Tollerman

Try Colchester Wildfowlers.Pigeon shooting all over North East Essex with wildfowling thrown in.Excellent club and reasonable subs.

They went down a treat yesterday.Well done baker boy.

My pigeon clubs chairman was a founder member of the club in the early 1950's.He tells me that accredited shots would meet at the local NFU office early on a Saturday morning.They would be given a map of the farms to shoot and a chit to take to the nearest police station.They would exchange the chit for a slab of cartridges and off they would go.Post war food was still in short supply and farmers were only too happy to receive assistance with pest control.They club then shot from the outskirts of London up to Colchester and the Suffolk border.Oh happy days all the shooting you could want for and free ammo.

I would not worry too much about this "new BASC incentive".I seem to remember them pushing this idea a few years ago .The two clubs I am with both signed up hoping for additional shooting and to date have never heard a thing.Most farmers still like to know exactly who is shooting over their land and would not be happy with strangers sent via BASC.

Shot one with my first shot of the day on Wednesday .Several more seen during drives in the Chrisrmas tree plantation on my Essex shoot although no more were shot on the day.Not unusual as the often figure in the bag on our first shoot at this time of the year.However given the report on declining numbers in this weeks ' Shooting Times ' I have mixed feelings about shooting another.

Despite pressure from some of our guns we planted sorghum for our main cover crop again this season.The shoot is in an area with a large number of fallow deer present.They are controlled to a certain extent but with several safe havens nearby they remain a neusence.As an experiment one of our guns grew some maize from seed in his greenhouse.It was later planted out amongst the sorghum.It only lasted a day or two and was soon eaten whilst the sorghum remained untouched.Apparently the sorghum has a nicotine taste which deer and other mammals do not like.Would certainly recommend sorghum as an alternative for next season.

The correct spelling I think you will find is "Hainault ".

You could th CFSA . They have pigeon shooting in South cambs.PM me I will give you a contact number.

There are cheap shoots about .If you are expecting hundred birds days then I'm afraid it will cost you a lot of money .Many DIY shoots operate on a smaller scale yet offer excellent shooting.They do advertise on the Guns on Pegs site so watch closely as many syndicates are now taking on members for next season.My own shoot in overcrowded Essex charges less than the local golf club .Don't give up just keep on looking and something will eventually turn up.

Sorry did not intend to make it appear we were that hard up.Its just that the economics don't add up.I am sure most DIY shoots have the same problem but at the end of the day we do it because we enjoy what we do .We put in hours carrying out work parties,feeding ,dogging in and many other tasks involved in the running of the shoot. On shoot days it all seems worth while when we take to the field and as those first birds start to fly towards us we mount fire and hopefully hit them.

No there is nothing we can do to subsidise the running of the shoot.The lease was drawn up nearly thirty years ago with many restrictions including the use of rifles.there are many things we have to grin and bear but the topography makes it a beautiful place to shoot.One of the guns gets us cheap quality wheat but that's about it.

Down here in west Essex it's Saturday with a plenty of guns out in the woods throughout the month.

Despite the best efforts our farmer ( logging throughout the season and the occasional bonfire at the start of our third drive)we achieved 35% . We put down 600 pheasants and lost at least 60 in the pens (Buzzard) so I feel we did quite well in the circumstances.Due to the dry summer the cover crop failed to prosper but hope for better results next season.Just finished our annual accounts and looking at the cost per bird realised that we must be slightly mad.

Why not get in touch with one of the many wildfowing clubs in Essex.Most if not all offer pigeon shooting for their members .there should be a suitable club within easy reach of Wickford..BASC will give you the necessary information.Good luck.

Have one in 16 bore .Lovely gun.Late 1970's I think.

Come on let's be serious.There must be a Wildfowling geek out there who has knowledge of Essex Clubs and their History.I know that clubs have come and gone over the years but there must be someone out there with an interest in such matters.Was Wentworth- Days the first ?

Which club can claim to be the first in Essex? Maybe a club that no longer exists? WAGBI or otherwise.Any info on The Essex Wildfowlers Assoc. founded by James Wentworth -Day in the 1920's.?

You have my pm

The ad says cheap shoot. At £30 an acre seems a little bit expensive?

Seems to be same location same size and still being shown on classified ad as land to rent.

Is this the same land currently being advertised on Guns on Pegs ?

One shot on our Essex shoot 25th of October.Had seen one a day earlier in Christmas tree plantation on the shoot.

Just contact BASC and they will put you in touch. There are numerous clubs in Essex and most would offer a newcomer a warm welcome.

If nothing else comes up you could always try the Kent Wildfowlers.They have pigeon and rough shooting in your part of the world .

I'll second Blackpowders comment.There must be hundreds of similar DIY shoots in the UK .Shoot members put in massive amounts amounts of time and effort to keep them running.Good luck to us all this season.