Pre-flight etiquette?

[wildfowler.250]

Interested to see what folk think of this. So, in the last few years, when I get to wherever I’m planning shooting, I’ll give it a little shout as I’m arriving to said location. Flash a torch around. Set up,(hide/decoys whatever) and at the end of setting up,(a little before first light), flash a torch around again.

Now I’ve had folk set up behind me 20-30 yards away previously without any notice.(hence the reason for doing this). Since starting this routine, I’ve had folk waiting opposite me without any sort of signal back. Now I appreciate it’s great to sneak into position like the SAS but if skien after skien of geese will lift over the same route despite being shot at, a little flick of a torch/iPhone pre-flight won’t do any harm.

 

Does anyone else do similar? I’ve been weighing up a thermal for stalking but it might be just as useful spotting other guns out on a morning flight. Blue skies protocol for shots is great and sensible but it’s still nice to know who’s around so you can relax into the flight.

 

Ineterested to hear people’s take on this 👍

[WalkedUp]

Our club has a rule that anyone in position MUST make their position known to an approaching gun in good time. And an approaching gun must not encroach upon or flightline an insitu gun. In terms of hotspots it is first come first served to the access points onto the marsh. 

Recently we were going 2 hrs out on a walk to the foreshore. A gutter 1 hr in and a gun 200m away flashed their head torch. They must have walked onto the marsh from another access point. We were well past them and heading away but they didn’t want to be flight-lined. I flashed my torch back to acknowledge their signal and we continued on our merry way as planned.   

[wildfowler.250]

9 hours ago, WalkedUp said:

Our club has a rule that anyone in position MUST make their position known to an approaching gun in good time. And an approaching gun must not encroach upon or flightline an insitu gun. In terms of hotspots it is first come first served to the access points onto the marsh. 

Recently we were going 2 hrs out on a walk to the foreshore. A gutter 1 hr in and a gun 200m away flashed their head torch. They must have walked onto the marsh from another access point. We were well past them and heading away but they didn’t want to be flight-lined. I flashed my torch back to acknowledge their signal and we continued on our merry way as planned.   

That seems to be a good way to work it. The shame about Scotland is that a lot of it is a free for all,(great in some ways but club rules go out the window). What amazes me is that you can give a few flashes of a torch pre-flight and everyone else seems to ignore it/doesn’t return the favour. Makes you wonder why bother. Just wondered if other folk on here do similar or just set up and hope there’s no one in the gutter 50 meters up.

Edited January 3, 2021 by wildfowler.250

[Dave at kelton]

Sometimes flash a torch or just generally make myself known as do others in the club. Certainly if I see anyone approaching I usually just greet with a polite good morning and that is sufficient on our club merses. Generally will be 40-50 yds distance and never in front knowingly. I do recall shooting in thick fog in the eighties and when it cleared we were on opposite sides of a gutter 15 yds apart and had no way of knowing. 

[shakin stevens]

Years ago when I used to shoot the wash , sometimes if you was really early and folk turned up in the carpark , you would pop over and just ask what sort of direction they was heading .

But then again I've seen folk falling over themselves putting gear on and practically running to set off before you !

I will come away these days if folk are around, and probably jump back in the car and find another spot .

 

 

[Ttfjlc]

Pretty easy to work out when you're in the wrong place on the Norfolk side of the wash, you get hissed at. 

[Manish]

I tend to start whistling as Im getting closer to where im going to set up. Once I feel im happy with where I want to be I just say  'good morning anybody out there??'. Thus far I have had no reply but on a few occasions there was another fowler about 100-150 yards away so plenty far. 

[TIGHTCHOKE]

We used to walk in with head torches on, you soon know where others are.

[motty]

I never carry a torch on the marsh. I am also not overkeen on those that use head torches.

 

I have been on one flight this season where another gun was walking out to my spot, in almost full daylight with a bright head torch on. God knows why he needed to be using it.

I would have had a stern word if I got the chance. He may have seen/heard me and stopped 300 yards back. In the end, he may have learned his lesson. He walked away gooseless while I had a couple of nice pinks.

[TIGHTCHOKE]

1 hour ago, motty said:

I never carry a torch on the marsh. I am also not overkeen on those that use head torches.

 

I have been on one flight this season where another gun was walking out to my spot, in almost full daylight with a bright head torch on. God knows why he needed to be using it.

I would have had a stern word if I got the chance. He may have seen/heard me and stopped 300 yards back. In the end, he may have learned his lesson. He walked away gooseless while I had a couple of nice pinks.

Really, good for you, I find things like head-torches extremely useful!

[WalkedUp]

We go out at 4am in pitch black. No torches, frowned upon for anyone to use one as it steals your night vision. Head torches are on head in case of emergency or the rare need to signal. 

[nic]

I think the use of torches is a bit marmite.  

My generation tend to be less keen on them... me, maybe due to my army time and them being very frowned on - its strange when i talk to current soldiers... was soon as they are no longer tactical, they would get told off for not using one due to Health and safety!!!

[Dave at kelton]

Torches for me are for emergency or crossing a difficult creek. A quick signal is fine but it really ****** me off when someone comes out of nowhere and shines one at you,” is that you....?” Night vision screwed for another twenty minutes. Problem is a lot of people just aren’t used to being out without light and never give their night vision time to kick in. There are very few nights or mornings on the Merse when it is too dark to see where you are going.

