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blankfirer
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If BASC obtained more land for its 150 000 members.Can you imagine how popular the good plots would be.You would be shooting cheek to cheek. I once joined a pigeon shooting club .If there were any pigeons about there were guns already there.Now I have about 1000 acres that 2 of us shoot on that we pay rent for.

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8 minutes ago, dipper said:

If BASC obtained more land for its 150 000 members.Can you imagine how popular the good plots would be.You would be shooting cheek to cheek. I once joined a pigeon shooting club .If there were any pigeons about there were guns already there.Now I have about 1000 acres that 2 of us shoot on that we pay rent for.

If you don’t mind me asking - is the rent for all shooting rights or just pigeon?

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3 hours ago, dipper said:

If BASC obtained more land for its 150 000 members.Can you imagine how popular the good plots would be.You would be shooting cheek to cheek. I once joined a pigeon shooting club .If there were any pigeons about there were guns already there.Now I have about 1000 acres that 2 of us shoot on that we pay rent for.

The problem is not today it's when your farmer is approached by well let's say Tesco and offers ££££££ it's game over for you 

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Hi Blankfirer you could look how it’s done in the USA Pheasants Forever. Millions of acres of public land to shoot. They spend millions of dollars on looking after land and wildlife. Also Ducks Unlimited spend millions of dollars on habitat for water fowl. Could you imagine shooting pheasants in the Peak District or shooting water fowl in Lake Windermere. Then watching it on tv channels. I’m sure they are non profit organisations, just like WJ . 

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https://lm.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailyrecord.co.uk%2Fnews%2Flocal-news%2Fchair-perth-based-gamekeeping-body-25881019%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR0v9Tx1Nb1TtQhW2SAdw9Azf9KwwCYMp_Ox09Shn_fzgsHW7-l4xusggv4&h=AT1P3WHaTwYOkF32tkyypQfSmOLpYjWECnzYZib4QOKdsGY3lHhDT83byBo9erWu9EhZzvdR4WRnDuc_Ns0gm1aJupOXvbWqY_lWWgDB5nB0DhsOOXA1QBigphre_Ja0NpfNRppAXLQDkB3pmxIwGTxSwMUp8gRoNrPu16fW

Just now, blankfirer said:

This is what I mean

25 minutes ago, dipper said:

Why would Tesco’s want the shooting.?I’ve had the shooting over 40 years. He’s been approached by the usual. And I still shoot it.

I mean it could be anybody Tesco's,Aldi,Amazon,Barrat,redrow you get the point

28 minutes ago, Gas seal said:

Hi Blankfirer you could look how it’s done in the USA Pheasants Forever. Millions of acres of public land to shoot. They spend millions of dollars on looking after land and wildlife. Also Ducks Unlimited spend millions of dollars on habitat for water fowl. Could you imagine shooting pheasants in the Peak District or shooting water fowl in Lake Windermere. Then watching it on tv channels. I’m sure they are non profit organisations, just like WJ . 

Yep in another 30 year we will be in a sorry state

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20 hours ago, Lsto said:

Just my 2 pence worth, I am a member of BASC, I have been ever since I started shooting, admittedly the older I get I do sometimes wonder why. I enjoy the magazine and weekly email updates but I do wish they could champion our community to the rest of the world as well as they do to us. That said if they did suggest a voluntary contribution to purchase land around the country I would be happy to support it even if it was on the other side of the country, at least I know that perhaps it would inspire others and promote shooting.

As for a decline in wildfowling, about 4 years ago I moved from the outskirts of London to the coast. I immediately tried to join a local wildfowling club. Applied online, heard nothing... Applied again... Eventually got a reply, they said they would send me an application form, after 6 weeks it never came, I asked for a new form, it came, I filled it out and sent it back recorded. Never heard back... On their website it said they are recruiting members but it didn't seem like they wanted any.

