Dave Beard in his workshop. Your shotgun must be well maintained for your own safety. When buying a used weapon if you have any doubt as to it's condition or any aspect of the gun, the best policy is to have it checked by a reliable local gunsmith. He or she can warn you in advance of possible faults that may occur and carry out the work to remedy them. The gunsmith will help you with your gun fit, to ensure that the gun is comfortable for you, a comfortably fitted gun makes it easier to hit your quarry or target. They will also advise you on many other aspects of shooting that will make the sport more enjoyable for you.
WHAT IS WILDFOWLING?
Wildfowling is the pursuit of geese and ducks on the coastal and estuary areas around the UK and is usually carried out below the mean high water mark of ordinary spring tides, in the USA they call the sport water fowling. By it's very nature wildfowling is a solitary pastime in most cases but very often you will bump into fellow wildfowlers out on the foreshore or estuary in all sorts of inclement weather. Many long term friendships are formed by wildfowlers who bump into like minded people out on the foreshore, it's not a sport for everyone but once you have tried it if you are hooked it becomes almost a way of life.
SO YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW TO START WILDFOWLING !!
Firstly you will obviously need a current shotgun certificate and in most cases adequate third party insurance. You should then ask yourself this question :- "Do I really want to be out on a bleak foreshore or estuary in the coldest months of the year, in all weathers trying to shoot ducks and geese?" Can you honestly answer yes to that question? If you can you're already halfway there. Wildfowlers come from all walks of life but be warned it's not a branch of shooting suited to those who like the comfort of a nice warm, dry, clean place. The sport of wildfowling is carried out mostly in bad weather and in some of the filthiest conditions you can imagine. You'll often get cold, wet, muddy & sometimes even be in danger of injuring yourself or worse, especially if you fail to take the necessary safety precautions. Having said all that it's not all bad, the rewards at the end of a successful outing make up for all the discomfort you may suffer. Nothing compares in the opinion of wildfowlers to the feeling of being part of nature and a nice tasty meal for your efforts is even better. There is no substitute for experience so if at all possible get to know an experienced wildfowler and go out on the foreshore with him or her, yes some of the fairer sex do wildfowl, you'll benefit a lot from their experience. Read up on the subject (a link to "Fowler in the wild" by Eric Begbie is posted on the "Books and Magazines" page)
Below is a list of questions which would be wildfowlers frequently ask and hopefully the answers.
HOW DO I FIND LAND TO GO WILDFOWLING? :- Get in touch with one of the local wildfowling clubs if there is one in your area. Alternatively you could join one of the shooting organisations such as the BASC who would gladly put you in touch with one of the many wildfowling societies, clubs and associations which exist nationwide. Many of these organisations have a permit scheme to allow potential wildfowlers to try the sport to see if it's to their liking. At the present time forshore shooting in some areas of Scotland is available free, providing that you are a shotgun licence holder. You must always check the situation thoroughly, do not assume any area is open unless you've checked. Should you enjoy the experience and wish to carry on wildfowling you can apply for membership of one of the organistations.
DO I NEED SPECIAL EQUIPMENT? :- A 2.3/4" or even a 2.1/2" chambered 12 bore shotgun is suitable for some forms of wildfowling and in fact is probaby a gun you already own. The use of decoys on "flashes or splashes" which are flooded areas of land left by the falling tide at the side of an estuary, lends itself well to the use of a standard "game" style shotgun. For Coastal wildfowling I would recommend a 3"or 3.1/2" magnum 12 bore or one of the more specialised 8 or 10 bore weapons. Remember it is a statutory requirement in the UK that you use non toxic shot, the cost of cartridges obviously gets more expensive the bigger the bore of the weapon. For geese I would recommend number 3 shot in various weight loads, the payload will vary depending on the proof pressure and chamber size of your gun. For ducks number 5 or 6 shot is my personal choice. A hide though not a necessity is a useful thing to have, these can be bought from Army and Navy surplus stores and are often seen for sale at the many "boot" sales throughout Britain, look for the lightest you can find which is of a suitable colour for the area you intend to shoot. Goose and duck calls, compass, torch and whistle are also useful aids in some cases. For more information on shot sizes, cartridge choice see the "Barrels, Chokes, Shot sizes and Patterns" page.
The hide on the left silhouetted
against the backdrop of the river stands out but this will not be
the case when viewed from the direction the quarry will approach.
The Wildfowler and his or her dog will be well concealed from the
sharp eyes of their chosen quarry. The picture of another hide on
the right, was taken directly along the greenshore, both hides
were occupied at the time the pictures were taken and illustrate
the usefulness of the portable hide. Any hide should be as light
as possible and match the colour of the surroundings for best
camouflage, grasses or reeds can be added to further enhance the
effect.
3" Magnum, Cartridges from the bottom, Bismuth, ITM (Tungsten) and Hevishot
DO I NEED DECOYS? :- You may want to consider some goose or duck decoys depending on the area you are going to shoot. Decoys are most suited to splash/flash shooting or on known feeding areas. Under certain circumstances they are useful on foreshores but the geese are set usually on going to their chosen feeding grounds at morning flight although decoys may just pull them within range. Geese returning at dusk to the estuary to rest may be swayed to coming into range by decoys strategically placed at the waters edge. Ducks flight out to feed in the evening normally and if the area you shoot has splashes/flashes that are fed decoys can and often do increase your chances by a considerable amount. Ducks returning to the estuary in the morning are usually returning to rest and may be lured within range by a few well placed decoys. Just remember decoys add extra weight for you to carry often across sticky, oozing mud but can pay dividends when out wildfowling if used in the appropriate place at the right time.
