ayano3 Posted January 22, 2013 Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 A good little book (and one I got when I see it for sale) is the BASC pocket guide to quarry identification. Its still published and quite easily obtained. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted January 22, 2013 Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 Does BASC still run the Proficiency Award Scheme (PAS). That was a good course for novice fowlers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magman Posted January 22, 2013 Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 Seen this coming you go look in a book mate with all the pretty colours then go out as you do just on dark and look out for them , some things will only come with experience Ps, told Paul before you posted this it would be a hen widgeon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted January 22, 2013 Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 get over yourselves fellas, it was quite obvious the duck that were all around us were wigeon from the whistles / calls, now Phil needs a little helping hand identifying them yes but sometimes without being there in among the sights and sounds it is hard to do, we all have to gain real time experience and I'm sure Phil will now pick out a wigeon whistle from the teal, and in time the mallard quacks from the gadwell ........... i had a bit of brain freeze out in the 'field' and could not for the life of me recall the name of the duck, thats why Phil got confused Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted January 22, 2013 Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 Seen this coming you go look in a book mate with all the pretty colours then go out as you do just on dark and look out for them , some things will only come with experience Ps, told Paul before you posted this it would be a hen widgeon indeed, some of 'the books' show good flock formation and 'stuff' but still real time is what counts, Phil has only just started on the duck, i'll bet next time i'm out with him he picks out that wigeon whislte there were what sounded like hundreds of them over the bank calling away Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reabrook Posted January 22, 2013 Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 (edited) Yes, it may seem a little harsh but nevertheless quarry recognition is a MUST for ALL fowlers. Yes, I`m sure genuine mistakes are made but it was drummed into me as a young lad both by my father and my local club. Not enough clubs take this into consideration when recruiting new members. Our club has to be especially careful as we share our Washes with the RSPB and the warden is about 7 days a week. On two occasions he spotted careless Fowlers shooting a protected species. These young fowlers were then given an extra quarry recognition class!!! I`m pleased to say it hasn`t happened since. Ok the Gadwall/Wigeon senario is a little different I agree but I hope you can see where I`m coming from. It doesn`t take much to pick a book up and learn the colourations,markings, and silouttes of our legal quarry. Yoggy, I agree with everything you've written. It is very much the same with my own Club as our main marsh is next door to WWT Slimbridge where we are not just overlooked by wardens but Joe Public 7 days a week. We were all young and inexperienced once. We now live in a different age were mistakes are much more accountable if we choose to use Internet forums etc. the lads mistake had been pointed out and I'm sure he will know better next time. I just didn't see the need to ridicule him Edited January 22, 2013 by Reabrook Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MM Posted January 22, 2013 Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 Based on your current quarry recognition you may be better staying at home with a manual than risking adding a Shelduck to your wildfowling game book. There is something seriously wrong when you cannot differentiate a female wigeon from a female gadwall when it's in your hand :good: I see your point, and we should ALL know what we`re shooting at. My club has a recognition test and if you fail we go through each of the quarry meticulously with the member. To fail to recognice a bird in your hand is a little worrying, however I accept mistakes are and can be made with the less experienced Wildfowlers. What you dont seem to know, is that between Paul, Rob and Phil, they have probably done more shooting between them than half the people on this site put together. They are massively experienced, so dont go getting your knickers in a twist about a dead bird. PS, good shooting dude. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.philmypower. Posted January 22, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 I understand that bird recognition is important but where I shoot there are mallard, teal, pintail, gadwall, widgeon, Canada and greylag. I'm not making excuses but it was an evening flight, it was dark and it was flying behind some teal. I had a split second to make the call and I decided to take the shot. I've never seen a hen widgeon before I thought it was a gadwall. I am fully aware what a shell duck looks like. I respect my quarry, I keep to the seasons and I do my bit conservation wise. I have been shooting for 14 years but wildfowling for only 2, I have a hell of a lot to learn I know but who hasn't. I'm keen, enjoy participating in the sport and pass on what I know to others. I take new people out with me on the rifle, out on the pigeons/crows and fishing. On this occasion I was unsure what species it was hence my post. Thanks again for those who have helped me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reabrook Posted January 22, 2013 Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 What you dont seem to know, is that between Paul, Rob and Phil, they have probably done more shooting between them than half the people on this site put together. They are massively experienced, so dont go getting your knickers in a twist about a dead bird. What so experienced that three of them couldn't identify it dead in the hand? I've defended Philmypower up until now but that statement is just ridiculous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted January 22, 2013 Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 