Rough shooting syndicate - cheap

[Wildfowler12]

Rough shooting syndicate in North Wales.

£250 for a FULL GUN, more info below.

[Wildfowler12]

Good evening all, sorry for the long winded post, but I'd rather paint the full picture, for anybody who may be interested in this opportunity.

 

BACKGROUND: I may be in a position to offer some shooting opportunities for the 2014-15 season. I co-run a small DIY syndicate situated in the valleys of North Wales, about 10 miles West of Chirk. The syndicate was first established in the 80s and at one time had 25 full paying guns, shooting good bags every week. Over the years however, membership numbers fell, mostly due to age, ill health, and a lack of a drive to recruit new guns from the guys in charge at the time. Since the late 90s, the shoot has been kept within the family and a few close friends (2 of these guns have been there since the shoot formed). The land is typical of the welsh valleys, sheep grazed areas with patches of rushes, gorse and brambles scattered about. There's pine woods a-plenty, and some small areas of heather. The topography varies from flat fields to steep hills in parts.

 

LAND & QUARRY: In recent years, we have lost some of our better areas IMO, but there remains over 400 acres in our shooting tenancy, and I'm investigating the opportunity to get some of this lost land back (as there is no shooting on it at present). There is usually a fair amount of wild quarry, mainly woodcock and snipe, but pigeon, squirrels, rabbits and corvids sometimes feature in the bag. We have 2 flight ponds, but have not turned duck out for 10 years, and rarely see mallard on the tops of the valleys. On rare occasions we see the odd partridge, and this year we flushed a single grouse off the heather, but we DO NOT shoot either of these species, due to the low numbers present, nor do we shoot the hares we sometimes see.

 

PRESENT DAY: We operate as a rough shoot, turning out a small number of pheasant each year (around 250). These are usually bought as day olds, reared ourselves at our homes in Warrington, then split 50/50 into our 2 release pens at the appropriate age. In 2013, our shoot captain lost his life at the grand old age of 93. A truly incredible man, who taught me most of what I know about shooting today. As you can imagine, this loss put the shooting on the back burner, and there is a bit of work to do to bring it back to what it was. He did all the liaison with the farmers, balanced the books, organised shoot days, bought and bagged the feed, pretty much everything! There is now only 5 guns left, we tend to shoot in 2 parties due to work patterns, either on Wednesdays or Saturdays. We DO NOT shoot big numbers, in fact, single figure bags are usually the norm. However we often go home with a brace each. We're doing a lot of catching up this year, and it's become clear that the shoot now needs to take on some new guns.

 

Any new members will be expected to do their fair share of work, this involves repairing pens and food bins, helping to rear the birds, cutting rides, tree pruning, etc. But most importantly, everyone is expected to help with feeding. On a good year we can fill all the bins (20 or so) before the start of the season, and just top up with 6 bags of wheat after every shoot, hand feeding some specific areas. This year, that hasn't been the case, and as a result the birds have wandered somewhat. It took us some time to find a reasonably priced wheat provider that would deliver the quantities we needed. In fact, it took us some time to figure out all the stuff the captain used to do on our behalf!

 

THE VISION: To keep the Syndicate alive, and welcome some new like-minded people to our small but rewarding DIY shoot. We are inviting a limited number of guns (preferably with well-behaved gundogs) to join us for the 2014-15 season, for enjoyable walks round some real picturesque scenery, with the hope of bagging a bird or two for the pot.

 

COSTS: We expect the cost to be £250 for a FULL GUN (depending on the number of new members), shooting 8-10 days in the season. The first years membership will be on probation, but all being well, you are welcome to stay for the foreseeable future. In short, joining our small syndicate will give you up to 10 days rough shooting for less than you'd pay for one driven day.

 

A FINAL NOTE: if you're looking to join a syndicate that allows you to stand on a peg shooting high driven birds, this is not for you! The majority of birds shot are going away (flushed by the dogs working cover in front of the guns). It can be hard work, and we cover a fair distance every shoot day. IMO it is one of the most rewarding and enjoyable ways to spend time in the countryside.

 

Here's a couple of pictures of the landscape, taken at today's shoot

 

 

Edited January 11, 2014 by Wildfowler12

[pegasus bridge]

Looks like a great opportunity ! Shame I don't live locally.

[shootgun]

Brilliant oportunity for someone... wish i was closer...

[Wildfowler12]

I appriciate this is very early, but I'm trying to put the feelers out. As I'm not sure how long it will take to recruit new guns.

 

Our club meeting is usually around March time.