Since then I have actually managed to join another club but so far I have been a member since April, have paid an extra fee as a new member, but until I have to spend the first year going with an experienced member on the marsh before I am allowed on my own, which I think is sensible, but as of yet I'm still waiting to go with someone, wether that is due to covid or not enough volunteers I don't know. Either way in my experience it feels like if wildfowling is in decline, maybe some of it is self inflicted. 

I sometimes take new members out, and the problem generally is the new members don’t give their mentors much notice when they would like to go, this makes it near on impossible to get someone to take them out. 

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Yes it’s a problem taking new members out. It’s harder when new members have no member friend in the club. With work it’s harder to get the timing right. It’s a lot better now with what’s app. for members to keep in touch. The problem with wildfowl clubs is people think they can’t become a member so they don’t bother to ask. New members understand the situation and when they are full members will take new members out as they know the problems.

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5 minutes ago, Gas seal said:

Yes it’s a problem taking new members out. It’s harder when new members have no member friend in the club. With work it’s harder to get the timing right. It’s a lot better now with what’s app. for members to keep in touch. The problem with wildfowl clubs is people think they can’t become a member so they don’t bother to ask. New members understand the situation and when they are full members will take new members out as they know the problems.

We have had a new member this season, contact the mentor coordinator at 10 o’clock at night to go the next morning! How can you deal with this sort of attitude. Then another request was Friday evening flight Saturday morning and evening and the Sunday morning. So are easy to deal with and get them confident to be allowed to go on their own , but others take a lot of effort. 

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1 hour ago, muncher said:

We have had a new member this season, contact the mentor coordinator at 10 o’clock at night to go the next morning! How can you deal with this sort of attitude. Then another request was Friday evening flight Saturday morning and evening and the Sunday morning. So are easy to deal with and get them confident to be allowed to go on their own , but others take a lot of effort. 

I have also taken out new members and most of them lived local , I would tell them when I was going and if they were keen enough they would arrange a meeting , until the clocks change in October they could easily fit in a flight when they leave off work , going with a hands on member is as much about safety on the marshes as it is gun safety and identifying the different fowl you will encounter .

On average they need to go with a mentor for six times then if there isn't any issues they can go solo , on average they last for three / five years before they know that wildfowling is not for them , reasons vary , but one of the main ones are very light bags , seeing several 1000 duck and geese is a lot different from putting a few in the empty bag , this can only be achieved by spending as much time as possible out in all weather conditions both day and night and learn about the habits of the fowl you intend to shoot and very few have got the commitment to carry that out , the odd ones who have are then hooked for life and are in it for the long term , 

 

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A bit long in the tooth now for taking new members out. But at least I’ve helped a few hundred have a go at it. Some stay and show others the ropes ,one gave up after 10 minutes after getting well stuck in the mud. As for light bags it’s mainly Canadas and Graylag shot, a couple of them make a heavy bag to carry off. Members will say when they are going out and new members will ask if anyone is going out. It works quite well. A lot more shooting can be had when your in a club of keen shooters. More shooters looking for shooting and lots of wildfowling clubs around. I think a lot of shooting people want some one to knock on their door and ask them would they like to come out shooting.

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On 07/01/2022 at 10:06, marsh man said:

Sorry to hear you had problems with trying to join a wildfowling club , I must admit that these last 18 months or so have been disrupted with restrictions from the virus , we haven't had any meetings for ages and were due for one a couple of weeks ago , then someone at the club room caught the virus and the room had to be fully cleaned out so the meeting once again was cancelled at short notice , with not having any meetings we have still been informed about any issues that have cropped up , I did have a minor problem myself with a ordinary padlock that had been put on a barrier to stop anyone going down the marsh fly tipping , this was a good idea but I couldn't get down to my marshes and the clubs ones which was next door , I emailed a certain member and the response was instant and very friendly and within a few days a combination lock was put on the barrier so I had access to where I wanted to go .

Like other clubs we cannot disclose certain details but if your new club was close to me then by all means get in touch and I will see if I can help you out .

