Wildfowling Season 2014 - 2015

[fenboy]

 

I'd guess he was quite a way from where you and oxford where!

 

Hopefully i will be out in the morning to try and get a few.

A few?

[Tony G]

 

I'd guess he was quite a way from where you and oxford where!

We heard a few shots but that fog really makes the sound travel

Edited October 12, 2014 by Tony G

[black powder gunner]

Not been out with the dog and gun this season due a very dry summer we've no water on the marsh or ings or water meadow land and no ducks or geese about all the cattle are still on there.Working in the fields last week noticed a few geese flying past but not stopping. Friday morning got up early went down to beck where it joins the Ouse near the flood gates took my 8bore and dipper the dog with me loaded the gun with 2.5oz of bismuth in each barrel have to be a bit selective what I shoot at because each cartridge cost £5.50 to reload.A lovely bright morning whoosh two teal past me before I could cock the hammers then two mallard crossed boom boom one down in the beck swift retrieve from dipper next lone mallard above one shot dropped it in the reeds sent dipper came back with out it so went with gun to see if I could pick it could not find it.Looked up 2 geese above me cocked the hammers swung the old gun into action goose dead in the air landed 50yards away dipper had it straight away did not get a second shot off because the gun weighs 14pound and has 37inch barrels and once you get it swinging takes some stopping.A good mornings sport and a good start to the season.

[fenboy]

Nice errr pictures

A good write up though , that session almost cost you in cartridges what it costs me to shoot the wash for a season !!

[black powder gunner]

Could not get it to load picture then it loaded nine could not get them off not very good with computers.

[Big Mat]

Do you use the 8 bore alot? You must feel it once you've had a good day with it!

[black powder gunner]

It has very little kick because it is so heavy at 14pounds but It used to bruise and cut my middle finger so got the local gun shop to make rubber pad to go over trigger guard now it's no problem but does take a bit of carrying around.

[shakin stevens]

 

Nice one Rob! Pressure off now then?..... Lol![/quote

that's what I thought paul, then I had a brace of greylag 10 minutes later!

[widgeon man]

Shakin Stevens, was that you in the defender 110?? If so well done! Saw the feathers! Had plenty past me but caught out on the tide in the morning, with nowhere to hide! Mind you I had a lot of fun with the teal and widgeon in the fog! Had mallard,widgeon, teal, greys and pinks past me. A good nights kip..... After being caught out in an electrical storm!!!!!! ( bit worrying!) I joined Derbyshire dale for the morning and enjoyed the sights and sounds..... As well as his tea making facilities ; p but that was all we enjoyed!

[harrycatcat1]

Shakin Stevens, was that you in the defender 110?? If so well done! Saw the feathers! Had plenty past me but caught out on the tide in the morning, with nowhere to hide! Mind you I had a lot of fun with the teal and widgeon in the fog! Had mallard,widgeon, teal, greys and pinks past me. A good nights kip..... After being caught out in an electrical storm!!!!!! ( bit worrying!) I joined Derbyshire dale for the morning and enjoyed the sights and sounds..... As well as his tea making facilities ; p but that was all we enjoyed!

 

I bet Dale was disappointed

[shakin stevens]

No not me, can't afford to run a landrover! I was on a sandy beach up north not wading through mud and crawling through gulleys like the wash!

[ayano3]

I can see you getting a solicitor letter again harry.

[harrycatcat1]

I can see you getting a solicitor letter again harry.

 

[Penelope]

Inland goose shooting, so not strictly wildfowling.

 

After the first day on my game syndicate on Saturday, on which my girlfriend was subjected to her first days beating, she was taken out on Sunday for her first morning flight after geese. The alarm went off at 3:15am, which allowed enough time to get ready, swallow a coffee, make the flasks and load the car before picking up C., the syndicate leader.

With C. collected we set of on the hour and a quarter journey up into Northamptonshire and the middle Nene valley where the organic beef farm we shoot over is located.

 

We arrived just before 5:30 following a stop at the local services, loaded up and set off on the short walk over the disused railway line and chose our spots, with C. going off to the river, whilst I chose an old barley stubble that had gone green. A field that I have had some success over on two previous trips, also, as much to try out some excellent Greylag decoys that my girlfriend had bought me. I also had a dozen Canada shells that I had borrowed off a friend and fellow shoot member. The decoy bags were dropped over the barbed wire fence, swiftly (??) followed by me, the girlfriend staying behind to mind her funny little Yorkie, Berty (didn't think he would be up to much retrieving a goose though).

As the wind was in our face, the decoys were set up about 40 yards out in two groups, Canadas on the left and the Greys on the right. Hopefully any geese coming for a look or to pitch in would offer flighting shots over the top as opposed to paddles down and flapping wings over the decoys.