DO I NEED SPECIAL CLOTHING? :- By virtue of the time of year wildfowling is carried out you will need warm, weatherproof and preferably dark coloured clothing. Some excellent clothing is available to the shooter made by such firms as Musto, Barbour, Realtree etc. If you possibly can it would be a wise investment to go for clothing made from "breathing" material as this allows for more comfort but if you are on a strict budget the good old steadfast wax jacket is fine. A good stout pair of waders or wellingtons is a must these should be complimented by warm boot socks. I use a ski mask personally to keep my face & ears warm, this has a dual purpose as it also hides the whiteness of your face from the birds as they come to your decoys or flight overhead. A pair of warm gloves can be an asset providing that you can handle your gun safely while wearing them. Although not strictly clothing a flask of hot beverage or soup is definitely recommended. Do not take alcoholic drinks, alcohol and the use of guns do not mix. Alcohol contrary to popular belief cools you down, something you can definitely do without when you're out on a freezing cold foreshore.
Mr Keith Pantry of Alkborough Wildfowlers prepares to leave the foreshore after a mornings wildfowling flight in September, the clothing he is wearing shows that even in the warmer part of the season, warm clothing is generally the order of the day. Mr Pantry has been Wildfowling on the Humber for a number of years and his experience of the extremely cold weather conditions at times has taught him to wrap up well.
WHAT ARE THE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS I SHOULD OBSERVE? :- Apart from basic gun safety your personal safety should always be your primary concern when out on the foreshore or river estuary on a wildfowling trip. There are several wildfowlers who have been unlucky or unprepared and consequently lost their lives out on their chosen wildfowling areas. Get to know the area you intend to shoot, in daylight if possible, note anything which you can use as a guide should fog suddenly descend while you're out on the mudflats, this is where the compass comes into use. Take readings using the compass during daylight and when you are in your probable shooting position, plot your way back to safety, jot it down on paper if necessary. Study the tide & it's vagaries :- Does it come in faster in one area than another? Is there a creek which may cut you off from the shore as it fills? What effect does the wind direction have on it? How long would it take you to get from your shooting position to shore? The wildfowler must study the tide as much as possible and should know intimately it's behaviour under all conditions. Get yourself a tide timetable for the area, these are often published in the local press and some are shown on the TV shipping forecasts. Remember most estuaries have soft oozing mud or sand and a lot such as the Humber have very fast flowing tides which can be dangerous for the inexperienced wildfowler please make sure you know the area you're going to shoot. Lastly always tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back that way if you fail to arrive back at the approximate time you told them, they can summon assistance. A mobile phone though frowned on by a lot of shooters is also a good thing in my opinion to have on the foreshore when wildfowling, after all what is easier than calling 999 when you're in serious trouble? Obviously I hope that this will be unnecessary but you never know.
Watch out for creeks that may cut off your retreat
DO I REALLY NEED A DOG ? :- Although not a legal requirement for wildfowling, a well trained retriever can add immensely to your sport. Having a dog allows you the opportunity to take shots that any self and quarry respecting wildfowler would not take if they were dogless. Providing however that you can pick your shots, eg take only those which you know you can retrieve without a dog, a dog is not essential. Personally I would recommend, that if at all possible, you should try to get a dog or failing that accompany someone who has a trained dog. Wildfowlers are fully aware that not everyone lives under circumstances that permit the ownership of a dog and as such will be only too willing to help out when they can. Do not however expect a fellow wildfowler to spend their time chasing around for your benefit. Use your utmost discretion when taking your shots unless you own a dog. Remember an untaken shot is better than an injured or dead bird which you cannot possibly retrieve.
A good retriever allows the wildfowler more scope with his or her shots, get a puppy from a reputable dealer and train it carefully. A well trained dog will save you many miles of walking and possibly lost birds.
HOW DO I IDENTIFY THE QUARRY SPECIES? :- As I've said earlier there is no substitute for experience. Go out with an experienced wildfowler, ask them how they identify the birds. Most wildfowlers learn to identify their quarry by two means, these are silhouettes and calls. Remember that most wildfowling is done in bad weather, bad light or both and the more methods you learn to identify the quarry the better. Try visiting a wildfowl refuge or local nature reserve close to you, many of the quarry species do breed in Britain these are usually found on those areas. Remember that they will be different in colour in summer and for that reason you should try to learn what their appearance is like at normal flight times and in sillhouette. Flighting usually takes place at dusk and dawn except when there is sufficient moonlight to allows the birds to flight at irregular times. More information about the quarry and identification is available on the page entitled "The Wildfowler's Quarry" Remember the onus is on the person who pulls the trigger to ensure that the bird they are shooting is a legal quarry species, the deliberate shooting of a protected species is a serious offence.
Studying the quarry after the flight
In conclusion, If you feel that wildfowling is the sport for you then I'd like to be the first to wish you good luck in finding some wildfowling and welcome you to our branch of shooting. Who knows perhaps one day we may meet out on the riverside or foreshore. If not then I wish you good luck with whatever branch of shooting you follow but please try wildfowling, it's not to everyone's liking but you'll never know unless you try it. You may also like to take a look at the "wildfowling" links page there are numerous links to wildfowling clubs in the UK and for anyone living in the USA the "USA wildfowling" links page may help.