Richie10 Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 How is everyones season going so far? For me there has been quite a few duck around, even if they weren't anywhere near me. Even though early in the season and the numbers haven't arrived yet it has still been a productive year. Surprised with the numbers of mallard this year in particular. Cheers Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver pigeon 3 Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 Happy with my start, averaging a bird every 2 trips. Good few Teal in now so hopefully can up the average. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 After a bumber start on the opening day the fowling inland has been ok , but not brilliant. As Richie says plenty of mallard about , though I have not seen any real numbers of wigeon yet. I was surprised how few there were on the Ouse Washes the other day, was shooting a spot where we usually see thousands , but hardly saw 50 despite perfect water conditions. I have not done much on the foreshore so far this season , mainly because the weather has not been rough enough. I was not out in Tusedays wind , but otherwise we have not had any real wind all season. Had just one good night on the pinks under the moon otherwise have not had a shot at them. So a fair start to the season but could be better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 I agree with "anser2" about the Widgeon , this time last year we did have more than what we have got at present , although we have got several hundred . Speaking to a birdwatcher ( Peter A ) last week, he was saying we had around 500 Widgeon and 2 to 3000 Geese on and around the estuary at the moment with more numbers coming down each day. As far as the shooting goes we rely on the weather conditions like everyone else , and up to now we have only had a few days what you could call ideal weather , although if you wait for the right conditions you can wait a long while and if you don't go you cant expect to get anything , I have been most nights from the start of October , getting a few duck and had a couple of Geese , so more than satisfied up to now and hopefully better things to come . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AberFowl Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 Good numbers of both duck and geese where I shoot. Most too far away due to calm weather. not managed to bag a goose after the 4shots I have taken on the foreshore. 3wigeon and 2 mallard have dropped to my shot though. Saw a good amount of wigeon at the weekend (Saturdays target) Overall I am happy with the start of the season as I have seen good numbers of other birds which aren't quarry..including a fishing osprey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nic Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 started the season well... 3 canada s for 4 shots, but the last week has been a real hair puller.... skeins just out of range, easy shot missed, gun not shut properly (so wouldnt fire) and a misfire and equalled 6 trips for two mallard despite geese being all around and over me on 3 flights !!!! lets hope it improves before Scottish trip start of next month Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie R Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 My season lasts exactly one week and this year has been the best yet. The numbers of geese and duck up on the northern firths is probably greater now than when I headed north but that's part of the magic of wild fowling, ie not knowing how its all going to unfold.One of my favourite days was the first monday flight when after bagging a goose we then tucked ourselves into the holes on a point now named englishmens peril and waited for the widgeon to flight over with the incoming tide. As the southerlies blew the duck got lower and proved challenging upwind and practically impossible downwind. As with many to claim you hit the one you picked out was always more chance than design. Having no dog retreving your own ducks in the spray was also fun ehich meant you reallly picked which ones you went for. Overall it was a bloody good trip and with some excellent tips passed on by Lindsay I have now discovered some new areas to explore. As with each season it's not necessarily the size of the bag but more the company one keeps. I still chuckle at myself having watched my mate go over his waders in a creek only for me to repeat the same error with perhaps a little more style than he. As always my good friend kelvin was on hand to keep us southerners in order although I thought the offer of water wings was taking the joke a little too far. The fact he can call geese from the heavens and knows the places to lurk makes him irreplaceable. I can learn more from him in one flight than days floundering on my own. For those who are yet to experience getting up at 5am to march out into the dark to watch the sunrise and hopefully get a shot or too I wish you all straight powder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Mat Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 My season has been slow so far, nowt in the bag but thats not what wildfowling is about. I've seen plenty of birds, made a few trips and got covered in mud. Then enjoyed a little banter in the cafe over a friend breakfast after! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Konnie Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 My season has been slow so far, nowt in the bag but thats not what wildfowling is about. I've seen plenty of birds, made a few trips and got covered in mud. Then enjoyed a little banter in the cafe over a friend breakfast after! nowt in the bag that's a usual season for you then. how do you cook your friends boiled or fried Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harrycatcat1 Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 My season has been slow so far, nowt in the bag but thats not what wildfowling is about. I've seen plenty of birds, made a few trips and got covered in mud. Then enjoyed a little banter in the cafe over a friend breakfast after! Fried ayano3? Battered Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oxfordfowler Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 Having the best season ever (so far). This being retired lark is looking better and better. 