End of yet another era.

[Grandalf]

Yet another era of my life has ended.   I've decided to give up fowling.   I am going to be 85 in June and, though still being fairly fit and active, the motivation has gone.   Whilst still loving being out on the marsh, or anywhere else that's rural for that matter, I've decided that the thrill of the hunt is not what it used to be in the case of wildfowl.   Went out yesterday for what will probably be the last time - carrying a shotgun.   I had the marsh to myself, slight drizzle but nothing bad, and there were ducks and geese about.   What was missing was my urgent appeals to mother nature to send them over my way.   I saluted each flight as it passed by and did a lot of thinking.   I have been fowling since the early 60's, when I left the army, and have enjoyed every moment of it.   My original mentor was the legendary Sid Wright on the Wash marshes near Long Sutton.   My headquarters was the Bull with Mrs Mitchell.  (Another legend).  Frank Harrison, another professional guide, Wild Goose Man Kenzie Thorpe and fowler/punter James Robertson Justice (the actor) were all part of the scenery in those days.  Heady days to be fowling on the Wash as a newbie.

I got hooked very quickly and it led to many years of fowling along the East Coast and Norfolk Broads.   Later I had a small fowling boat on the Alde and have been a member of just about every local club and syndicate.   For the last 25 years I have been with a small syndicate on the Blythe estuary and that is where I was sitting and pondering yesterday afternoon.

I came to the conclusion that I had shot enough wildfowl.   Simple as that.   The 'Memsahib' is now in a care home so there is only me and Noodle, the obligitory labrador, to feed, so  I don't need much more than the venison that I still obtain from my deer control activities.

So the decision was made.   Fowling has followed the game shooting that I gave up, for much the same reasons, three years ago.

I still go beating.   I assist the young keeper that is now doing the job that I did for more than 25 years on my local shoot when ever he asks.   But mainly I go deer stalking.   The deer numbers are increasing all the time where I live in North Suffolk.   Farmers are asking me to 'thin them out a bit but don't exterminate them' which is local speak for Deer Control as practiced over the rest of the country.   They always add 'and if your see Charlie, knock him down too'.  

So I am never at a loss for something to do and Noodle and I just love venison.

To all of the many friends that I have made during my fowling life I say enjoy your sport while you still can, spend every spare minute you have planning your next trip or being on the marsh.   The antis are winning I'm afraid.   When I started you could fowl just about anywhere you wanted.   Scruffy looking men, mud splatted and wearing ex army clothing whilst carrying a gun and sporting a cartridge belt never even got a second look.   It is all just a little bit different today. 

[Westley]

I can relate to that, very much. I gave up foreshore fowling a good number of years ago now, although I continued inland ducks and geese for a good number of years after. I ran my own shoot of some 1000 acres or so, and was pigeon shooting 2 or 3 days a week. Working shifts meant I could get out mid week, thus avoiding a lot of the weekend walkers. I started clay shooting in the early 70's and I still shoot clays today, (literally, I am on my way out clayshooting now). I also spent 17 years running a small clay shoot. An incident on a game shoot a couple of weeks ago has made me decide that the game shooting scene is no longer for me. Some shooters are now treating game days like 'sim game days'  !  Not for me. I no longer have a dog, my Wife's health prevented me from getting another dog. So, although a couple of years younger than you, I shall just stick with the clays. I hope we can BOTH continue for a good few years yet, I have a couple of Grandsons who need a bit more coaching. Take care and let us both enjoy our chosen sport for a while longer. W.

[Aled]

I'm a bit younger than you guys, but i can relate to what you are saying. Lost the passion for sea trout night fishing. There are so few of them around these days and i feel those still returning perhaps need to be left in peace to spawn. I hope you enjoy your sporting endeavours for many years to come. Cheers. Aled 

 

[London Best]

I can fully understand Grandalf’s post. Although I am some 9 years younger, I, too, started wildfowling on the wash as a young teenager in 1965. I was well hooked by it all and knew all three of the guides mentioned, especially Kenzie with whom I (mis)spent quite some time. The passion for the coastal ‘fowling lasted until 1993 when, for reasons unknown it faded, probably because the deerstalking took over.

[islandgun]

What a great fowling career, as you say you've seen the best and enjoyed the freedoms that its unlikely will ever return. I hope I will be able to repeat your post in 15yrs time. It will still be fine for you to go back to sit under the seawall armed with nothing but a stick and remember some of the flights you enjoyed. good luck to you

Edited January 31 by islandgun

[old man]

1 hour ago, islandgun said:

What a great fowling career, as you say you've seen the best and enjoyed the freedoms that its unlikely will ever return. I hope I will be able to repeat your post in 15yrs time. It will still be fine for you to go back to sit under the seawall armed with nothing but a stick and remember some of the flights you enjoyed. good luck to you

Absolutely, stay safe and cherish your memories.

Impossible to imagine even 10 years on from here concerning freedoms?

