and is planning his annual Wigtown wildfowling trip with me and my brother this coming February. Like others, he knows his limitations and sticks to them but he's still loving his sport

[fenboy]

I go with Graham ayano3 on here , and he is accient

Seriousley though as anser2 says it is not always required to go right out on the marsh , I have shot more duck this year within 30 metres or so of the sea wall , fact is if they are coming off the marsh to feed inland they have to cross the sea wall to do so , its just a case of having the correct conditions that they can offer a shot .

 

take a minimum of cartridges , I would sy if you have used more than 6-10 you have had a very good flight in most cases , a rucksack is certainly easier to carry gear and dead fowl in than a game bag .

Also consider if you need to take decoys can you not just flight the duck ?

[kent]

You don't smoke and you don't drink and you have blood pressure, try stop worrying you still quite young there is always time to take up a few vices

[ayano3]

There is some cheeky __________ who I take out on here

I cant help it if I'm 28 and stuck in an older framework. I do take some a little bit younger than myself but none offer to take my gear. I have changed my gear slightly and my 1970's HMP made game bag now only comes out occasionally, instead I have changed to a Army Bergen that allows me to carry a fold up Zimmer frame, 4x4 wheelchair, a bigger flask with Sanatagen 50+.

 

Joking apart I do now use a Army Bergen as like mentioned earlier its easier to distribute the weight of your equipment and you can get more quarry in it if you are lucky enough to get anything. I don't have chest waders as I have seen far younger people than me also collapse with heat exhaustion on the early season 3 mile treks. Its still thigh boots for me, folded down so pretty much the same as short wellingtons. If I needed chest waders to get to places should you really be there ? I have just purchased a £4 waterproof carp unhooking mat that I intended to use to sit on but the dogs claimed that First time she has ever wanted to sit on anything remotely dry. I do have a old pair of green cheap waterproof trousers I can slip on over my waders for sitting in mud. If I take Fenboy I don't even bother with cartridges, all the birds go over him anyway. Usually I have enough for all occasions. One thing I have that I had never dreamt of using a few years ago is a small head torch. Its handy for when collecting up the decoys but I would never dream of using it whilst other fowlers are out there shooting. They are also good for spotting those grass covered creeks...although I missed spotting one a few weeks ago and one leg went in one and the other just crumpled under me, OUCH. I am usually one of the very last to leave so the light don't bother anyone else.

 

I may not take the 'leaps of faith' I did many years ago but I still go to all the same places. Its just a bit further to walk now as I no longer take short cuts. Sometimes a good ploy too. Maybe one day I may not be able to carry all the gear we need but that day is a long way off I hope. I know what the answer would be if I suggested my shooting friends carry my gear, it would start with a F and end with a F and be two words long. I just focus on getting to my destination and think of the rewards my efforts get me.

[oxfordfowler]

Graham (AYANO3) - you talk a load of.

 

How much stuff do you need to carry to get from your car to the Cafe and breakfast - just bring your wallet.

[ayano3]

Thought we may have seen the last of you Oxford as its been windy today and you promised us you were going inland with your blow up companion. How did you get on ??

 

I always have to take my wallet as the others all plead poverty or order the big breakfast and then realise they have 87p.

[Big Mat]

Thought we may have seen the last of you Oxford as its been windy today and you promised us you were going inland with your blow up companion. How did you get on ??

 

I always have to take my wallet as the others all plead poverty or order the big breakfast and then realise they have 87p.

 

Don't forget the one who always forgets his wallet

 

Oxford needs that blow up one now that he is getting older, normal boat would be too heavy for a retired bloke

[oxfordfowler]

This old retired bloke left the morning flight carrying a very heavy bag (of wildfowl). Freezer will be full tomorrow

[GADWALL41]

Well done you ! ,

I had no problems last Night , as I only shot 1 Snipe , I skipped al the way home !.

[Cosd]

Hopefully my friend Denny Essex will see this and give some handy tips.

He is really really really old, and though he has done it for pigeon shooting and not wildfowling, he has worked tirelessly on lightening his kit bag and has done really well shedding kilo's from his gear.

