AberFowl Posted August 2, 2014 Report Share Posted August 2, 2014 (edited) I have just had a good long discussion with a fellow wildfowler about various things, chokes, steel, the ideal clothing etc.. Whilst talking about the success/failure of breeding over the last few years we got on to the subject of when we feel the season should open and close. Me personally, I very rarely shoot in September due to the amount of juvenile birds which just don't present sporting shots. That being said I wouldn't change the opening date as I feel that the vast majority of fowlers I have met have a lot of respect for their quarry and wouldn't shoot at such birds anyway. My fowling friend though thinks the season shouldnt start until October and should close end of February both inland and the foreshore. It was an interesting conversation with many points raised. If you could spare 5minutes to let us know if you would/wouldn't change the open and close dates and why? Thank you Please note: I am not looking for this thread to turn into a big debate/argument, everyone has their own opinion and I respect that. I find such subjects interesting and look forward to reading points/views that I may have not thought of Thanks again Edited August 2, 2014 by AberFowl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Mat Posted August 2, 2014 Report Share Posted August 2, 2014 I do not think we should change the season. The birds i saw last september flew strong, fast and high. Testing shots for the best of fowlers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamch Posted August 2, 2014 Report Share Posted August 2, 2014 We may get an answer to this from government before too long, there is I recall a review of all game, wildfowl shooting legislation underway at present. Maybe the BASC nknow more. Personally I wouldn't change it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted August 2, 2014 Report Share Posted August 2, 2014 I have shot some early season duck that have been high and fast only to find they are young birds. And I don't not shoot at some birds just because they aren't challenging. The season should stay as it is, for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted August 2, 2014 Report Share Posted August 2, 2014 (edited) When the inland season closes on January 31st I often feel I want a week or ten days more shooting . February 1st is still winter , the birds are in full colour and in good condition , however by the end of the foreshore season Febuary 20th I feel the season has gone on a little too long , everything in the countryside tells you its on the verge of spring. My ideal season would end around February 10th both inland and on the foreshore . BUT , from a biological point of view its far better to shoot the birds in the early autumn and end the season around the New Year. Many of the duck we shoot in September would have died from natural causes during the winter and once January arrived we are shooting the survivors , the breeding stock for the next season. From the political point of view its better for wildfowlers that the seasons remain unchanged. Start playing with the dates and you can be sure the end result will be a shorter season. I will be out on September 1st , take care and select the birds I shoot , leaving any obviously small mallard and if possible and late moulting females who will be poor flyers. In part I love September wildfowling , the magic still dawns with mists rolling off the river and nights on the stubbles when the duck flock into harvested corn fields. They are by far the best tasteing duck of the season and any end to September shooting would result in stubbling becoming a thing of the past. Leave well alone and keep the seasons as they are and if anyone does not want to shoot until mid season that it their choice , but mine will be to slip out onto the marsh to greet the dawn of a new season on September 1st. Edited August 3, 2014 by anser2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E.w. Posted August 2, 2014 Report Share Posted August 2, 2014 I live to wildfowl, I shoot mainly over decoys for ducks, so am selective of the ducks I shoot, no young birds are taken, anyone that comes out with me is told not to take young birds. I would not change the opening and closing dates as fowlers in general are respectful of there sport. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver pigeon 3 Posted August 2, 2014 Report Share Posted August 2, 2014 I think out of all the shooting disciplines wildfowling is the most self regulated, with wildfowlers being very in tune with the quarry. Personally I think leave the season dates as they are, individuals can choose what's best for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted August 2, 2014 Report Share Posted August 2, 2014 Why do the sodding government need to review the shooting seasons anyway. Leave well alone they have been fine for years and still are. Figgy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdsallpl Posted August 3, 2014 Report Share Posted August 3, 2014 I'm a long standing wildfowler but enjoy goose shooting more these days. I very rarely go out just to shoot duck and have little interest in pond flighting. I turn down invitations and will only go to make up numbers if asked. But my passion is Pinks on the foreshore. When I was a member on the Humber we would wait in anticipation for the Pinks to arrive which was always a few weeks after the season started but even once they had arrived then we would wait a couple of weeks for them to settle after their migration before starting to flight them. This is as someone else pointed out is self regulating and that's what us Wildfowlers are good at. So it wouldn't bother me if Sept was pushed back a couple of weaks. However at the other end of the season I shoot right up to the 20th of Feb. The pinks still remain in some areas right into March, I have seen them even in April. So they are not nesting but having a longer stay before migrating home to nest. So for me Pinks could be shot up to the end of Feb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Varminator Posted August 3, 2014 Report Share Posted August 3, 2014 When the inland season closes on January 31st I often feel I want a week or ten days more shooting . February 1st is still winter , the birds are in full colour and in good condition , however by the end of the foreshore season Febuary 20th I feel the season has gone on a little too long , everything in the countryside tells you its on the verge of spring. My ideal season would end around February 10th both inland and on the foreshore . BUT , from a biological point of view its far better to shoot the birds in the early autumn and end the season around the New Year. Many of the duck we shoot in September would have died from natural causes during the winter and once January arrived we are shooting the survivors , the breeding stock for the next season. From the political point of view its better for wildfowlers that the seasons remain unchanged. Start playing with the dates and you can be sure the end result will be a shorter season. I will be out on September 1st , take care and select the birds I shoot , leaving any obviously small mallard and if possible and late moulting females who will be poor flyers. In part I love September wildfowling , the magic still dawns with mists rolling off the river and nights on the stubbles when the duck flock into harvested corn fields. They are by far the best tasteing duck of the season and any end to September shooting would result in stubbling becoming a thing of the past. Leave well alone and keep the seasons as they are and if anyone does not want to shoot until mid season that it their choice , but mine will be to slip out onto the marsh to greet the dawn of a new season on September 1st. I have often thought it would be great to give up some of the warm, balmy days of September for a few more in February particularly as my shooting is primarily above the seawall but Answer 2 makes great sense with his points and the less damage done close to breeding time the better. Thus I vote for the status quo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted August 4, 2014 Report Share Posted August 4, 2014 Stay as it is for me thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Kelly Posted August 4, 2014 Report Share Posted August 4, 2014 Could take a fortnight off the beginning and add it on at the end, but it would only really be fiddling. Now pheasants, I would prefer the season to start in November as many shoots start the first or second week of October and the birds are just too young. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted August 4, 2014 Report Share Posted August 4, 2014 I think out of all the shooting disciplines wildfowling is the most self regulated, with wildfowlers being very in tune with the quarry. Personally I think leave the season dates as they are, individuals can choose what's best for them. Pretty much agree with that, it also depends on were you are in the UK, what the weather has been like here and on the breeding grounds. Septembers might be warmer but springs are also getting later, it can all depend though so best leave it to us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strangford wildfowler Posted August 4, 2014 Report Share Posted August 4, 2014 I think now just my opinion that we wildfowling season should start on 1st October and that pheasant shooting should be 1st September so that where not all shooting young wildfowl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fal Posted August 4, 2014 Report Share Posted August 4, 2014 I think they should stay the same, the vast majority of wildfowlers have massive respect for their quarry and are not greedy etc Problem I find is that a bird that I would let pass by flapping about and would be embarrased if anybody saw me shoot it, people will quite happily shoot. A lot of people don't like proper wildfowling, they like September, and when sport starts dying down, and people start blanking, they all suddenly stop "wasting their time" and you have the marsh to yourself again, with a severe dent in the population! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted August 4, 2014 Report Share Posted August 4, 2014 I think now just my opinion that we wildfowling season should start on 1st October and that pheasant shooting should be 1st September so that where not all shooting young wildfowl You might have a decent reason for the start of the wildfowl season, but September 1st for Pheasants is way to early we don't normally start shooting Pheasants till well into October or early November. As far as duck goes whatever date it starts you will always get a lot of late hatched duck about but with most wildfowlers being responsible they will only take the ones that give them satisfaction and leave the flappers alone. Last year I gave September a miss but that was my choice, and long may it continue we can chose when we go and not told when we go.............Leave the dates as they are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver pigeon 3 Posted August 4, 2014 Report Share Posted August 4, 2014 pheasant shooting should be 1st September so that where not all shooting young wildfowl Really? Try telling that to all the keepers!! A lot of people don't like proper wildfowling, they like September, and when sport starts dying down, and people start blanking, they all suddenly stop "wasting their time" and you have the marsh to yourself again That suits me fine! Roll on the cold, wet November mornings where not another soul is on the Marsh. I will shoot September as once the season starts i just have to be out there, but for me it really starts in earnest once October starts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted August 4, 2014 Report Share Posted August 4, 2014 I think now just my opinion that we wildfowling season should start on 1st October and that pheasant shooting should be 1st September so that where not all shooting young wildfowl The pheasant here are very far from ready in Sept, October and there are still a lot (born fully wild) that are un-shootable. Remember those young fowl have flown a long way to get here mostly and a pheasant even fully adult couldn't get 1/2 way on that trip, Iceland and Russia etc is not exactly the same as 800yards from a wood then settling for a rest . Duck certainly stop trying once its getting to late to rear young to be ready for the trip, pheasants I have seen with real late broods and I have a pair of French partridge in my garden with a brood that is about half grown at best. I really don't know what its like around you but go and look at the resident wild duck young and compare them to the gamebirds young and educate yourself some to these facts. September fowling is very different to February Fowling, no real flightlines have built and birds come and go as they spread across the UK. Instead of taking your bag under a known flightline at break of light or last light its more about sitting it out over a good resting area during a longer period with a few deeks and picking off lost birds following the gutters etc and getting their bearings. I say this to point out the shots taken are far easier to pick your shots on (personally I tend to be careful over teal as there is so little to them in the first place) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Mat Posted August 4, 2014 Report Share Posted August 4, 2014 I think now just my opinion that we wildfowling season should start on 1st October and that pheasant shooting should be 1st September so that where not all shooting young wildfowl So you want to shoot at young pheasants instead? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted August 4, 2014 Report Share Posted August 4, 2014 Shooting pheasants in October depends of where you shoot. I have a shoot in the Broads where we have plenty of pheasants until the weather turns wet in November and then most leave the marsh for the uplands and you will be lucky if you get another chance for a shot at then for the remainder of the season. November is fine for some people , but if the season did not start until then I would shoot very few if any pheasants on my ground. Of course I have to be selective and only take larger adult birds , but most years all the birds are well grown by the third week in October. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfowler.250 Posted August 4, 2014 Report Share Posted August 4, 2014 September is great to get out and there's usually a good few geese about then,(mostly greylags). I've shot pinks early September and as has been mentioned, they've come a long way to get here so hardly poor flyers. Mallard you have to just pick and chose. Wouldn't change the dates. Maybe match the inland shooting,(which I hardly do) with the foreshore because I don't think there's a benefit in closing inland shooting a month earlier. Pheasants..again pick and chose is the crux of it but I think cock pheasants could be shot until first of march. But again, better left alone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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