Spaniel Posted May 12, 2012 Report Share Posted May 12, 2012 (edited) I keep a diary of all my outings be it Wildfowling, Pheasant shooting or Fishing Thought it may be a good idea to start a thread about peoples Wildfowling memories.. That special trip out to the foreshore which stays with you. I like many other Wildfowlers have some excellent memories of out on the foreshore but to date this is the one which i consider my best one to date. Dec 29th 2010 This was the day I pulled myself out of bed at some untimely hour in the morning which felt like the middle of the night, but you know once you are up and on the move all that does not matter. I arranged to meet up with an associate member of the wildfowling club for a morning session at Frampton Glos. We pretty much had a choice where to position ourselves and we decided to walk along the ditch so we were near the channel and facing towards slimbridge. I remember as the dawn broke we had geese moving all around us but as always they were either to high or no where near us....it was not long until I spotted some Greylags coming towards us moving along the edge of the marsh but just a little far out to my right over the water. At the time all i had for a goose call was a Canada call, and giving a few honks Three of the Greylags broke from the intial group and started to come over in our direction. I remember lifting the gun and pulling out in front of the closest one and then the sound of the gun and the sight of a Goose falling out of the sky.. That was my first Greylag and my only Goose to date so far. Edited May 12, 2012 by Spaniel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harrycatcat1 Posted May 12, 2012 Report Share Posted May 12, 2012 This was last November but it sticks in my mind and makes me laugh, this was my second season so only a beginner “Oxford Fowler” (a gentleman ) offered to take me out on to Shepp Whites, near to Holbeach St Matthews, Lincolnshire, a marsh I had not been on before. So I jumped at the chance. I had previously warned him that I don't do deep mud, steep sided muddy creeks or wading through deep water due to smoking for 30 years and 16 years down a dusty coal mine leaving me breathless in certain circumstances. Its nothing to do with the large hole at thigh level in my waders or me being over weight. Well I got up just before 02.00 ,on Thursday 17th yesterday, and set off at about 02.20 arriving in the car park at Shepp Whites at about 04.45 after a few wrong turns and going down tracks that led to dead ends. It was like Sainsburys car park on a Saturday afternoon as there were that many folk there, there were two chaps up from Kent for the week, Oxford Fowler and another fella called Graham. Pleasantries over and then everyone worked out where they were going to avoid bumping into each other. Time to get togged up and we were on our way, our two dogs seemed to get on quite good as we set upon what turned out to be a long walk along the sea wall and then over the marsh, about an hours walk in total I would say to get to where we settled which was called Anderson's creek (I think it was called) It was quite foggy and the visibility was poor when the light started to show its true colours, we could hear widgeon as soon as we got there then there were pinks in the distance, mallard quaking, we had 4 shots in total but nothing down. They were coming out of the gloom at speed, it wasn't as though you had warning, anyway it just wasn't to be. I think its me that is bad luck on the marsh. Loads of Brent as usual. There were seals swimming about, bull seals growling and fighting all stuff that I had never seen before. Anyway we set off on the long walk back to the cars by which time the sun had decided to come out, on the way back walking the sea wall Oxford fowler was pointing out places to go on the marsh I thought “what a good chap he is” giving me all this information, I had a thoroughly enjoyable time due to Oxford Fowler putting himself out and taking a complete stranger and novice wildfowler out, I cant thank him enough. The only thing that upset the proceedings was when my dog went and **** near to the back of Oxford Fowlers car when he was getting undressed and stunk him out, and she also wanted to chase the seals earlier on the marsh sorry about that Oxford Fowler but I did warn you about my dog being a terrier and all. The original post with pics is here http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/index.php?/topic/187347-a-trip-to-shepp-whites-marsh-yesterday/ I have since been out with others off this site and thoughly enjoyed all my trips on the marsh, I cant wait to get out again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aister Posted May 12, 2012 Report Share Posted May 12, 2012 i have quite a few good memories but there are a few faux pas that stick out too . i remember once, when my enthusiasm was probably at its peak, i had spied 5 or 6 mallard sitting on a bit of flood water out in the open with no chance of an ambush and after watching them for an age i saw there was a small ditch that could lead me right to them only if i could make it to the ditch without raising suspicion, the only snag being that the ditch was almost full of water. after weighing up the pros and cons for about one second i set off to the ditch and got there without the ducks seeing me and lay down in the freezing cold water, i lay for a minute to catch my breath and to check on the ducks. i looked down the ditch to where i had to go, about 200 yards ahead there was a hydro pole, if i got to there un detected i was on for a bang. it was tough going trying to keep my head and gun out of the water and at the same time keep below the edge of the ditch. after some time i had made it to the hydro pole and had not been aware of the duck getting up so i composed myself and made ready for the right and left of mallard i had been thinking about. 