Edited January 11, 2014 by Wildfowler12

[Sean Richo]

Pm sent.

[WelshAndy]

Hey bud very interested in this, could you pm me the location so I can work out distances please.

 

Andy

[Oly]

Unfortunately not this year, maybe next. Feel free to keep me posted.

[Wildfowler12]

Evening all, thanks very much for the interest. I'm working through the PM's as quick as I can so please bear with me. In response to some of the common questions...

 

1-Yes this is for the 2014-15 season, shooting mid Oct to end Jan.

 

2-We're probably looking for 3 new guns to join.

 

3-It is not essential that you have a gun dog, but it would prove useful.

 

4-We DO NOT make any money from this, any funds leftover from the season are used for extra birds and feed the following year, although usually we're spent up come January! We discuss financial/balance sheets at the annual meeting as most other syndicates do.

 

5-I would imagine that we'd shoot on 5 Wednesdays and 5 Saturdays. We agree dates in the summer, but there's a small chance some may change throughout the year, because when it snows up there, the shoot is inaccessible!

 

Keep your questions coming, and I'll do my best to answer. I'd just like to stress point 4 again, we ARE NOT a business, we are just like minded people who club money together to allow us to enjoy our hobby.

[spannermonkeymark]

Pm sent

[leeds chimp]

that is something I would love to join in the Norfolk area ...shame cant move....

[victorismyhero]

PM sent.....

[Paul taylor]

Good luck wildfowler I hope you get new guns and that they're the right people.

It sounds like heaven to me but I'm miles away unfortunately :(

Atb P.T

[sp3k3y]

Pm sent

[Ollieollie]

Good offer

[darren m]

thats the sort of thing i,m after , shame your not closer

[Radar_uk]

thats the sort of thing i,m after , shame your not closer

Same here - just too far away for me sadly

[bakerboy]

There is a Rough Shoot advertised on the BASC website in Hainault Essex

 

They are looking for members

Edited January 12, 2014 by bakerboy

[Wildfowler12]

Good evening, thanks again for all the interest in our shoot, and for the well wishes too! I was hopeful that 1 or 2 PW guns would consider joining us, but I certainly didn't expect over 20 of you. Unfortunately we can probably only take 3 new members this year. If it works out well, and we think can accommodate more the following year, we will do. But we're taking baby steps at the minute!

 

To answer a few more common questions...

 

1) The income from the new guns does not mean we will turn out more birds. Our members usually pay £400 each, but we thought reducing the fees to £250 would be more attractive to new members, so the syndicate will actually have the same amount of funds. It will however benefit massively from having more members. If everyone wanted to pay more, then yes, we could buy more birds.

 

2) We usually have a couple of work parties in the summer, and spend a full day on the shoot on release day too. You CAN NOT buy out of the work parties.

 

3) Once the birds are out we top up the food bins at least every other week. Unfortunately we live too far away (60 miles) to go everyday. So we feed heavy when we can, and the farmers ring us if they spot anything out of the ordinary.

 

4) Yes, we are considering buying 7/8week poults this year instead of day olds. Last season a mink got into the pen and killed a fair portion of our birds in 2hours :(

 

5) Joining the syndicate does not give you year long pigeon shooting! The vast majority of fields are grazed and when the odd barley field is sown, it rarely attracts woodies in numbers.

 

6) Unfortunately we've now decided that half guns ARE NOT available. I know a lot of people can't shoot midweek due to work, I'm in the same position, so I book annual leave on shoot days. If I can't take a day off, I miss the shoot, simple as that. We don't give discounts/refunds if you can't make a shoot day, and you can't send a friend to take your place.

 

I think that's everything, but do keep your questions coming. I will be asking everyone who has made contact to confirm if they are still genuinely interested in joining, as I'm sure some people will change their mind over the coming days.

 

Thanks again!

[BRNDL]

Well done for this wildfowler. Every credit to you and all the best of luck.

[filzee]

All the best on keeping this shoot alive. I hope everything goes to plan for you.

[beeredup]

pm sent

[demonwolf444]

Best of luck to you, if i was just down the road i would be there like a shot, but being so far away i just can't make the commitment. Keep us posted on how you get on.

[hawkfanz]

good luck with it wildfowler,would love to have joined you but me old legs would be hard pushed to cope with that hilly ground,,regards john,oh an thanks for the steel carts.

[delburt0]

Great read I'll come out with that old chestnut "I wish it was closer" but honestly if it was closer I would love to commit to the rearing and feeding more than the shooting.

Atb with finding a good strong syndicate...