strangford wildfowler Posted August 17, 2014 Report Share Posted August 17, 2014 When I went to pick up my miroku off a fellow shooter who has been around for a while told me a wildfowling story that was so stupendous I didnt really believe him until my xad said it was true. Here goes One morning him and my grandad decide to go crawl the geese on one of the island and when they got to the island the noise was deafening he said there was at least 1500 geese on the island, anyway they decide tl swap there guns as the fella j got the gun off had just bought a brand new browning a5 so he swaped that for my granda eight bore just for the morning he also had with him an army and navy 3 inch magnum side by side so they started to creep the geese but the geese jumped early and the fellas I got the gun had 4 shots and killed two geese where as my granda shot 5 dead in the air with all five shots. Now im sure lots of you have heard stories like that but that is impressive shooting ( I think anyway) Wasted your time I know but I just wanted to put it up there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panoma1 Posted August 17, 2014 Report Share Posted August 17, 2014 Many years ago I was rough shooting locally mainly for rabbits and the odd pigeon, on this particular piece of land was a small pond which was invariably unproductive but on this occasion I decided to detour from my usual route to take in the pond...I was then coincidentally also using a Browning A5, an 'Acier Special' which in those days was a five shot!.....well as I approached about 8/9 mallard broke.....up went the gun 4 birds dead in the air unfortunately when I pulled the trigger for the fifth time nowt happened! the fourth cartridge case had not ejected properly and was half in and half out of the loading port trapped by the sliding breech!......magazine restriction laws on Auto's and pumps in the UK now make it unlikely anyone will do this legally ever again! Your Grandad obviously went one better eh?!! P1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strangford wildfowler Posted August 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2014 Unless you get in on FAC you could do it but your probably right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daystate 177 Posted August 17, 2014 Report Share Posted August 17, 2014 An 8 bore that must have some kick, i wish i had a story like this sadly i only get to do the clays. but nice story Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panoma1 Posted August 17, 2014 Report Share Posted August 17, 2014 Unless you get in on FAC you could do it but your probably right I don't think you can legally shoot ducks and geese with a FAC rated shotgun? daystate 177 An 8 bore such as the one Strangford wildfowlers grandads mate was using will not 'kick' badly as the weight (usually around 12 to 15lbs in a double) soaks up much of the recoil! P1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strangford wildfowler Posted August 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2014 I don't think you can legally shoot ducks and geese with a FAC rated shotgun? daystate 177 An 8 bore such as the one Strangford wildfowlers grandads mate was using will not 'kick' badly as the weight (usually around 12 to 15lbs in a double) soaks up much of the recoil! P1 Your right P1 the weight soaks up most of the recoil, but on this particular 8 bore it was a single with 4in chambers, i still have some of the old cartridges will try and gets pics up later sadly i dont have the guns, he had 2-3 8 bores for shooting geese he also had numerous 12 bores and one 10 bore he was wildfowling mad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted August 17, 2014 Report Share Posted August 17, 2014 Sir peter Scott could tell you a few stories.....before he became famous as an artist and a natualist i believe he kensie thorpe used to wildfowl together....they also used to hang around with james robertson justice (out of the doctor films...always used to play the consultant...big man with beard)...he used to like his punt gunning... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Mat Posted August 17, 2014 Report Share Posted August 17, 2014 Sir peter Scott could tell you a few stories.....before he became famous as an artist and a natualist i believe he kensie thorpe used to wildfowl together....they also used to hang around with james robertson justice (out of the doctor films...always used to play the consultant...big man with beard)...he used to like his punt gunning... He is also features in the only ( to my knowledge ) proper film about punt gunning. Alongside Lawrie Thompson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panoma1 Posted August 17, 2014 Report Share Posted August 17, 2014 Many moons ago my first 8 bore was a single Tolley, and was about 10 1/2/11lbs in weight, 3 1/4 homeloaded cartridges loaded with bluedot and 2 1/2ozs of size 1 lead took care of plenty of Geese with no excessive recoil that I can remember?? but in the heat of a flight........ you don't notice that anyway!.................................unless of course you shoot a bored out spanish 10 bore that is!!! no insult intended to owners of spanish 10 bores bored out to 8 of course!!! P1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted August 17, 2014 Report Share Posted August 17, 2014 How about nine widgeon with one shot of a 12 ga? I have known that, It happens this way sometimes, most try and avoid such things. One night I was shooting erratically (nothing new in that ) with an allowance of just 25 shells permitted under the rules ( a shot at a crossing Teal and five dropped ). Geese packed in tight take time to get up and what are normally stray pellets can easy take their toll. When I am shooting a three shot auto if I drop a pair with the first two I hold on the last shell in case of a cripple but other than that if I say fire twice and drop just one I will try for another if the chance is there- does that sound daft? Its just the way I am you must do what you personally think as sporting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strangford wildfowler Posted August 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2014 Ah widgeon how about widgeon shooting in the fog? 23 shot out with 6s out of an eight bore with three inch shells for three shot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AberFowl Posted August 17, 2014 Report Share Posted August 17, 2014 (edited) I have never been one for shooting at birds packed tightly together as I feel it too likely for stray pellets to maime one or more I aren't aiming for. I do as above, the 3rd shot in the pump is ajority of the time used as a cripple stopper..or fired in frustration after missing with the first and second shot! In my opinion the only shots fired at tightly grouped birds should be by way of punt gun..as any sensible punt gunner will have a smaller gauge gun ready loaded to be used as a cripple stopper Having more than 3 birds dead in the air at once makes it difficult for birds to be marked and if dropped in flowing water often unlikely to be retrieved with just 1 dog. Edited August 17, 2014 by AberFowl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Mat Posted August 17, 2014 Report Share Posted August 17, 2014 I have never been one for shooting at birds packed tightly together as I feel it too likely for stray pellets to maime one or more I aren't aiming for. I do as above, the 3rd shot in the pump is ajority of the time used as a cripple stopper..or fired in frustration after missing with the first and second shot! In my opinion the only shots fired at tightly grouped birds should be by way of punt gun..as any sensible punt gunner will have a smaller gauge gun ready loaded to be used as a cripple stopper Loaded gun beneath deck on a wooden punt? Far safer to load when needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted August 17, 2014 Report Share Posted August 17, 2014 I have never been one for shooting at birds packed tightly together as I feel it too likely for stray pellets to maime one or more I aren't aiming for. I do as above, the 3rd shot in the pump is ajority of the time used as a cripple stopper..or fired in frustration after missing with the first and second shot! In my opinion the only shots fired at tightly grouped birds should be by way of punt gun..as any sensible punt gunner will have a smaller gauge gun ready loaded to be used as a cripple stopper Having more than 3 birds dead in the air at once makes it difficult for birds to be marked and if dropped in flowing water often unlikely to be retrieved with just 1 dog. I really don't see the difference in shooting into a group of birds with a punt or shoulder gun. Wounding is likely with both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AberFowl Posted August 17, 2014 Report Share Posted August 17, 2014 I really don't see the difference in shooting into a group of birds with a punt or shoulder gun. Wounding is likely with both. As far as I am aware there are many more pellets in a punt gun cartridge and patterns are bigger...although I could be wrong As said that is just my opinion If it was up to me there would be no shooting at stationary animals with any gun that fires 'spreads of shot'... Again its just my opinion I am a firm believer that to show the utmost respect to our quarry we should pick one bird within a sensible range with enough space between it and others to give the best chance of hitting not any other but the one aimed for I don't expect others to agree and aren't debating it, it is my own personal opinion which although may seem 'wrong' to some, I assure you it isn't wrong as it is an opinion not a statement of fact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AberFowl Posted August 17, 2014 Report Share Posted August 17, 2014 I am not saying that other birds won't get hit by stray pellets at some point, it is near enough inevitable it will happen at some point during most keen shotgun shooters time in 'the field' I am not Mr perfect and have made some wrong decisions while out with the gun buy I try my utmost to show respect to my quarry and encourage others to do so aswel. Sorry to distract from the original post. And sorry if any of my posts are seen as offensive or like stabs at anyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted August 17, 2014 Report Share Posted August 17, 2014 (edited) I have never in 50 years of wildfowling shot more than 3 birds with a single shot and that has been a very rare event. Once I did think I was going to get a barrow full of duck from a stalk. The weather had been very cold on the Wash and the whole saltmarsh was snow bound. There were thousands of wigeon feeding on it during the day , but it was hard to get a shot at them. Walking out and putting them up in the hopes of them returning shortly after only resulted in the wigeon landing on the muds andlater toflight onto any bit of saltmarsh except the part I was hideing in. In the end I figuared out that the flocks were feeding across the saltmarsh and if I could use the creeks to creep out infront of them , there was a good chance one of the flocks would feed up to me and offer a shot. After a long detour and creeping down a very sticky creek I managed to get infront of a huge flock a thousand strong. All I had to do was to keep well hidden and wait for the wigeon to come to me. finaly after a very