marsh man Posted December 6, 2015 Report Share Posted December 6, 2015 Last week when I had a bit of success with the Mallard, my next self imposed challenge was to get a goose before I went after the duck again . Friday afternoon was spent looking around the area and after watching small skeins joining the main lot I knew within a little where my best chance of connecting with one would be . Saturday morning was out as I had to be on a game shoot fairly early , not only that with a strong South / South West wind the geese would be leaving the roost with the wind up there arxe so time they got to where I intended to be underneath them they would be well up and getting a move on , but at night , that would be a different story as they would have to battle there way against the wind and hopefully if I can make it give me a shot or two . On the shoot my mind was only on one thing and it wasn't the Pheasants trying to make the guns look as if they had no shot in there cartridges , it was weather I would be in time to get down the marsh because by now it was blowing a gale and from my point of view in nigh on the right direction . With the wind now getting stronger it was decided to have a quick lunch and get done early , would I mind ? , you bet I wouldn't mind , as the driver I made sure we didn't waste any time and a little after 3 o clock I was saying my goodbyes , told them I would see them next Saturday and I was on my way home . After listening to Norwich F C getting beat on the car radio and getting my gun and the dog I was finally parking my car behind two other cars on the clubs marshes , time was getting on a bit by now and the marsh which I intended to go on is by itself and by a stroke of luck the chain was still on the gate so I knew no one else was on there as they would have left the chain off until they came back off rather than lock it behind them due to the cattle are all off now . Walking across the marsh, the first skeins were already sig sagging across the sky making there way back to there roosting grounds and by now the odd shots could be heard from other fowlers who were out around the various marshes , Sitting down the side of the dyke and finishing off the coffee I took in the morning the sound of geese was all over the place and it wasn't long before a big lot was in front , one minute they were swinging to the right and then the next they were swinging to the left and finally they were coming over me that looked about 40yds up , my first shot stuck home but the second shot was nowhere near where it should have been , George was taking his time bringing back this goose as he kept standing on his broken wing and for a Pink it was quite a heavy one . Two more lots went past that Smokersmith would have made light work of but for me I was waiting for something a bit closer , shots could be heard from all over the place now and by the amounts of shooting going on if they were hitting them they must have shot there limit . By now the light was nigh on gone and from nowhere half a dozen geese were doing there best to make headway directly above me , this time my first shot didn't seem to have any effect but swinging the gun a bit further in front the second shot sent this way back with the wind into the darkness so it was a lot higher than I thought it was . With that one safely back two was enough for me as I am up to 10 and I don't want to shoot more than a dozen for the whole season , a few geese were still flying about plus a few duck and after four shots at duck where I never touched a feather I finally dropped one out of a little party that whipped past and when George brought it back I wished I hadn't shot as it was a drake Shoverler , a lovely looking duck but not one I would normally bother shooting . By now it was to dark for me , although you could still hear the odd shot but no doubt there eyes are a lot younger than mine. A perfect storm for these marshes are a true Southerly gale , tonight was not quite perfect but very close to it and in the course of the season you don't get many as good as this. P S .... If anyone want the duck to set up ( as it is in spotless condition ) or to eat p m me or come round mine and you are welcome to it , if you cant pick it up I will post it free of charge as soon as I know your address . Thanks . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6.5x55SE Posted December 6, 2015 Report Share Posted December 6, 2015 Result John well done mate good Pictures to. I must admit ( apart from eating ) the Drake Shoveler comes a Very close second to a Drake Pintail for Colours and good look's. Amazing even in a very good Head Wind how quick a Goose can move for the second shot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted December 6, 2015 Report Share Posted December 6, 2015 Well done marsh man , seems you have plenty of geese down your way at present . The drake shoverler is indeed a good looking bird , someone messaged me last year wanting a drake shoveler for mounting but I cannot remember his name , he was the guy who did some fantastic fox mounts , not seen anything from him for a while though. Again your bit of marsh looks very nice , which club do they belong to ? pm me if you prefer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smiler23 