harrycatcat1 Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 What I mean is do you just decide the evening before or do you have to forward plan a trip to the marsh? I work, have business commitments, pheasant syndicate and demanding young granddaughters and familly. For example the earliest I will be on the marsh will be a week tommorrow and that could change if anything crops up. I live 78 miles away from the closest marsh so its normaly between 11.00 or 13.00 before I get back in the house from a morning flight. I know I could just say flip the lot and go wildfowling as often as possible which would be nice but I have to earn the money to get there. I know some say "I go out when its a big tide" etc but I have to go when it fits in to my schedule I am afraid. Just interested in how others operate really. Regards H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Mat Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 (edited) I say, i think i'll nip down the marsh in the morning, or this evening, or under the moon. And then something usually comes along and makes my plan go tits up Edited December 3, 2014 by Big Mat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essox022 Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 I decide on the weather and what flys over my house I live a mile from the estuary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmints Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 Hey Harry, I'm in the same boat. Business commitments, young daughter, wife, syndicate and dogs. I generally find some free time and go and do what I can. This often means that I don't get to go when conditions are perfect, but I get out into the countryside and make the most of it. I've yet to go to a shoot day this year! Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AberFowl Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 (edited) I go every Saturday..would take alot to stop me. If the weather gets very poor I cant work so I go home and load the car, check tides at different locations and head to whichever will be best for that day. I have 2weeks off over Christmas, the only days I won't be on the foreshore are Sundays, Christmas day and new years day..unless we get a very big fall of snow in which case I will be ploughing. My annual leave is taken on the day of the full moon and a day either side. Any spare morning or evening is spent on the foreshore regardless of weather and tide, I just love to be out there wether I think I will get a shot or not! I will add, I have no wife or children..just me and my young Labrador who never says no to a few hours out with the gun! Could say I am quite addicted to fowling! Edited December 3, 2014 by AberFowl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 i like to get out at least once a week and have done 4 or 5 flights a week but I dont have far to travel , I do take a peek at the tide book and try to get on the days when the tide and sunrise / sunset are best for each other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 Interesting question. I quite often go out just to see what's happening, and to find out what the ducks and geese are doing. Occasionally, i'll hear geese over the house and that will often make me book a morning or two off to get down the marsh. I have built up a reasonable amount of knowledge of the duck and geese movements and how they can be affected by moon and tide. I, like Fenboy says, try and get a trip out to coincide with the tide and sunrise being how I like. Like my pigeon shooting, I put a fair amount of planning into my trips out. This can even include what kind of cartridges I decide to load the night before a flight. I also make sure to keep a close eye on the weather conditions. I have had some very successful trips this season that would most likely have not been possible without the correct conditions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richie10 Posted December 4, 2014 Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 I don't take any days off during summer and leave them for when I can get out shooting, wildfowling etc. Yes, I have a family, but we have separate holidays! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdsallpl Posted December 4, 2014 Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 (edited) It all depends how close you are to a marsh I suppose. You're a bit like me, miles from a marsh. When I lived in South Yorkshire I used to work and apart from a few days off which I may manage if I knew the weather would be good for fowling, I just used to settle for every weekend on the Humber regardless of conditions. Now I really only Wildfowel a couple of seperate weeks in the season when I travel to Scotland and theit prebooked so can't obviously react to the conditions. For me and like many Wildfowlers it is just the joy of being out there. If the conditions are right and the birds messing it's a bonus for me. Edited December 4, 2014 by birdsallpl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpk Posted December 4, 2014 Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 Depends on what I'm doing, if it involves trudging through mud etc then I plan a few days in advance for tide and weather. If it's somewhere I can shoot with ease then I have all my stuff pre-packed short of my flask and gun so I can go at the drop of a hat (self employed) did exactly that last night ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smiler23 Posted December 4, 2014 Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 I'm lucky enough to have different marshes with in a few mile of home, so go when ever, I'm self employed so do work around shooting, wildfowling fits into my life very easily, can go at the drop of hat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver pigeon 3 Posted December 4, 2014 Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 I get out as much as possible, usually at least once a week and normally a Sunday morning as that is what suits best. But when weather or tides dictate otherwise I can normally get out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted December 4, 2014 Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 (edited) My shooting is planed around work not the other way around. I work a lot of hours in the summer to give plenty of free time in the winter. As for planning for the flight that depends on where I am going. If I am having a day in a boat in the Broads then all my gear , decoys food ect needs sorting out the day before. Not a good idear after a 40 mile drive and half an hour row across the Broad only to find you have the coastal set up of decoys in your bag or realise you have no flask or food when you cant return to dryland for 4 hours. On the other hand I sometimes look out of the window , see the weather looks good and go at the drop of a hat. I have even been known to be half way to the marsh to find a change in wind direction or fog changes my mind and I change my flighting spot to another marsh 25 miles away. By all means plan your day , but remain flexable so you can react to conditions. Edited December 4, 2014 by anser2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muncher Posted December 4, 2014 Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 I try and go 3 times or more a week if I can ,and there are certain tides or times of tides that are more likely to produce, but if I have learnt one thing is if you don't go you don't get! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greylag Posted December 4, 2014 Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 Living near the estuary and coast I am one of the lucky ones.If I were you I would go when I could and savour every minute,sure as hell you will hit it right once in a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayano3 Posted December 4, 2014 Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 I say, i think i'll nip down the marsh in the morning, or this evening, or under the moon. And then something usually comes along and makes my plan go tits up From what you was saying Monday 'tits up' is now one of the reasons you don't get on the marsh so often 😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted December 4, 2014 Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 Most wildfowling trips are planed around weather and tides , and take this weeks forecast at the beginning of the week it was going to be blowing hard by now and I am just back from the marsh and it was flat calm and dull with slight rain , with hardly a thing on the move and not a shot heard anywhere. so living a long way from the fowling grounds and with limited time to go must be hard to get it right to say the least. I would say most , if not all wildfowlers who shoot fowl on a regular basis live on or very near there shooting ground so when conditions are favourable they can go ( if there got time ) and most of the good ones I know seem to have the time or if they haven't some how or other they make time to go . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Mat Posted December 4, 2014 Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 From what you was saying Monday 'tits up' is now one of the reasons you don't get on the marsh so often I think you must had one or two too many of those sloe gins on Monday! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayano3 Posted December 4, 2014 Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 I have witnesses Matt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old farrier Posted December 4, 2014 Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 I have witnesses Matt. Christmas mistletoe and alcohol does strange things to young lads 😗 Has he been traveling out of the village 😃😀 All the best Of Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayano3 Posted December 4, 2014 Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 I've told the Mrs to get the pram out of storage just in case we have some baby Big Mats imminent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted December 4, 2014 Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 I have witnesses Matt. I hope if Mat has a bird his "shooting" is more accurate or things could get sticky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony G Posted December 4, 2014 Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 I hope if Mat has a bird his "shooting" is more accurate or things could get sticky Funny as .... ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Mat Posted December 4, 2014 Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 I've told the Mrs to get the pram out of storage just in case we have some baby Big Mats imminent I hope if Mat has a bird his "shooting" is more accurate or things could get sticky Funny as .... ! **** off the lot of you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harrycatcat1 Posted December 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2014 What do they say? "Best laid plans of mice and men" I had planned to get out today but it wont happen now till next week at the earliest yours peed off Hcc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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