 

The presents.

 

Plastic fantastics.

 

We got in between the fence and a line of tree saplings planted as a hedge, amongst the long rough grass that gave great cover, with a piece over netting hung on the fence to provide some extra background. I could hear a number of Canadas on the water of the closest gravel pit, but no Greys, which is unusual around there as Greys outnumber Canadas 5 to 1 (general licence consequences?).

 

Girlfriend and Berty.

 

Around three quarters of an hour after sunrise there was a bout of exited honking as some Canadas got off the gravel pit, but unseen. Where would they cross? Four geese crossed the rail way line about 300 yards behind our position; a chance to try out a recently purchased Solway Calls Canada call. I gave a few honks, but no response, and they carried on to the north west over a poplar plantation half a mile away and disappeared.

There were still geese on the water as they could be heard, so expectations were still high.

Ten minutes later, whilst drinking tea from the flask and chatting to my girlfriend, I heard a 'Ah Honk' from behind. It was those four Canadas that recently came out on their way back, angling towards where we were hidden, call to mouth and a few honks given, The Solway call mimicking the deep resonant honk of a Canada well. A goose answered and was followed by more calls from me and on they came, all bands playing, seeing the decoys and setting up to come in. They crossed the hedge/fence line 30 yards to my left about 25 yards up, fixed on the decoys. The gun came up, I picked a bird and swung, bang! A goose crumpled. I picked another as they flared trying to gain height and distance from the noise. Bang! And the same result, another goose spiralled ground wards. My girlfriend shouted "good shot" which boosted the ego as I hopped the fence to retrieve the geese as more honking came from the pit.

 

A right and left.

 

More geese came off in due course, four more lots in total, all on the same line that the first four used, three small family groups and one skein of thirty plus geese. They all headed over the poplars, whiffling down half a mile beyond onto some unknown feeding ground. That was the end of the flight, time to pack up and head home and perhaps a snooze after a bacon sandwich.

 

Corrr, they weigh a ton!!

Edited October 29, 2014 by Penelope

[Grandalf]

And the geese and dog are very nice looking too...

[DOLLSEYES]

What gun is that pal in the 2nd to bottom picture?

Edited October 29, 2014 by DOLLSEYES

[marsh man]

Another good report Paul , your certainly getting amongst the Geese this year , and I must say that is without doubt one of the nicest looking retrievers I have seen on the marsh for a while........Well done on all accounts.

[islandgun]

Nice one Paul in every way Those greylag decoys look good do you know where she got them ?

[guy baxendale]

Nice pics Paul the B you goose slayer

[m greeny]

What gun is that pal in the 2nd to bottom picture?

Correct me if i am wrong but it looks like a midland and thosee decoys look very real i would like a few of those

[Penelope]

D J Decoys.

 

http://www.djdecoys.com/product/supreme-full-bodied-flocked-greylag-decoys-pack-6-6-slotted-bag/

Nice one Paul in every way Those greylag decoys look good do you know where she got them ?

Yes it's a Midland 3" non ejector.

 

Correct me if i am wrong but it looks like a midland and thosee decoys look very real i would like a few of those

[fenboy]

Chuffing heck , she must love you £210 for 6 , I will have to make do with my homemade plywood ones !

[fenboy]

4 flights planned for in the next 4 days , might even do another if i can be bothered , but 20c here today , hardly wildfowling weather is it.

They also promised strong winds for today earlier in the week , they lied again !

[islandgun]

South 7 occasionally gale 8 rain or showers.

We have about 3 acres of oats laid and trampled by a resident flock of 200 greylag and it was there that i took my 5 decoys, miniature lab, 10g, and a dozen 46g home-loaded lead carts which I hoped suitable for decoying.

 

I managed to set up at dawn and got down behind a dune with the wind in my face and the deeks about 50m out on the edge of the oats, heavy showers blowing in on the wind, the dogs backside sticking out of a mound of sand that he was hoping would produce a rabbit,

I could hear geese talking out at the edge of the estuary perhaps 1/2 mile away,

 

After 10 minutes they began to move making more noise, then lifted with the talking reaching crescendo. A group of about 6 peeled off in my direction and went directly over head within range but travelling very fast with the wind behind them, I left them thinking more would follow and they turned into the wind and presented me with an easy shot which I took, folding one and completely missing another.

 

After another 10 minutes with plenty of geese in the air but none within range another 6 headed towards me in range, being sporting I took the opportunity to miss them metres behind and they carried on unharmed, another lesson learned gale force 8 = very fast goose.

 

However i had reached 1/2 of my bag limit and with all things quiet I went home for some porridge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Penelope]

 

Chuffing heck , she must love you £210 for 6 , I will have to make do with my homemade plywood ones !