[captainhastings]

It is never as dark as you  think it is just let the eyes adjust. If you can set and pick up a 100 yards of netting at night then getting setup to shoot a duck shouldn't be a problem 

Edited January 9, 2021 by captainhastings

[scolopax]

I’m more perturbed you are thinking of getting a thermal for stalking. 

[Pushandpull]

On certain marshes you will be shouted at by folk a long distance off for using a torch at all - which is just daft. As you get older, night vision gets poorer and the consequences of tripping or falling get worse, so cautious use of a torch becomes more important. Some club risk assessments will recognise this.

[marsh man]

1 hour ago, Pushandpull said:

On certain marshes you will be shouted at by folk a long distance off for using a torch at all - which is just daft. As you get older, night vision gets poorer and the consequences of tripping or falling get worse, so cautious use of a torch becomes more important. Some club risk assessments will recognise this.

I was never no one for using a torch at night or first thing in the morning but now I am into my 70s I have noticed my eyesight is nowhere as strong as it once was , now when it is getting dark my eyes can't adjust and for me the flight is over when darkness falls, where up to two or three years ago I could see duck fairly easily when it was dark by looking towards the towns lights on a cloudy night.

The worse nights are when the stars are out and you are walking back in pitch darkness , with the gateways extra muddy this year due to the cattle and heavy rain it is now a time in my life when I find a torch handy to get safely off the marsh .

[Pushandpull]

Broadland fresh grazing marshes are messy places, but not as hazardous as tidal salt marshes. On some ungrazed salt marshes such as "the camp" on the Wash the dead vegetation can conceal deep narrow little gutters which you can plunge a leg into very easily when off the regular paths.

[aberisle]

I try to keep my head torch off, but the past couple of outings where i had been walking along the side of an icy gutter i put the torch on till i got to decent ground, i get to shoot during the week so it is very rare i meet anyone else  on the one occasion when it has happened there was a guy at the carpark before me so i just asked him where he was going and i went in the opposite direction to keep a decent distance between us,( he got a canada and i blanked)

[WalkedUp]

About 10 years ago I was walking down the cinder path at the side of the railway after a long dog walk. It was pitch black then from 200 m to 2 m there was a high powered white torch shining towards me, dazzling. By the time the distance had closed to with I was like a bulldog chewing a wasp and shouted at full volume “Lower that torch at once!” Two meek female voices responded apologetically, they were young women police officers 🤣

Must have been scared of the dark. I apologised for scaring them and explained that the torch had blinded me and robbed them of their nightvision. Turn it off or they would never see anything. 

People are so afraid of our environment they cannot cope without electronics. 

Edited January 10, 2021 by WalkedUp

[wildfowler.250]

On 09/01/2021 at 15:55, scolopax said:

I’m more perturbed you are thinking of getting a thermal for stalking. 

Hah not yet. I still think of it as ‘cheating’ a little but each to their own I suppose!

 

 

I think there’s a slight mix with the whole torch / light situation. I’m not saying walking in to position with a torch on,(not criticising  anyone that does this). But there’s definitely a health and safety question for folk creeping into gutters and things in the half light and then potentially shooting at low teal or whatever,(blue skies ideally and all that). I’ve always got set up in dark but now will give a very quick 5-10 second flick round with the iPhone torch. I generally hope someone nearby would do similar but at least if not, they know where you are. Unless the geese are 100 metres in front of you on the tide, it definitely won’t make any difference as far as the bag at the end of the morning.

 

Interesting getting all the different takes on it.

 

[scolopax]

Never or at least very rarely use a torch on the marsh. Much prefer to allow my eyes adjust to the dark. Unless on the very darkest of nights my vision is good enough to pick out any gullies or other obstacles.  

[wildfowler.250]

I think a lot probably depends on where you are as well. If it’s a busy marsh, lots of access points,(and in Scotland not necessarily club ground) then it’s probably a lot more risky than in England where you might all be setting off from the same point.

 

still remember going to the findhorn once,(and only the once) with a friend and when the light came up there was a gun that had come in after me and set up 25 yards to my side. No idea he was there but apparently normal for there. May have changed now though

[motty]

On 17/01/2021 at 10:09, wildfowler.250 said:

Hah not yet. I still think of it as ‘cheating’ a little but each to their own I suppose!

 

 

I think there’s a slight mix with the whole torch / light situation. I’m not saying walking in to position with a torch on,(not criticising  anyone that does this). But there’s definitely a health and safety question for folk creeping into gutters and things in the half light and then potentially shooting at low teal or whatever,(blue skies ideally and all that). I’ve always got set up in dark but now will give a very quick 5-10 second flick round with the iPhone torch. I generally hope someone nearby would do similar but at least if not, they know where you are. Unless the geese are 100 metres in front of you on the tide, it definitely won’t make any difference as far as the bag at the end of the morning.

 

Interesting getting all the different takes on it.

 

If anyone shoots at a low bird and doesn't know what is beyond that, then they are an idiot.

[wildfowler.250]

1 hour ago, motty said:

If anyone shoots at a low bird and doesn't know what is beyond that, then they are an idiot.

100% but they do walk amongst us..

Mind you, having said all this I do remember walking into one flight this year and as per usual didn’t use a torch to get in and I was grabbing brambles and everything. I think it’s just one particular spot that has a few cowboys at it that I give a torch a quick flick so I’m probably in keeping with the rest of the comments on here.