[old'un]

I think most of us who are over 70 can relate to your feelings, we get older and doing things we did in our youthful years becomes that little bit harder, the enthusiasm we had for the hunt, the kill slowly gets dimmer.

I have also been shooting since the early 60s (now 74) and in that time have killed a lot stuff, my biggest love was/is pigeon shooting but with advancing years I also find I do not have the enthusiasm for big bags or the hours on the field.

I am sure you will still enjoy having a walk about and you can always raise your stick and pull a pretend trigger at any passing birds, bet you never miss any

All the best and enjoy whatever you do.

[marsh man]

I can also relate to exactly the same feelings you have towards mainly coastal wildfowling and shotgun shooting in general , this past season was the first year I was no longer a member from our local wildfowling clubs , some of you have seen my first G Y W A wildfowling membership card from 1964 and between two clubs I was still a paid up member every year until this season when I had decided I have had enough as I have always said that when you stop enjoying it then that is the time to call it a day , last season I looked at a few Teal hanging up in my garage and thought why on earth did you want to shoot them , I had Pheasants , Partridges and duck I had brought home from our local shoot so I didn't need to shoot them just for food , I have been down the marsh a few times this year and just got the odd duck when I wanted one and now I am in the late 70s I start to feel the cold and my biggest handicap is my eyes can no longer pick out the duck in the fading light .

Today was very similar , it was our beaters day today and I did take my gun but I never got it out until mid afternoon when I took it on one of our mixed drives of duck and game and I did manage to knock a Mallard down that had already been slowed down by the gun in front as I was picking up , done the same on our last drive when I trimmed out two cock birds , my s g c run out in 2025 so I have got another year to wean me off from shotgun shooting in general , like you I have had a marvelous time with having some fantastic fowling on my doorstep and meeting some top guys over the years but nothing will and can last forever and I will still enjoy my daily visits to where the fowl hang out but from now onwards it will be with a stick and a pair of binoculars and not something that could end there life with the pull of the trigger.     MM 

[grahamch]

Am sort of in the same position but with shooting reared game. 

Had my last syndicate day last weekend and no more, the cost and more importantly to me the ethics and morality of shooting reared game is no longer acceptable to me. 

Will continue to go fowling and stalking but will do a bit more clay shooting too and just enjoy walking in the countryside. 

 

 

 

[Grandalf]

Thanks for the support chaps.   Nice to know that I am not alone on lifes field sports journey.   Just got back from stalking.   Gentle morning - Because I was on my neighbours land I didn't have to leave the pit until 5am - and a four minute drive from my drive to their drive.   Saw two roe, which they don't want shot, and one munty buck which they did and I did.   He's now hanging in the chiller in the garage.   Now I thoroughly enjoyed this mornings outing, came back with a good few meals for me and Noodle and the knowledge that I have saved some of my neighbours ten thousand British hardwood trees from damage.   Funny how your views and feelings change as you get old.

I'll keep taking the tablets and go on as long as I can.

Next up is to mentor next doors daughter on stalking so that she can protect her own trees.   She has just applied to the police so god only knows how long that will take.

[marsh man]

Nice one Grandalf , Nice to home in on what you enjoy the most without to much hard work involved , I was much relaxed this morning knowing both the inland and the game season is all but over , we used to trim up a few cock birds on the 1st of Feb just to have a relaxed walk about but we all had a good day yesterday so for us the season is now finished .

It also seemed a bit strange this morning when I went to the top end of Breydon for my mornings walk and saw the Pinks lifting off on the other side of the estuary without a shot fired , we had a touch of frost early on but now it is like a perfect early Spring morning , I have been pottering about in the garden and after my coffee break I will head off out to see what damage the Pigeons have been doing on the estate , it will be our first Saturday roost shooting this week so although one part of the shooting calendar is now over another one is about to begin so for the countrymen there is always something to look forward to . All the best and have a good day      MM

[London Best]

2 hours ago, Grandalf said:

Thanks for the support chaps.   Nice to know that I am not alone on lifes field sports journey.   Just got back from stalking.   Gentle morning - Because I was on my neighbours land I didn't have to leave the pit until 5am - and a four minute drive from my drive to their drive.   Saw two roe, which they don't want shot, and one munty buck which they did and I did.   He's now hanging in the chiller in the garage.   Now I thoroughly enjoyed this mornings outing, came back with a good few meals for me and Noodle and the knowledge that I have saved some of my neighbours ten thousand British hardwood trees from damage.   Funny how your views and feelings change as you get old.

I'll keep taking the tablets and go on as long as I can.

Next up is to mentor next doors daughter on stalking so that she can protect her own trees.   She has just applied to the police so god only knows how long that will take.

Have you found that, as you get older, the Muntjac become a lot more attractive than the Fallow bucks?

[Penelope]

Grandalf, a lovely little estuary is the Blythe; I have shot on the shoot on the southern Walberswick shore of the estuary and looked over it wistfully, whilst waiting for the pheasants.