7 trips so far (no blanks - bet that will change) to the Wash and the Ouse Washes. In the game record book we have Mallard, Gadwall, Widgeon, Shoveller, Gray Lag & Canada. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Mat Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 nowt in the bag that's a usual season for you then. how do you cook your friends boiled or fried Been waiting for some wildfowl to have a heart attack right above me, or i best sit near the weather vane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Konnie Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 3 trips no blanks (yet) mallard, widgeon , pintail roll on the weekend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 (edited) Had a decent start and shot Mallard in each of my first four flights , starting to struggle a little now though had a wigeon last week . I did manage to get right under some pinks tonight but they were just too high. But all in all i have already shot more than in the whole of last season , so I am more than happy. Edited October 23, 2014 by fenboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 3 trips no blanks (yet) mallard, widgeon , pintail roll on the weekend Well done on putting Pintail in the bag Konnie , do you get them regular or the odd one now and again ? I think ( anser2 ) will know its right when I tell yer last year when the B T O done a wildfowl count on the estuary, there were over 15,000 Widgeon and only around 100 Pintail , so getting one now is harder than getting a Goose . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 Back in the 1970s and 80s pintail were one of the main ducks I used to shoot during the last month of the season on the Wash. At the back end of most winters there used to be 6-7000. But most were shot on tide flights rather than at morning or evening flight. By the 1990s numbers declined sharply I do not think they get more than a few hundred these days. Most years I get one or two on the N Norfolk coast these days , but none last season. Only ever shot a couple Broadland , but I did get a cracking drake well up the Wavenly valley a couple of years ago and managed to miss a pair comming into a splash one evening in the mid Yare valley. I almost had a shot on the Ouse Washes yesterday at a drake , but I deemed he was just a fraction to high. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Konnie Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 Well done on putting Pintail in the bag Konnie , do you get them regular or the odd one now and again ? I think ( anser2 ) will know its right when I tell yer last year when the B T O done a wildfowl count on the estuary, there were over 15,000 Widgeon and only around 100 Pintail , so getting one now is harder than getting a Goose . i I just get the odd one now and again, but some may shoot more, always seems to be the hen, the drakes are a magnificent bird in all their colours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaniel Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 Little slow but not complaining 4 trips out for 1 mallard but hopefully this will start to pick up now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nic Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 (edited) I ought really to add that having 'retired' (now work part time when i want to ) i can get out on the marsh more often and the OH lets me :-) therefore i could easily say that its the best season so far. I have seen plenty of sunrises and wildlife and that's the best bit of it all Edited October 24, 2014 by nic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 (edited) Had 4 flights this year so far, 3 inland and one coastal. Had 7 geese. One Canada and one Grey on the morning of the 1st Sept. Two Greys on the morning of the 27th Sept. One Pink on the morning of the 21st Oct and two Greys in the evening. No ducks yet, although I hope to rectify that on Saturday evening plus a likely chance at Canadas and/or Greys. Hope to get out on Sunday morning for an inland goose flight too. Edited October 24, 2014 by Penelope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richie10 Posted October 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 I have had my first goose on the foreshore, actually 3. Also had very few blanks, had quite a few mallard, my favourite. First Pintail this year, a hen, waiting for a drake. Must admit Hen Pintails are too pretty to shoot. Also had my first duck on the wash after a long time trying, thanks to a kind chap on here. So going very well so far, hopefully continues and we don't have as much rain as we did last year. Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandalf Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 For various reasons out of my control I haven't got there yet - Maybe next week... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlennox Posted October 24, 2014 Report Share Posted October 24, 2014 Into my second season and doing very well. Last year I had four birds in 16 flights and I've had a lot more from 7 flights. The bag so far is 1 pink, 3 teal, 4 pintails and 10 wigeon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
widgeon man Posted October 25, 2014 Report Share Posted October 25, 2014 A couple of blanks thrown in on the shore early on, but had some great shooting pinks (foreshore) greys, Canada's, wigeon, mallard, teal, no gadwall or pintail yet tho or divers........ But plenty of time yet! : ) 16 flights on the shore,2 blanks ... Not bad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawntredder Posted October 25, 2014 Report Share Posted October 25, 2014 pathetic! only been 3 times shot 2 wigeon,seems everytime i go i have some plum shooting next to me who has no clue and am getting meself wound up....so sad the marsh lately Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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