hedge hunter Posted August 17, 2014 Report Share Posted August 17, 2014 Yep, it's official. After many years of longing to have a go at real proper wildfowling, and through a good length of time pm'ing and emailing back and forth. Ringing various clubs, chatting to different people. Taking all the advise on board, I've finally done it. Just popped my membership cheque in the post for G.W.A. there was a number of clubs I looked into, but in the end this is the club I decided was for me. So if all goes well over the next few days, I look forward to maybe meeting some of you at the end of the month at the club's get together. I honestly can not wait, to see what the future holds. Cheers hh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad63 Posted August 17, 2014 Report Share Posted August 17, 2014 Good stuff well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hedge hunter Posted August 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2014 Thanks mate, im really looking forward to the coming season now. I have s lot of thing to lean and to take in, however I just love gaining more knowledge, cheers hh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad63 Posted August 17, 2014 Report Share Posted August 17, 2014 You've joined a good club. I have several friends that are members I'm sure you'll be well looked after. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted August 18, 2014 Report Share Posted August 18, 2014 You wont regret it and it will either become your total passion or you will just do it one season Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver pigeon 3 Posted August 18, 2014 Report Share Posted August 18, 2014 Well done. might see you on an associate shoot, they are a great way of meeting people at the club and shooting the marshes you need to shoot for full membership. Hopefully meet you at the club day at Poulton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hedge hunter Posted August 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2014 Cheers sp3, yes I hope I do see you out and about on the marshes. Well iv already booked my day off work for Poulton, so should see you there. Thanks Kent, im hoping I do get the bug, its been something that I've wanted to do for a long time now. So if I didn't try then id never know if it was for me or not. GWA seems the club to help new comers into the sport, regards hh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strangford wildfowler Posted August 21, 2014 Report Share Posted August 21, 2014 Goose fever is far worse than the bug, no known cure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdsallpl Posted August 21, 2014 Report Share Posted August 21, 2014 Like marmite, you'll be completely hooked and love it or when laying in a creak with cold flood water seeping into your boots and melting snow going down your neck and not a bird in sight since you got there in the dark 3 hours ago and your hands to cold to take the lid of the thermos you may say to yourself "what the **** am I doing here" But if you're set out to be a Wildfowler you will still be loving it. Once you have had your breakfast and back in the warm, you won't be able to wait for the next flight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hedge hunter Posted August 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 21, 2014 Birdsallpl, you paint a very vivid picture mate, obviously all put of experience lol. Honestly I cannot wait for the associate flights to start just so that we can get out there and experience it all, it wouldn't bother me 1 bit even if I couldn't take the gun along, I just want to take it all in, cheers hh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted August 21, 2014 Report Share Posted August 21, 2014 Like said, the books are one thing but wildfowling you just cant explain why some take it deep into their souls and other do a single season on their own post mentor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted August 21, 2014 Report Share Posted August 21, 2014 I think it requires a deep affinity with the natural world; it got me when I was 10 or 11, before I had even smelt the saltings, standing beside a flight pond in deepest Hampshire with my dad after a days beating. The ducks and much later, geese, their ways and places they lived fascinated me. It wasn't until 10 years later that I was able to take part in the most wonderful of the shooting sports. Like said, the books are one thing but wildfowling you just cant explain why some take it deep into their souls and other do a single season on their own post mentor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesWhat Posted August 21, 2014 Report Share Posted August 21, 2014 (edited) You've made a decision that could well change your life. After growing up on a farm and shooting from a young age, I only came into Wildfowling after moving to the coast recently. You have to like your own company but it can be a truly magical experience.....and a wet, cold, muddy one! Enjoy your first season! Edited August 21, 2014 by JamesWhat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hedge hunter Posted August 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 21, 2014 Jameswhat, if you ask me my own company is the best company there is lol. But seriously, I'm really looking forward to it mate, all for best for the coming season, cheers hh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harrycatcat1 