Wildfowling Without A Dog

[marsh man]

When I bought my first gun I was 13 and I never had a dog , my early shooting was on our estuary at wading birds and the odd duck, and because we were mainly in a gun punt we didn't lose to many . Then when we got some marshes to shoot and we got the odd duck it got a bit harder to find what you shot but most of the time you succeeded , yes it might have meant walking right the way round a field to the other side of the dyke but that was such a rare occasion getting a duck and you wernt going to lose one without doing your upmost to find it .

 

Then moving on a few years I got my first dog when I was 20, not the best dog I have had but that dog taught me more about dogs than any other dog I have had , and as far as training goes as long as he got a duck out of the reed beds and the river I was happy and all his other faults I couldn't give two monkeys , but that ole dog learnt by my mistakes and I learnt by his and he was nearly 14 when he was put down . So yes you can manage without one and as they say ( what you never had, you never miss it ) but I wonder is there many people out there who have had a dog for a number of years who through no fault of there own now go shooting without one ?.....I don't think I could now go without one ,in fact I know I couldn't .

[fenboy]

I never had a dog when I shot my first duck , I was so determined to have it in the bag I swam out and collected it !

[islandgun]

I do have a dog, a terrier he watches every shot and takes off after anything i might have been lucky enough to shoot, it is usually a race between us with me cursing him, having said that all my fowling would be considered lightweight with no mud, and i only shoot over short grass, stubble, or dunes with the longest cover sparse marram grass, Im not sure it would be fair to have a proper gun dog as it would forget what to do in between retrieves

[Old farrier]

I'm

With you marsh man

Started without a dog then moved on to one through my life I have had many some good some not so

Wasn't going to have another when I lost 2in quick succession but found I couldn't shoot without one

To me its part of the day and as important it me as my gun

As others have said its not allways possible to have one you just have to adjust your sport accordingly

Whoever having just visited the wash for the first time I would say a good dog could save you a lot of hard work and effort in recovering game so I have to say a dog is part of a wildfowlers equipment

Only my thoughts on it

All the best

Of

[marsh man]

I never had a dog when I shot my first duck , I was so determined to have it in the bag I swam out and collected it !

What stroke did you do " Fenboy ".......Dog Paddle ?

[fenboy]

What stroke did you do " Fenboy ".......Dog Paddle ?

A very quick stroke , it was blinking cold

[grahamch]

Have been fowling for about 30 years without a dog, my life style wont allow me to own one.

 

Enjoy my shooting and just take care with my shots and loose few birds if any

[andrew f]

A very quick stroke , it was blinking cold

Must have been a nice retrieve got any pups I could buy? :whistling:

[marsh man]

I'm

With you marsh man

Started without a dog then moved on to one through my life I have had many some good some not so

Wasn't going to have another when I lost 2in quick succession but found I couldn't shoot without one

To me its part of the day and as important it me as my gun

As others have said its not allways possible to have one you just have to adjust your sport accordingly

Whoever having just visited the wash for the first time I would say a good dog could save you a lot of hard work and effort in recovering game so I have to say a dog is part of a wildfowlers equipment

Only my thoughts on it

All the be

How you doing O F........Glad you enjoyed your trip to the Wash , and to get a Goose on your maiden visit must put you in a very exclusive club. Well done you and everyone involved .

 

You are right a dog is part of the day , when your younger the kill is all that matters but as you get older and wiser you look into what makes the day complete , if your rough shooting in cover then you get as much pleasure watching the dog as you do shooting the Pheasant or whatever.

 

Pigeon shooting you can get away with not having a dog , but how much more enjoyable it is for your dog going after runners and just being there for company.

 

I feel sorry for those who for various reasons cannot have a dog , but for the others who can and haven't got one if you think shooting is going to be a lifetime passion then before worrying about chokes , guns and cartridges think about owning a gun dog ......you wont regret it .

[E.w.]

How you doing O F........Glad you enjoyed your trip to the Wash , and to get a Goose on your maiden visit must put you in a very exclusive club. Well done you and everyone involved .

 

You are right a dog is part of the day , when your younger the kill is all that matters but as you get older and wiser you look into what makes the day complete , if your rough shooting in cover then you get as much pleasure watching the dog as you do shooting the Pheasant or whatever.

 

Pigeon shooting you can get away with not having a dog , but how much more enjoyable it is for your dog going after runners and just being there for company.

 

I feel sorry for those who for various reasons cannot have a dog , but for the others who can and haven't got one if you think shooting is going to be a lifetime passion then before worrying about chokes , guns and cartridges think about owning a gun dog ......you wont regret it .

 

I've had dogs for over fourty years couldn't see myself without one they are so important to me I wouldn't go on the marsh without one that's just me.

[marsh man]

I've had dogs for over fourty years couldn't see myself without one they are so important to me I wouldn't go on the marsh without one that's just me.