GOOD LUCK     MM

 

23 hours ago, muncher said:

I sometimes take new members out, and the problem generally is the new members don’t give their mentors much notice when they would like to go, this makes it near on impossible to get someone to take them out. 

Well I appreciate the kind words marsh man. Funnily enough I got a message yesterday from the club and I'm out next week with a mentor. I appreciate the last few years have made things difficult and it doesn't help that I am only available at weekends due to work commitments. I'm looking forward to it.

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15 minutes ago, Lsto said:

 

Well I appreciate the kind words marsh man. Funnily enough I got a message yesterday from the club and I'm out next week with a mentor. I appreciate the last few years have made things difficult and it doesn't help that I am only available at weekends due to work commitments. I'm looking forward to it.

Well I hope you have a great flight and put something in the bag, there’s nothing to compare with wildfowling. 

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I am never surprised when folk drop out after giving wildfowling a go. A lot of areas are hard work, real coastal wildfowling that is, a red letter flight occurs not every season but every ten.  I am having a bad season and do not do 20% of what I used to but I have had 7 flights, 2 geese and 6 blanks. For those short of time and actually wanting to shoot something occasionally then inland shooting, whether for wildfowl, pigeon or game, is a far more productive option for many. 

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56 minutes ago, scolopax said:

I am never surprised when folk drop out after giving wildfowling a go. A lot of areas are hard work, real coastal wildfowling that is, a red letter flight occurs not every season but every ten.  I am having a bad season and do not do 20% of what I used to but I have had 7 flights, 2 geese and 6 blanks. For those short of time and actually wanting to shoot something occasionally then inland shooting, whether for wildfowl, pigeon or game, is a far more productive option for many. 

I agree with you that coastal fowling is hard work , our early days were all coastal and I loved the challenge of how hard it was , when you did put something in the bag you were on a high , blanks were part of the package and we had more than our fair share , living beside your fowling ground helped a lot as you didn't have to prepare in advance for your next trip out , all our life consisted of was fowling and even girls often took second place .

Now there is much more shooting at there disposal and to be honest how many new to shooting is keen enough to get up at a silly time in the morning , travel a fair way in the pouring rain , sit in a muddy gutter waiting for it to get light while the rain is getting in all the little nooks and crannies , then waiting till everything have lifted and you haven't had the chance to fire a shot you begin to wander what on earth were you doing sitting in the gutter getting wet and cold for nothing .

This is reality , you read books of golden sun rises and dawns which do happen but you don't read about the dull drab ones that happen just as often , if you are still keen after 3 / 4 seasons then there will be a chance you will last it out a few more , these are the ones who make an excuse why they are going and not why they can't go , as why they can't go seem to crop up a lot more than the former .

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This thread started with BASC buying land, and WHT helping out (WHT lends land with very useful but modest sums).

When I on was BASC Council I and Lee Freeston put forward a copper-bottomed business case for buying land, supported by case studies and excellent returns on capital employed. Council said no, and will not even consider it with the current make-up of council. The business case was based on the Kent and the RSPB models!

In any event BASC has multi-millions in the bank, so could do it now if it chose to do so. With only one real wildfowler on council there is no chance of a change of direction.

How such land could be managed was all set out in the business case (too lengthy to reiterate here).

In terms of Fenland numbers being down I don't know the answer to that. I do know that Kent numbers are at an all time high at 874 (wildfowling members 597), with a total of 1038 including multiple memberships, so there is demand. Part of that success is growing our land portfolio (to the chagrin of some!) and diversification. Acquisitions are now made on a strategic basis (another two to be announced soon) focusing on how we achieve membership growth. Membership growth = more money = more land = membership growth ............

Flogging the dead horse of BASC buying land to secure the future of shooting is exactly that - flogging a dead horse.

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Thankyou Alan for replying to my post met you when you came up to frodsham wildfowlers a few years ago I which everybody could see the future like me and you can see it and realize we are the minority and are days are numbered and the thing with me I will not benefit from this idea but my son will I am not asking for much .everyday I drive past more and more new development and it is becoming claustrophobic

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