I understand that bird recognition is important but where I shoot there are mallard, teal, pintail, gadwall, widgeon, Canada and greylag. I'm not making excuses but it was an evening flight, it was dark and it was flying behind some teal. I had a split second to make the call and I decided to take the shot. I've never seen a hen widgeon before I thought it was a gadwall. I am fully aware what a shell duck looks like. I respect my quarry, I keep to the seasons and I do my bit conservation wise. I have been shooting for 14 years but wildfowling for only 2, I have a hell of a lot to learn I know but who hasn't. I'm keen, enjoy participating in the sport and pass on what I know to others. I take new people out with me on the rifle, out on the pigeons/crows and fishing. On this occasion I was unsure what species it was hence my post. Thanks again for those who have helped me. and if she had the flashes on the wing you would not have asked as you would have been sure she was a widygeon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.philmypower. Posted January 22, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 Come on mate no harm done, we've all made mistakes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted January 22, 2013 Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 What so experienced that three of them couldn't identify it dead in the hand? I've defended Philmypower up until now but that statement is just ridiculous. i think you'll find i did, phil was unsure because of the lack of colour (in comparison to a pic in a book, world of good reading books can do sometimes), rob was not even there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.philmypower. Posted January 22, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 Anyway I can tell you it tasted bloody lovely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reabrook Posted January 22, 2013 Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 i think you'll find i did, phil was unsure because of the lack of colour (in comparison to a pic in a book, world of good reading books can do sometimes), rob was not even there I don't doubt you did, it was the statement reference the experience of the three of you and lack of experience of other posters that I took exception to and commented on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scolopax Posted January 22, 2013 Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 Oh, the stories fowlers could tell ! He who casts the first stone and all that LOL......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magman Posted January 22, 2013 Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 What so experienced that three of them couldn't identify it dead in the hand? I've defended Philmypower up until now but that statement is just ridiculous. I was not present but said it was a hen wigeon from the description before i seen the pic's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted January 22, 2013 Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 Anyway I can tell you it tasted bloody lovely If it tasted lovely perhaps its was not a widgeon after all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted January 22, 2013 Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 If it tasted lovely perhaps its was not a widgeon after all may be it was a poachard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reabrook Posted January 22, 2013 Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 I was not present but said it was a hen wigeon from the description before i seen the pic's He obviously didn't have much confidence in your identifaction skills then did he!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magman Posted January 22, 2013 Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 He obviously didn't have much confidence in your identifaction skills then did he!! The post was already up before i spoke to him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted January 22, 2013 Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 (edited) haha we take the mick out of Phil so much he doesn't believe an awful lots of what we say, lets be fair we managed to get him to wear a dress for ladies day simply from pulling his leg ................. edit to say he's a top lad and a good laugh, seemed keen on wearing that dress though Edited January 22, 2013 by Paul223 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magman Posted January 22, 2013 Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 haha we take the mick out of Phil so much he doesn't believe an awful lots of what we say, lets be fair we managed to get him to wear a dress for ladies day simply from pulling his leg ................. edit to say he's a top lad and a good laugh, seemed keen on wearing that dress though Did you ever get it back ? worrying don't you think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MM Posted January 22, 2013 Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 (edited) What so experienced that three of them couldn't identify it dead in the hand? I've defended Philmypower up until now but that statement is just ridiculous. Why is it ridiculous? Paul told him what it was. One of them knew. What makes you such a ninja? Oh wait, you have a badge with a bird on it. Edited January 22, 2013 by MM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reabrook Posted January 22, 2013 Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 Why is it ridiculous? Paul told him what it was. One of them knew. What makes you such a ninja? Oh wait, you have a badge with a bird on it. If you can't see what's ridiculous I can't be ***** to point it out to you. There's experience and experience that's what makes me such a Ninja. Do you know what the bird is on my badge? Or can't you find it in your book Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MM Posted January 22, 2013 Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 If you can't see what's ridiculous I can't be ***** to point it out to you. There's experience and experience that's what makes me such a Ninja. Do you know what the bird is on my badge? Or can't you find it in your book :lol: I dont need a book, just a rod! now, keep heading west!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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