1, 2 , 3, up i get, up go the mallard, BANG BANG, miss miss, noooooooooooo. i had missed a lot of duck before this but this was a bad one, the last thing i remember was looking down in dejection and watching the water running out of the pie holes in the bottom of the pockets of my wax jacket and wondering if i was wise and hopeing that no-one was looking. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver pigeon 3 Posted May 13, 2012 Report Share Posted May 13, 2012 So many memories in quite a short time, normally out on the marsh something happens or something is seen that stays with you. Probably my best memory so far is my first goose. We set off to some splashes that had been producing a few teal and wigeon for us over the last few weeks, this time as the weather was fine and cold we decided to walk it from my house, about an 30-40 minute walk. Arriving at the splash it was frozen solid from the previous evenings hard frost, and the thermometer was dropping fast once again! we broke the ice on the splash and put out about a dozen decoys, had a cup of tea to try and warm the hands and settled back into the hawthorn hedge to see what was flighting. Teal were flighting well but were wary of coming into the decoys, choosing to land on the grass about 75 yards away, they were passing right on the limit of range but we let them carry on, with the hope that they would soon find the splash was unfrozen and drop in. An age passed and the light was fading fast when a single teal came from the left and paddled down ready to land on the splash, the barrels were raised and just as my finger started to squeeze the trigger, a loud honk came from my right. I let the teal be and quickly changed the cartridges from 4 steels to some 3 tungsten that i had bought in the anticipation that i may get a chance at the geese in my first season! The 2 Canada geese came down the hedgeline from my right flying straight at us, but about 30 yards before my mate they veered off to the left, one shot was sent after them by my mate and the tail goose faltered in the air, flew on about 40 yards and dropped, hitting the back of the sea wall with a loud earth shaking thud. I thought my chance had passed but a few calls made the lone goose turn and circle back, it came past well out of range but then turned again and offered a lovely right to left crossing shot at the limit of my personal range, i fired the shot and the goose stalled but regained the wing beat, a second shot poleaxed the Canada and it dropped stone dead, landing a few yards from his mate. Then in that moment nothing else mattered, the freezing hands and feet stopped stinging, my nose no longer felt like it was being ripped from my face by the cold. Soon after the senses returned and we decided to call it a night, laden with 2 geese and decoys we walked off the marsh, Happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrispti Posted May 13, 2012 Report Share Posted May 13, 2012 Last season. I had only shot a Mallard and a Canada all season The last day of the season and I finally managed to sit in the right place 5 Canadas for 5 shots, a right N left out of the first skein and a tripple out of the second with your gun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaniel Posted May 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2012 excellent memories so fay guys.... Thats hope the gun brings me some good luck this season Keep them coming Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJ91 Posted May 13, 2012 Report Share Posted May 13, 2012 My first pinkfoot, a trip north with father and friends, it was my first proper trip wildfowling, I was frozen solid the second I got out the van, geared up and walked out to the edge of the mud. It was a bitterly cold wind, bit right through all my layers. My eyes streaming while I was trying to get tucked in behind a washed up barell. Mallard were plentiful but I was far to slow and missed a few good oppurtunitys. The pinKs started to move but they were far to high for a shot. I did start to give up hope and was deciding whether to head back to shelter in the van when I heard a couple of shots from behind and swung round to see a lone pink heading my way, I struggled to get the gun up and hadn't even got it in the shoulder when I pulled the trigger, it was a pot luck shot but that was it for me...hooked! I start counting down the days till the season from the day the 'current' season ends. That first pink was the best meal I have ever had. Bring on October! