Season targets

[Charlie Anderson]

My plan this year is training up  my choc lab and working  out which English club to apply for assuming there may be a waiting list.  I’m based in London so I’m thinking of either Kent Wildfowlers or Ely and district , fenland ?

but welcome any advice anyone may offer as at present I have no, no boat snd have only shot on the foreshore over mud/ sand etc.

Sorry should read no dog yet, no boat.

 

[motty]

3 hours ago, Charlie Anderson said:

My plan this year is training up  my choc lab and working  out which English club to apply for assuming there may be a waiting list.  I’m based in London so I’m thinking of either Kent Wildfowlers or Ely and district , fenland ?

but welcome any advice anyone may offer as at present I have no, no boat snd have only shot on the foreshore over mud/ sand etc.

Sorry should read no dog yet, no boat.

 

Fenland wildfowlers' association would gladly welcome you. No dog or boats are necessary, but a dog is a definite advantage.

We have miles of foreshore and several inland washes to enjoy. You can join now for this season if you would like.

Edited August 6, 2019 by motty

[Smiler23]

It's unreal how easy it is to walk into clubs down south with open arms, yet up here they want blood samples and at least 80% of the club members must know you

[Kalahari]

37 minutes ago, Smiler23 said:

It's unreal how easy it is to walk into clubs down south with open arms, yet up here they want blood samples and at least 80% of the club members must know you

Where are you? Certainly our club in North Wales is very un-choosy (if the term exists) after all they have me as a member!

 

David.

[Charlie Anderson]

Thanks I will have to give it some serious thought.

[marsh man]

20 hours ago, islandgun said:

Was that Yarmouth 63 ? .. I was thinking more of a stiff Hebridean breeze like this one in Lewis. TBH I will be glad to see the back of the visitors and the midges. I much prefer some nice clouds a good moon and a seat behind my favourite wall by the splashes

 

 

That look like a good blow up your way islandgun 

Yes you are bang on the dot , 62 / 63 winter on the river Yare , me and my mate got laid off from the building firm we had just been employed with due to inclement weather , this was ideal for us as we had four or five weeks of the season left , the whole of the estuary was full of wildfowl because all the Broads and upland rivers were frozen over and the fowl came down to what water was left open , looking back I hate to think what different species of duck we shot as in those far off days the only duck we wouldn't shoot were Shelduck , laws were far and few between then and  with us only turned 15 and hungry to shoot every duck that was in range, this kind of weather was like a wild fowlers dream , now the shooting bodies would never allow shooting fowl in those conditions and quite rightly so , as the birds were virtually starving to death .

If you get the chance , try and buy or borrow a book called Wildfowlers and Poachers by Arthur Patterson , you will not be disappointed , I just caught the tail end of there life style , but I think I would have blended in well having a pint in the Bowling Green pub with the ole fowlers and poachers  if I had been born 30 / 40 years sooner than I was .

 

[islandgun]

1 hour ago, marsh man said:

That look like a good blow up your way islandgun 

Yes you are bang on the dot , 62 / 63 winter on the river Yare , me and my mate got laid off from the building firm we had just been employed with due to inclement weather , this was ideal for us as we had four or five weeks of the season left , the whole of the estuary was full of wildfowl because all the Broads and upland rivers were frozen over and the fowl came down to what water was left open , looking back I hate to think what different species of duck we shot as in those far off days the only duck we wouldn't shoot were Shelduck , laws were far and few between then and  with us only turned 15 and hungry to shoot every duck that was in range, this kind of weather was like a wild fowlers dream , now the shooting bodies would never allow shooting fowl in those conditions and quite rightly so , as the birds were virtually starving to death .

If you get the chance , try and buy or borrow a book called Wildfowlers and Poachers by Arthur Patterson , you will not be disappointed , I just caught the tail end of there life style , but I think I would have blended in well having a pint in the Bowling Green pub with the ole fowlers and poachers  if I had been born 30 / 40 years sooner than I was .

 

I will certainly look that book out MM  cheers. Have you read "The story of a Norfolk farm "  by Henry Williamson, its about buying a N Norfolk farm for a few quid between the wars. the trials of making the farm pay,  meeting old boys  and ploughing with one of the first grey fergies, all within sound of the N sea and the winter geese. 

note... just bought the Patterson book..

Edited August 6, 2019 by islandgun

[scolopax]

After about six or seven years of being a club member I might try and get down to some rather nice North Norfolk marshes I can shoot.  I hear there is the occasional duck or goose down there.