Posted December 6, 2015 Report Share Posted December 6, 2015 Excellent session well done, birds look in pristine condition Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted December 6, 2015 Report Share Posted December 6, 2015 Your posts make truly excellent reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted December 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2015 Hi Fenboy .......... The marshes I was on last week for the Mallard are the ones I have for myself ( had them for around 40 yrs ) The ones I was on last night are the Norwich W A. And the photo was taken this morning on the North side of Breydon Water. At the moment on some of the farmland down towards Yarmouth the landowners , farmers and farm managers are getting up in arms with the amount of geese going on the Wheat drillings that are on old Sugar Beet land , once it was diced over there were bits of chopped up beet everywhere and now it is getting water logged you can understand there concern , they estimate there are 2500 geese going on there land but I would say 1500 to 2000 , Still a lot mind you . Your posts make truly excellent reading. Thanks Mr JDog . I just love the county , countryside and everything to do with it . oh and leading a simple life . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted December 6, 2015 Report Share Posted December 6, 2015 Hi Fenboy .......... The marshes I was on last week for the Mallard are the ones I have for myself ( had them for around 40 yrs ) The ones I was on last night are the Norwich W A. And the photo was taken this morning on the North side of Breydon Water. At the moment on some of the farmland down towards Yarmouth the landowners , farmers and farm managers are getting up in arms with the amount of geese going on the Wheat drillings that are on old Sugar Beet land , once it was diced over there were bits of chopped up beet everywhere and now it is getting water logged you can understand there concern , they estimate there are 2500 geese going on there land but I would say 1500 to 2000 , Still a lot mind you . Thanks Mr JDog . I just love the county , countryside and everything to do with it . oh and leading a simple life . Thanks marsh man , perhaps they need to send some of those geese back here to save their crops Must be nice having your own bit of marsh , no chance of going for a long walk and finding someone sat in the spot you intended to shoot ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted December 7, 2015 Report Share Posted December 7, 2015 A cracking read once again John. Thank you for sharing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted December 7, 2015 Report Share Posted December 7, 2015 (edited) Quote "At the moment on some of the farmland down towards Yarmouth the landowners , farmers and farm managers are getting up in arms with the amount of geese going on the Wheat drillings that are on old Sugar Beet land , once it was diced over there were bits of chopped up beet everywhere". Well thats the risk the farmers now take in redrilling the beet fields so quickly. Until a few years ago few beet fields were drilled untill well after christmas giving the geese plenty of time to clear up the beet chippings. This change in farming pratice has resulted in a massive decline in the number of pinks on my marsh. 5 years I would expected to see 40-50,000 geese leave the muds at dawn and some times a lot more. This morning 500 came off and some mornings we do not see a single goose. In your area you are lucky , the pinks have a major alternative food, grass. In my area grass is very limited and year by year the pink flocks are declining. Well done with the flight. Edited December 7, 2015 by anser2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misser Posted December 7, 2015 Report Share Posted December 7, 2015 excellent...really enjoy both the write up and the pics.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted December 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2015 Hi anser2...... Saturday evening there was a lot of shooting going on , maybe with a lot of people who are working all the week, that day is the only chance they can go , even so the marsh I went on only had two people on there which are one of the best marshes under those conditions .I am often out night times and don't hear a single shot and when I come back along the A47 on some days there are no cars in the lay byes , so I would say the geese get more disturbance on farm land than they do on the grazing marshes and like you say they have got plenty of grass land to go on which under normal weather conditions is from Christmas onwards or when the local beet have been harvested and ploughed in . also the reserve is managed to attract the geese with the grass and controlling water levels which must help to keep them down our way . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentalmac Posted December 7, 2015 Report Share Posted December 7, 2015 Fantastic write up and pictures John, Great to see George too - next year maybe Bobby in tow? Looks to have been a wonderful trip out, very jealous :-) Lovely looking bird that shoverler, bet that was quick with that wind? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.