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scolopax Posted May 13, 2012 Report Share Posted May 13, 2012 (edited) A few random shots, all memories. Edited May 14, 2012 by scolopax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildfowler12 Posted May 13, 2012 Report Share Posted May 13, 2012 A few random shots, all memories. Fantastic shots Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony51 Posted May 14, 2012 Report Share Posted May 14, 2012 (edited) Some fantastic memories dating back to the early 70s when I was fortunate enough to share some fantastic times with my good friend Alan Jarret,happy carefree times when all that mattered in life was getting to the foreshore whenever we could do so. Leaving Kent in 1978 and leaving the sport,until a chance website find enabled me to contact Alan again after some 30 years.After meeting him here in North Wales the fire was relit and I promptly joined a small club up here last season. The first shot fired on the 1st September after 33 years brought me a full plumage drake mallard what a feeling.. now Im as hooked as ever..had a great season including Two Canadas out of a skein in October,probably shot better than ever I had done,maybe old age has it rewards? Other memories somewhat sad to find out from Alan that good friends and companions had passed away at young ages. Cant wait until the season starts...hooked again. Edited May 14, 2012 by tony51 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harrycatcat1 Posted May 14, 2012 Report Share Posted May 14, 2012 Some fantastic memories dating back to the early 70s when I was fortunate enough to share some fantastic times with my good friend Alan Jarret,happy carefree times when all that mattered in life was getting to the foreshore whenever we could do so. Leaving Kent in 1978 and leaving the sport,until a chance website find enabled me to contact Alan again after some 30 years.After meeting him here in North Wales the fire was relit and I promptly joined a small club up here last season. The first shot fired on the 1st September after 33 years brought me a full plumage drake mallard what a feeling.. now Im as hooked as ever..had a great season including Two Canadas out of a skein in October,probably shot better than ever I had done,maybe old age has it rewards? Other memories somewhat sad to find out from Alan that good friends and companions had passed away at young ages. Cant wait until the season starts...hooked again. Welcome to the site mate and glad to hear you are "back in the fold" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted May 14, 2012 Report Share Posted May 14, 2012 (edited) Any double fugure bag of foreshore duck is notable and the morning flight below is one of the few times I have managed it for mallard. This story has been taken straight from my game book back in 2007 , but a version of it has apeared in another forum. Its not often you get the chance to get a decent bag of mallard off the coast , but this morning was one such day. After seeing so many mallard coming off the saltings on Saturday morning I could not resist another look at them as they were unlikely to hang around for long. I got down to the sea wall just as dawn was breaking. The rising tide was flowing strongly up the main channel and with the wind behind it I made a mental note not to take any long shots in front , that would drop the birds well out in the channel where the dogs would have a difficult if not impossible task to retrieve them. There was not a lot of cover on the sea wall , but I have found that as long as you sat still the duck rarely noticed you. The dogs were a bit more of a problem though. They have a habbit of looking up at over head birds. I had both my old golden retriever and the apprentice a black lab with me this morning so I jad brought a length of camo scrim to cover them with. The first birds over were a small skein of pinks , but they passed too wide , the only pinks of the morning. And then a long wait with very little moving. It was quite light before the first mallard came off , high and wide. Within minuets a pair passed 30 yards off and I dropped a hen bird safely on the bank. A few more minuets the mallard flight was well under way with parties large and small pouring off the flooding marsh. Two more were quickly dropped behind and while the dogs were retrieving another was killed overhead , landing beside me. Most of the duck were on the high side 40-45 yards and I intended to only use the 3.5 inch Remmington sportsmen 4s on them but in the height of the flight I muddled them up with the gamebore mammoths 3s , but it did not seem to make much difference . These shells were stopping birds as high as any lead I have used in the past. Most were killed out right with just two winged birds. One behind me that the dogs could not find and a second quacking hen that disappeared into the long grass. Then came an embarrassing shot. The dogs could not find the latter bird when I noticed a duck swimming out from the wall. A quick shot on the water finished it. Once a duck starts to dive in the strong current you can usually say good by to it so I have a policy of always shooting wounded birds at once again on the water. As the lab retrieved the duck I could not believe it was a drake and at that moment the golden retriever winded the hen bird and caught it just as it reached the water. God knows where the drake came from , but it was in good condition and showed no signs of old wounds. Maybe it was the mate of the female I had just shot and pitched in unnoticed. Sitter or not it was in the bag now . More mallard came and I soon had enough , 6 drakes and 4 hens , and still the mallard came in droves. I just sat there on the sea wall , the tide lapping my feet watching the sunrise over the flooded marsh , drinking a cup of tea from the flask watching the tail enders come off and head for their fresh marsh roost. The recent storms had flooded the saltings and presumably opened up a supply of seeds for the mallard. Maybe a thousand mallard came off at flight , unheard of numbers for my marsh and most were within 40- 50 yards , if you were under them. On the way home I set the dogs to the task of finding the lost mallard from early on and after a