[guy baxendale]

40 minutes ago, Penelope said:

Grandalf, a lovely little estuary is the Blythe; I have shot on the shoot on the southern Walberswick shore of the estuary and looked over it wistfully, whilst waiting for the pheasants.

I have been fortunate enough to shoot the marshes next door to the syndicate a few times. A fantastic spot with a great variety of ducks (and plenty of breadlags).

Edited February 1 by guy baxendale

[Pushandpull]

Within living memory there was wildfowling on the estuary. A chap who lived in the cottage by the bridge (Mr.Joyce ?) wrote occasional letters to the "Shooting Time" in the fifties and claimed to be the oldest punt gunner in England.

[steve1066]

On 31/01/2024 at 10:28, Aled said:

I'm a bit younger than you guys, but i can relate to what you are saying. Lost the passion for sea trout night fishing. There are so few of them around these days and i feel those still returning perhaps need to be left in peace to spawn. I hope you enjoy your sporting endeavours for many years to come. Cheers. Aled 

 

True sportsman!

[guy baxendale]

35 minutes ago, Pushandpull said:

Within living memory there was wildfowling on the estuary. A chap who lived in the cottage by the bridge (Mr.Joyce ?) wrote occasional letters to the "Shooting Time" in the fifties and claimed to be the oldest punt gunner in England.

Sadly that it was lost - Was it down to Natural England?

[Pushandpull]

PM sent as I don't want to derail this thread which peaks to many of us.

[JDog]

A fine post Grandalf. Good luck to you.

[Grandalf]

6 hours ago, London Best said:

Have you found that, as you get older, the Muntjac become a lot more attractive than the Fallow bucks?

Yes, even with the winch that I have added to my truck.

5 hours ago, Penelope said:

Grandalf, a lovely little estuary is the Blythe; I have shot on the shoot on the southern Walberswick shore of the estuary and looked over it wistfully, whilst waiting for the pheasants.

You have the right spot.   I have shot there for 20+ years and I have shot the estate shoots a couple of times too.

3 hours ago, guy baxendale said:

Sadly that it was lost - Was it down to Natural England?

NE stopped all shooting on the mud a few years ago.

[Grandalf]

Before I get accused of slandering NE about the shooting rights, the small marsh that we shoot is just at the back of the sea wall and is owned by NE.   We have just come to the end of a three year licence.   Now the negotiations start all over again.   No reason, at the moment, to believe that it wont be renewed.   In days of old we could shoot the green margins of the mud but that got stopped.

[Lloyd90]

Sad to see a few sportsmen hanging up their hats and calling it a day. 
 

Stay active lads, keep getting out in the countryside, keeps you and the dog fit. 
 

You need something to keep you going! 

[marsh man]

35 minutes ago, Lloyd90 said:

Sad to see a few sportsmen hanging up their hats and calling it a day. 
 

Stay active lads, keep getting out in the countryside, keeps you and the dog fit. 
 

You need something to keep you going! 

Don't worry Lloyd the countryside is like a drug to me and I cannot get enough of what it have to offer , I hope to buy a part trained or even a full trained Lab dog so I will have a back up if my ole dog is no longer fit enough to do a whole day picking up on our local shoot as even the shoot have been a big part of my life for getting on for 60 years and I would miss the yarns from what is like an extended family   , wildfowling below the sea wall is not an easy sport to be involved in for the long haul , as when the cold and rain begin to penetrate all your layers of clothing you then start asking yourself why are you still doing it as the will to shoot fowl is no longer there , plus failing eye sight for poor light shooting then you begin to know that your time fowling is beginning to run out , so you face facts , start taking a step back and just carry on at slower pace while the aging body can still do it , you can slow down ole age but you cannot prevent it     MM

[Grandalf]

10 hours ago, Lloyd90 said:

Sad to see a few sportsmen hanging up their hats and calling it a day. 
 

Stay active lads, keep getting out in the countryside, keeps you and the dog fit. 
 

You need something to keep you going! 

Nobody on this topic said they were giving up Lloyd.   We all do something else.   We have all fought battles with our health as we got older.   In my case I have lost half the sight in my right (master) eye so I have resorted to shooting shotguns and rifles left handed.   Give that a try next time you go out shooting.   I have a ******** back.  You can give that a try too.   Try dragging a fallow or red out of a ditch on your own now.   Then imagine what it is like when you are eighty.   The cold strikes more, the back hurts more, the eyes see less and you have other obligations - mine was to care for my disabled wife for over ten years until she went into a care home when she got dementia.   None of us are giving up.   We are country men and country men never give up or stop being countymen.   You just have to be reallistic and adapt.   Stalking two or three days a week, aged 85, all through the year is hardly giving up! 

Edited February 2 by Grandalf

[Aled]

15 hours ago, steve1066 said:

True sportsman!

Thanks!