I know how you feel " Ew " , and lets hope you can spend several more years in each overs company .......Good luck to you.

 

Most wildfowling clubs have got gun dogs training sections , so if anyone is thinking in getting one , or who have already got one and finding the training a bit difficult ,go along to one of there training days , you will be made welcome and can watch and learn how you go about its training.

[Richie10]

I shoot without a dog, select ones i can retrieve, don't shoot ones too far, take a fishing rod with me just in case.

Only shoot one bird at a time so each one is marked, will wade across

I go out with people with dogs and seen enough lost without dogs. I want a dog, but that would to be able to shoot stuff that I have difficultly picking up, but then I will walk in full creeks across deep mud etc to pick up a bird.

[E.w.]

I shoot without a dog, select ones i can retrieve, don't shoot ones too far, take a fishing rod with me just in case.

Only shoot one bird at a time so each one is marked, will wade across

I go out with people with dogs and seen enough lost without dogs. I want a dog, but that would to be able to shoot stuff that I have difficultly picking up, but then I will walk in full creeks across deep mud etc to pick up a bird.

Very commendable the differance between you and me is you are young and fit I'm old and knackerd, all the same well done you keep enjoying this great sport.

[Richie10]

Very commendable the differance between you and me is you are young and fit I'm old and knackerd, all the same well done you keep enjoying this great sport.

 

Cheers, wouldn't say that young lol, but love getting out and hate losing any bird at all.

[UK fowler]

I shoot without a dog, select ones i can retrieve, don't shoot ones too far, take a fishing rod with me just in case.

Only shoot one bird at a time so each one is marked, will wade across

I go out with people with dogs and seen enough lost without dogs. I want a dog, but that would to be able to shoot stuff that I have difficultly picking up, but then I will walk in full creeks across deep mud etc to pick up a bird.

sounds like you and me shoot the same way .

[Richie10]

sounds like you and me shoot the same way .

 

Looking to get a dog though, shooting the tide can be very hard. I have sat and watched more and more birds land in the decoys and not taking a shot.

Also at night, will shoot upto a certain light, then have sit the rest out.

Still won't stop me getting out and enjoying it all the same.

 

It would be funny us going out shooting together.

[guy baxendale]

I spent 3 years as a student fowling very intensively fowling several times a week without a dog and after a few initial mishaps mainly due to inexperience we lost very few birds. It was very much a case that where we were shooting allowed us to do so with shallow sloping drop off's that allowed us to retrieve from the water using chest waders, we also got very good at backing each other up and being very quick to put follow up shots on anything that showed signs of life on the water and made sure out marking was spot on for stuff that landed on the saltings. This often meant foregoing more shots until the downed bird was retrieved. We also carried a telescopic fishing rod with a home made floating contraption that saved a few birds that were beyond wading depth.

 

These days life allows a dog so i have a 8 month old Lab that will hopefully be ready for next season.

[scolopax]

If you wildfowl without a dog a telescopic fishing rod and reel full of 10 lb line plus a lead weight, pike float and homemade extra large treble hook made from wire will put those dead birds into the bag that are just belong wading range. The most essential thing though is to be extremely selective over where/ what you shoot.

[Penelope]

As I have mentioned on here a few times, not having a dog has seriously dented my fowling, leading me to drop out of my club. The Lab that my dad and I shared has now retired, her last trip out being last February on Breydon Water where she picked a mallard drake.

 

The fowling that I have done this season has been via the BASC permit scheme and auction lot days (of which I have to thank some very kind members of this forum) where I have been accompanied by others with dogs. My current situation does not allow for a dog being out 12 hours a day, and boy do I miss one, not only for when and how I can shoot but also for the companionship.

[marsh man]

As I have mentioned on here a few times, not having a dog has seriously dented my fowling, leading me to drop out of my club. The Lab that my dad and I shared has now retired, her last trip out being last February on Breydon Water where she picked a mallard drake.

 

The fowling that I have done this season has been via the BASC permit scheme and auction lot days (of which I have to thank some very kind members of this forum) where I have been accompanied by others with dogs. My current situation does not allow for a dog being out 12 hours a day, and boy do I miss one, not only for when and how I can shoot but also for the companionship.

I remember your little Lab bitch well Paul , both mine and your dog got on like a house on fire round mine, and it would have been nice to see the outcome if they had started a family . Still the day might come where you have more time and decide to have a new addition to your family ...........All the best for Christmas and enjoy your time at home and days spent in the countryside .

[Penelope]

Thanks John. A new job on the horizon but no less hours.

 

The pups might have been good Scottish dogs, short legs one side and long'uns the other. Great for getting round those hills.

 

 

I remember your little Lab bitch well Paul , both mine and your dog got on like a house on fire round mine, and it would have been nice to see the outcome if they had started a family . Still the day might come where you have more time and decide to have a new addition to your family ...........All the best for Christmas and enjoy your time at home and days spent in the countryside .