 

One of his early day techniques was also to take a much younger, stronger, fitter better looking man to help with the load too

 

 

Cos

[anser2]

Ayano , back in the days when I was younger I never used a torch on the Wash , but the N Norfolk marsh I now shoot has a maize of narrow ( 1-2 feet ) but deep creeks ( 5 ft deep + ) that you have to step over every few yards , real leg breakers and the marsh is over a mile out to the sands so a torch is pretty important , but It always gets switched as you near the edge of the green.

[birdsallpl]

I am very fortunate that I have two sons who both Wildfowel. One of these will usually carry my gun, bag and decoys for me whilst I carry he's semi auto. A fair exchange I feel, as he carries my double eight. I have little problems carrying my own game bag off the marsh as it is usually empty. LOL

Edited October 22, 2014 by birdsallpl

[FatFreddysCat]

Can carry loads of gear in this.

 

[Grandalf]

I'm the wrong side of 75 and still fowling. I have never liked mob handed fowling so still go on my own most of the time. This is mostly around the Norfolk Broads area and on the smaller East Anglian estuaries. Still get on the sea marshes proper occasionally when one of my younger mates will come and keep an eye on my old carcass.

Had to adapt things a bit though. Like Graham I use an ex army Bergen rucksack. They are perfect for the job. I use a 26" Benelli with Paternmaster chokes to tighten it up. Very light. Head torch by Clueson - The best on the market I believe. Rarely take a hide - maybe a net and a couple of poles to go with my wading stick - mainly just the net to lay over me and the dog. Decoys are silosocks whenever practical - lightest on the market.

Don't carry anything if I can help it - I have a two wheeled trolley that I pull. All my gear goes in it - wide wheeled so it doesn't bog in and it will float if not overloaded. Main piece of equipment is a modified shooting stick. Wide diameter base plate attached to the one that was already on it so it's OK in the mud. Find it hard to get up to shoot from a lying position these days - takes too long.

Have joined two slightly inland clubs that have land that is easier to access.

Yes I'd rather be out on the saltwater marshes any day but I'm still getting out - That's the main thing.

Oh, I also carry two mobile phones - one in pocket and one in rucksack and a GPS so I can tell the Air Ambulance pilot the exact co-ordinates when I have that heart attack. (And two orange dayglow strips). Then I have a check in system with the Memsahib and she has a couple of numbers to phone to alert help if I don't check in. She always knows the area I am going to.

Wont give up until I really have to. Still suffer from Goose Fever at the start of every season.

[harrycatcat1]

I'm the wrong side of 75 and still fowling. I have never liked mob handed fowling so still go on my own most of the time. This is mostly around the Norfolk Broads area and on the smaller East Anglian estuaries. Still get on the sea marshes proper occasionally when one of my younger mates will come and keep an eye on my old carcass.

Had to adapt things a bit though. Like Graham I use an ex army Bergen rucksack. They are perfect for the job. I use a 26" Benelli with Paternmaster chokes to tighten it up. Very light. Head torch by Clueson - The best on the market I believe. Rarely take a hide - maybe a net and a couple of poles to go with my wading stick - mainly just the net to lay over me and the dog. Decoys are silosocks whenever practical - lightest on the market.

Don't carry anything if I can help it - I have a two wheeled trolley that I pull. All my gear goes in it - wide wheeled so it doesn't bog in and it will float if not overloaded. Main piece of equipment is a modified shooting stick. Wide diameter base plate attached to the one that was already on it so it's OK in the mud. Find it hard to get up to shoot from a lying position these days - takes too long.

Have joined two slightly inland clubs that have land that is easier to access.

Yes I'd rather be out on the saltwater marshes any day but I'm still getting out - That's the main thing.

Oh, I also carry two mobile phones - one in pocket and one in rucksack and a GPS so I can tell the Air Ambulance pilot the exact co-ordinates when I have that heart attack. (And two orange dayglow strips). Then I have a check in system with the Memsahib and she has a couple of numbers to phone to alert help if I don't check in. She always knows the area I am going to.

Wont give up until I really have to. Still suffer from Goose Fever at the start of every season.

 

Nice one