Posted August 21, 2014 Report Share Posted August 21, 2014 Jameswhat, if you ask me my own company is the best company there is lol. But seriously, I'm really looking forward to it mate, all for best for the coming season, cheers hh You have a pm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesWhat Posted August 21, 2014 Report Share Posted August 21, 2014 Jameswhat, if you ask me my own company is the best company there is lol. But seriously, I'm really looking forward to it mate, all for best for the coming season, cheers hh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted August 22, 2014 Report Share Posted August 22, 2014 (edited) Jameswhat, if you ask me my own company is the best company there is lol. But seriously, I'm really looking forward to it mate, all for best for the coming season, cheers hh You know what, if you feel that way you will generally be a wildfowler. The only exception being the dog! When the wind howls and its still inky black outside as you load the car for the drive to the marsh early season, when you sleep on the sofa with your clothes laid out in the kitchen to avoid waking others, when it starts to rain on the drive over and your thoughts are "that will get the pintail moving early" , then your a wildfowler Edited August 22, 2014 by kent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted August 22, 2014 Report Share Posted August 22, 2014 You know what, if you feel that way you will generally be a wildfowler. The only exception being the dog! When the wind howls and its still inky black outside as you load the car for the drive to the marsh early season, when you sleep on the sofa with your clothes laid out in the kitchen to avoid waking others, when it starts to rain on the drive over and your thoughts are "that will get the pintail moving early" , then your a wildfowler I once took a mate of mine on a Christmas eve evening flight and it was cucking it down with heavy rain and sleet. I thought it was going to be a good flight and it was, duck came in well and I shot 9, my mate only shot one, when we went back to mine for a cup of tea I said that was a good flight Bob and he said yes it was but it was a pity it rained hard , up until then I hadn't noticed it had even been raining and I knew then he wasn't going to be a wildfowler. Two years later he had called it a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdsallpl Posted August 23, 2014 Report Share Posted August 23, 2014 I know everyone has to learn and most of us do by making mistakes. However what amuses me at times is the very odd occasion you see a person walking down to the sea wall dressed as if they are walking to a driven peg. They have obviously read the old wildfowling stories and want to experience the romance or whatever they got from the read. Last season I won't say where, there was a man and women who we saw most mornings after the flight walking along the track from the marsh dressed in all their Harrods sporting finery, pristine gun slips and leather cartridge bags, she even had a barbour type ladies hat with a feather in it. Never ever acknowledged us, we being covered in mud from head to toe, although I did wave to them the first morning. They probably never crossed the sea wall during the whole week and went home after the week or whatever with an empty bag and told their friends they had a wonderful time but don't get what all this wildfowling lark is about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted August 23, 2014 Report Share Posted August 23, 2014 I know everyone has to learn and most of us do by making mistakes. However what amuses me at times is the very odd occasion you see a person walking down to the sea wall dressed as if they are walking to a driven peg. They have obviously read the old wildfowling stories and want to experience the romance or whatever they got from the read. Last season I won't say where, there was a man and women who we saw most mornings after the flight walking along the track from the marsh dressed in all their Harrods sporting finery, pristine gun slips and leather cartridge bags, she even had a barbour type ladies hat with a feather in it. Never ever acknowledged us, we being covered in mud from head to toe, although I did wave to them the first morning. They probably never crossed the sea wall during the whole week and went home after the week or whatever with an empty bag and told their friends they had a wonderful time but don't get what all this wildfowling lark is about. Its a shame really as it shows how detached even those who have an interest but lack experience are from our sport. We saw the same isolation when the graylag proposal came out. People talk of experience wildfowling as having shot ducks inland and I am not being elitist here just honest about us being a breed apart in so many ways from the rest of the shooting world, having more in common with the lone deer manager than anyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nic Posted August 26, 2014 Report Share Posted August 26, 2014 Good Luck and see you at Poulton on Saturday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hedge hunter Posted August 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2014 Hi nic, yeh will see you there, just got in. Completed another marsh walk tonight, hill/ledges. Cheers hh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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