It has never been easier to experience the magic of pursuing ducks and geese below the sea wall,  explains ERIC BEGBIE.

 

From its foundation in 1908 until the change of name in 1981, the British Association for Shooting & Conservation was known as the Wildfowlers Association of Great Britain and Ireland (WAGBI). Throughout most of that time its membership comprised, in the main, a band of hardy individuals who sought their sport on the wild estuaries, marshes and foreshores that lie below the high tide line.

Today the statistics suggest that only a small minority of BASC members are dedicated wildfowlers yet, paradoxically, it has never been easier to gain entry to that branch of shooting sports. As we enter the final 5 years before our Association’s centenary, I would like to encourage all our members to give wildfowling a try. I suspect that many, once they have experienced the challenges and satisfactions of the longshore gunner’s craft, will become addicted to fowling.

We are not, of course, talking here about shooting ducks over inland flight ponds or decoying geese over their feeding grounds. Those activities, although perfectly legitimate sports, are not wildfowling. You can only claim to be a wildfowler when you pursue the fowl on the foreshore, often in very wild and exacting conditions. In mid-winter the wilderness below the sea wall can be a dangerous place so, although the experienced fowler will frequently relish the solitude that can be enjoyed by a lone man and his dog, the novice would be ill-advised to set out alone.

Clubs and Guides

If you do not already have friends who are old hands at the wildfowling game, then the best advice is to join a club – either in your home area or, if you are a city dweller, in the area where you intend to shoot.

Not so long ago many wildfowling clubs had lengthy waiting lists. Today, in contrast, several advertise openly for new members, acknowledging that their sport is no longer a closed fraternity but, rather, depends upon new recruits for its ultimate survival. The best clubs have induction and probation programmes which ensure that newcomers do not put themselves or other members at risk. Some even own their marshes and there can be no better place to learn about wildfowling than on land specifically managed for that purpose. BASC regional offices will be able to help you make contact with the club of your choice.

Perhaps you want to try the sport once or twice before committing yourself to membership of a club. In that case the soundest strategy it to arrange a few outings with a registered wildfowling guide. Unfortunately most of the professional guides operate in the “tame” environment of inland flighting but one or two, such as Gavin Hunt or Dave Campbell on the Solway, will take you out on the foreshore. Just one word of caution – do ensure that any guide you choose is registered by BASC.

Guns and Cartridges

You may have read the romantic accounts of wildfowling in the “good old days” and labour under the misapprehension that fowlers need large bore or magnum shotguns. Many wildfowlers do enjoy using 10-bore, 8-bore or even 4-bore weapons but, in reality, the gun you use for game, clays or roughshooting will probably be perfectly adequate for service on the shore. It is more important that you are familiar with the weight and balance of the gun than that it can throw an extra half ounce of shot into the air.

Do bear in mind that you will be shooting in a muddy, salty landscape so maybe the marsh is not the best place to take a very expensive shotgun. On the other hand, semi-automatic and pump action guns are perfectly suitable, so long as they can be quickly stripped down and cleaned.

When it comes to cartridges, you must use non-lead cartridges for all wildfowling in England and Wales and for all shooting over wetlands in Scotland. Nothing causes more discussion whenever fowlers meet and talk than the relative merits of different pellet materials. Many experienced wildfowlers dislike steel shot but most are agreed that either bismuth or tungsten matrix are effective substitutes for lead. Because those new materials are a little less dense than lead, it pays to use one shot size larger – say No.5 for ducks and No.1 for geese.

Decoys and Equipment

Many wildfowlers go through their entire careers without ever using a decoy or call while others become true masters in their employment. If you are engaging in traditional flighting – i.e. intercepting the birds as they fly between roost and feeding grounds – then you will certainly not require decoys to start with.

Other equipment tends to be concerned with safety and comfort. A wading stick and waterproof seat are sometimes carried and, in some situations, poles and netting with which to erect a rudimentary hide can be helpful. In today’s high-tech world an inexpensive GPS receiver and a mobile phone tend to replace the compass and emergency flare upon which wildfowlers traditionally relied. If you do put your faith in modern electronic gizmos for safety, however, do ensure that the batteries are kept charged and that they are wrapped in waterproof material.

 

Clothing and Footwear

It is in this department that the greatest advances have been made in recent years. The waxed cotton coat and rubber waders of yesteryear are rarely seen on the marsh. Today we can obtain excellent breathable waterproofs in specially designed marsh camouflage such as the popular Shadow Grass and Wetlands patterns. Neoprene has supplanted rubber for chest waders and they, too, are often in camouflage patterns. All in all the wildfowler of today can be much more comfortable out on a freezing estuary that ever his forefathers were.

Modern Trends

Although the essence of wildfowling retains the magic and romance of earlier years, there have been some recent changes. In particular, the emphasis has moved from firepower to marshcraft. Once upon a time wildfowlers were obsessed with finding larger weapons or heavier cartridge loads as they chased the holy grail of extended shotgun range. They firmly believed that, if only they could get another 5 yards, more geese or ducks would end up in their bags.

Today, the objective is to use concealment and knowledge of the habits and habitat of the quarry to bring the fowl closer to the Gun. This approach adds to the challenges the fowler faces but, equally, it enhances the satisfaction he obtains from a successful shot.

In many ways, there has never been a better time to sample the pleasures of the marsh. Access is easy, clubs are welcoming, costs are low and you can even get a wealth of information and assistance on the internet. As WAGBI/BASC approaches it’s 100th birthday, why not  explore the sport that started it all?

BASC Wildfowling Department

Wildfowling Clubs and Links