long cold hour they reached me and a long leading edge of the wigeon reached out over a hundred yards to each side of me. With the nearest birds only 15 yards away I rose out of the creek to be confronted with a solid wall of duck rising around me. I put two barrels into them and one , yes one fell out stone dead and 100 yards a second bird fluttered down on the edge of the green. I could not beleve it just 2 birds when I expected 20! I was a novice fowler in those days and with the excitement of youth that was the sort of shot I would never take these days. Edited August 17, 2014 by anser2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted August 18, 2014 Report Share Posted August 18, 2014 I would love to see this. Do you know where it may be available Mat? A friend had 9 pinks with two shots as they jumped over a stone wall at the culmination of a stalk. He is also features in the only ( to my knowledge ) proper film about punt gunning. Alongside Lawrie Thompson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strangford wildfowler Posted August 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2014 Ive also heard stories of men out wildfowling om.the islands on Strangford lough we they see loads of mallard sitting in water and when they fired there guns boys jumped up out of their hides and shouted "don't shoot the ******* decoys!" Made me laugh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted August 18, 2014 Report Share Posted August 18, 2014 Ive also heard stories of men out wildfowling om.the islands on Strangford lough we they see loads of mallard sitting in water and when they fired there guns boys jumped up out of their hides and shouted "don't shoot the ******* decoys!" Made me laugh I once had one of my decoys shot over my head at the Myra River on Strangford. He was crossing the sea wall above me and I had a few decoys out while waiting for the tide to drop a bit more. It was still dark and so windy I didn't hear him. Scared me stupid. He got a few choice words. He was very apologetic and quickly left the scene. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted August 18, 2014 Report Share Posted August 18, 2014 I once had one of my decoys shot over my head at the Myra River on Strangford. He was crossing the sea wall above me and I had a few decoys out while waiting for the tide to drop a bit more. It was still dark and so windy I didn't hear him. Scared me stupid. He got a few choice words. He was very apologetic and quickly left the scene. Oh gosh! That wont happen to me as the dog hates anyone walking up behind us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratty1 Posted August 18, 2014 Report Share Posted August 18, 2014 Several years ago when lead ban came in I borrowed my uncle 10 bore and some rather rattle sounding bismuth cartridges, a skein of canadas came over the other side of a large tree that I was next too, I shot 1 with the first in front of the tree then fired through a gap in the branches at leading bird with the second,thought I'd missed so sent the dog for the fallen goose which he got,then went and retrieved 3 more, never witnessed anything like that before, was not a happy man with all that weight on my back on the walk home. Several years ago when lead ban came in I borrowed my uncle 10 bore and some rather rattle sounding bismuth cartridges, a skein of canadas came over the other side of a large tree that I was next too, I shot 1 with the first in front of the tree then fired through a gap in the branches at leading bird with the second,thought I'd missed so sent the dog for the fallen goose which he got,then went and retrieved 3 more, never witnessed anything like that before, was not a happy man with all that weight on my back on the walk home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted August 18, 2014 Report Share Posted August 18, 2014 I have often shot 2 duck with one shot and so have a lot of other members on here, but two unusual shots I done was when two pair of Mallard came down the river about thirty yards apart , when the first pair were level I gave them a shot and dropped them both, by the time I realised I had got the pair the next ones were level so I gave them the second shot and dropped both of them as well, two of the duck were alive and they dived but within a minute or two they popped up liked two corks and the four duck were floating down the river about 10yds behind each other , the only problem I had was trying to retrieve the four duck before they reached the swing bridge on the Waveney which was looming up as that stretch of river is fast flowing but the dog I had then was a good fowling dog and if I shot any duck he would do his best to retrieve them and he had the last one back before it got to the bridge. Most of the time I am by myself but this time my mate was a bit further down the river and he couldn't believe what he saw as he was hopping to have at least a shot at them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Mat Posted August 18, 2014 Report Share Posted August 18, 2014 I would love to see this. Do you know where it may be available Mat? A friend had 9 pinks with two shots as they jumped over a stone wall at the culmination of a stalk. It is to the best of my knowledge not longer available, you'd need to find someone with a copy who is willing to share! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted August 19, 2014 Report Share Posted August 19, 2014 I thought that may be the case Mat, thanks. It is to the best of my knowledge not longer available, you'd need to find someone with a copy who is willing to share! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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