long search the old golden retriever found it stone dead under a hawthorn bush. 14 testing shots for 10 saltmarsh mallard ( with the exception of the one on the water ) that’s what I call a good flight. Edited May 14, 2012 by anser2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandalf Posted May 22, 2012 Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 Since this thread emerged on the PW website I have wracked my brain to decide which of my 1000's of 'fowling trips was the best ever. I just can't do it - They are all special, even the ones when I never fired a shot but saw something of interest or met an old mate or somebody new. Or maybe the dog of that day did something extraordinary like an impossible retrieve. Or maybe I just got off the marsh without swimming! All 'fowling trips are the same but are all different as well. No two are exactly the same. If the question was what are your top 20 fowling memories then I might be able to get close but to just select one is not possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaniel Posted May 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 I have to say that these memories and photos which have appeared on this thread are excellent and a reminder to me why I love this sport so much. I have to agree grandalf every trip out brings good memories if you have fired the gun or not. When i read my diary i can picture every trip in my mind, which i guess is the reason why we keep these diaries in the first place. I laughed when me and my mate could not hit a canada when we had about 30 go past us at a good range well it was more manly then him seeing me crying and i smiled when i dropped a duck going away after two other guys could not hit it, yes i was just being cocky at the time, brought a smile to my face so keep them coming guys i really enjoy reading these Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bala Posted May 22, 2012 Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 walking out for morning flight on gedney drove marsh (bombing range), watching my father inlaw stumble in creek full of water nearly up to his neck, he refused to go back off marsh and saw the flight out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver pigeon 3 Posted May 22, 2012 Report Share Posted May 22, 2012 As we are doing pictures too, here are a few of my favourites from the last 2 seasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfowler.250 Posted May 23, 2012 Report Share Posted May 23, 2012 A few random shots, all memories. Scolopax, if you don't mind me asking? What is the sbs hammer gun you are using? Is it an 8? I couldn't pick a favorite. There are some misses that really stand out though that will never be forgotten! more so than any right and left Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scolopax Posted May 23, 2012 Report Share Posted May 23, 2012 double Eight hammer, damascus barrels, by Mountfield of Torquay, circa 1885. Lovely gun, just wish I could shoot better with it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfowler.250 Posted May 23, 2012 Report Share Posted May 23, 2012 double Eight hammer, damascus barrels, by Mountfield of Torquay, circa 1885. Lovely gun, just wish I could shoot better with it It's a very nice gun! Really fancy one myself sometime. What sort of range can you get out of it? The 3 1/2" 12 is fine but I'd far rather shoot 1 goose with an 8 than several with a 12 Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lister1 Posted May 23, 2012 Report Share Posted May 23, 2012 This has got me all excited. I joined south lincs wildfowlers and this will be my first year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaniel Posted May 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2012 Good on you Lister1 Hopefully this will encourage other people to get out and to give Wildfowling a try. one day i am going to write a book on wildfowling memories, i think it will be a fun read Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandalf Posted June 1, 2012 Report Share Posted June 1, 2012 This has got me all excited. I joined south lincs wildfowlers and this will be my first year. I hope you get as much enjoyment out of 'fowling as I have. Best sport in the world bar absolutely none (Well maybe lapdancing in Greenland). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harrycatcat1 Posted June 1, 2012 Report Share Posted June 1, 2012 I hope you get as much enjoyment out of 'fowling as I have. Best sport in the world bar absolutely none (Well maybe lapdancing in Greenland). How long did you do lapdancing for, was it in your younger days? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lister1 Posted June 1, 2012 Report Share Posted June 1, 2012 I hope you get as much enjoyment out of 'fowling as I have. Best sport in the world bar absolutely none (Well maybe lapdancing in Greenland). Really can't wait. Being a fenman its something I've always wanted to do. Just got to get some more kit and I'll be ready for the season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandalf Posted June 1, 2012 Report Share Posted June 1, 2012 Really can't wait. Being a fenman its something I've always wanted to do. Just got to get some more kit and I'll be ready for the season. Yep - You need a lot of 'kit' for Greenland lapdancing. Gets real cold 'up' there in the long winter nights. Not a lot else to do though. Keeping your 'kit' 'up' is the problem in those latitudes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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