The slob Wexford

[Salmo]

Been invited over for a few days anybody been 

[GADWALL41]

Im afraid mere mortals such as myself cant get near the place , north and south slob as you know Im sure . South is all private access I beleive and the North side has the sanctuary areas with maybe just a small area the locals shoot. People down there wont even tell you about it when you ask them where you can get in.  A few months ago there was a Gang of Hare coursing poachers chased across slob marshes there , they got away but Extra Police and Wildlife Ranger eyes  Gaze into the mist much more often of late.  Enjoy your invite , you are a very lucky man.... 

[Salmo]

Thanks for that , it’s next season and I’m really looking forward to it 

[GADWALL41]

Oh , well next years going to be interesting for us Fowlers here. Feb 15 th next Non Toxic regulations due to kick in for us so thats Shock no 1. Shock no 2 is that Parks and Wildlife Minister here now in our Rainbow Government is a Greenie and he has let it be known that there will be changes to the Open Seasons order next year. The word on boreen to the slob is that from the 23 - 24 season , Jack Snipe , Common Snipe , Woodcock , Pintail , Pochard possibly even Mallard and others will be taken off the list of shootable quarry. There is a large discrepency in the counts of Mallard for one that have been counted as opposed to being shot , one figure says that there are no more than 18,000 mallard in the whole country whne the bag returns that were sent in were in excess of that figure . Suffice to say that next year here shooters face much uncertainty.

 

[scolopax]

9 hours ago, GADWALL41 said:

Oh , well next years going to be interesting for us Fowlers here. Feb 15 th next Non Toxic regulations due to kick in for us so thats Shock no 1. Shock no 2 is that Parks and Wildlife Minister here now in our Rainbow Government is a Greenie and he has let it be known that there will be changes to the Open Seasons order next year. The word on boreen to the slob is that from the 23 - 24 season , Jack Snipe , Common Snipe , Woodcock , Pintail , Pochard possibly even Mallard and others will be taken off the list of shootable quarry. There is a large discrepency in the counts of Mallard for one that have been counted as opposed to being shot , one figure says that there are no more than 18,000 mallard in the whole country whne the bag returns that were sent in were in excess of that figure . Suffice to say that next year here shooters face much uncertainty.

 

Very worrying situation to be in ref. Quarry species and seasons.  I hope it all works out well but I can see challenging times ahead.  Political sentiment seems to be heavily influenced by the green lobby.

[Krico woodcock]

 

3 hours ago, scolopax said:

Very worrying situation to be in ref. Quarry species and seasons.  I hope it all works out well but I can see challenging times ahead.  Political sentiment seems to be heavily influenced by the green lobby.

Very worrying times as right.  Especially when you have people in charge that are out and out antis. And these are the people to decide our faith with a stroke of a pen. To push their own agenda. Its crazy.  They have tried to stop pigeon shooting in a few different ways this last few years, and it got overturned because of the clout of the big farmers. But what hope have we got when they pick the likes of woodcock snipe mallard,  backed by no evidence,  Ireland is a rough shooting country,  and snipe,  especially woodcock,  and mallard would be main quarry in season.  I cannot understand why they are so adamant to ban woodcock shooting, they use the native woodcock in decline card all the Time,  yet no one really knows what native woodcock are here. But one thing is certain huge amounts of migratory woodcock come here from end of November on. But they don't want to recognise this, because it doesn't fit the agenda,  of banning shooting.  I could rant on forever.  Very frustrating ..

[Fellside]

Pardon my complete ignorance, but is this Ireland you’re talking about - as in the Republic of?

I remember when the Irish inland fisheries were all closed to visitors and locals in a dispute about licence charges. It lasted for 2 years and the anglers won. I can’t imagine the Irish countrymen (and women) putting up with any bonkers new shooting legislation…. ?!

[GADWALL41]

Yes the Republic. Not wanting to hijack the original posters thread - Sorry. Rod licence , long time ago now the system if you can call it that in place now is nearly worse . Shooting Legislation , over here I could write for a week on the subject and still have issues unsaid.  

Its all about stopping field sports now  , the Green party got into government and are being left manage , read disasemble , the shooting and hunting sports . The NARGC, similar to your BASC are in most peoples view not doing enough to counter them , having said that I can understand where they are with it to some degree as the Minister has not nor have any officials met with the shooting lobby to discuss any of the proposed changes even though they said they would do so at least twice. As a 3 party Gov. here right now the other 2 parties are hiding and not trying to upset the greens letting them get away with their new plans . The Garda - Police make it harder and harder to get a new licence or even renew a licence each time with Local conditions imposed at Superintenadnt level , Im being nice using the terms Im using . The last species taken off the quarry list was the Curlew if I remember correctly and while nobody wants to see the Curlew die out here there was no discussion with rank and file shooters at the time , Im shooting the Coastline for just over 50 years and I usually shot just 1 or 2 Curlews a year I can well imagine that those who discussed its removal never shot one in their life. My point is there was No Discussion then with me or others and there is no discussion now either , I dont have pheasant shooting or good woodcock shooting to fall back on and anway I prefer coastal fowling and Snipe shooting . Shooters are divided here in many factions and will always be I think. In the past few years there has been a clamour for bag returns by the shooting body and of late from the Parks and wildlife service to see what is being shot out there . Nobody asked me that 50 years ago and if they asked me today I could tell them what I shot then as I always kept a diary of what I put in the bag - I even have them all scanned into the pc to.

I dont see the same protests as there was for the fishing licence issue with this current situation . They were cute enough to before the season they said there would be changes , but they never said what species in case people went out and hammered them as with woodcock I know a few yung lads who havenever shot one and this year thats all they are after , but they are scarce right down south here , with big bags being shot up the country native or non native to me those bags are excessive , my opinion I wouldnt do it and preety soon nobody will be able to shoot a brace . Putting a bag limit in place wont work here with the mindset of the law aplies to others and not to me. 

So two weeks ago I most likely shot my last Jack snipe , usually take one or two a year let the rest pass on as I did last week , common snipe I shoot away and still this could be my last season here for that to and the worst part is I dont know if that is so or not , nobody will tell me nobody will ask me just the Minister mouthing off and the rumour on the boreen again  , no Doubt as with the Curlew I shall be the last to know again , from what the Talk is at the mo , Teal and Wegion is all that will be left to shoot here. I know of people not buying dogs or trading in guns on account of the changes hanging over us here but I will not let them spoil my xmas shooting with m son when he is home for the hols , to those who have read this far , compliments of the season and enjoy your days in the field over the hols , cheers.

[Fellside]

Good grief - shocked!!

Sorry to hear all that Gadwall41. I wish you the very best of luck with your shooting future - and of course happy hunting with your son.