Wildfowling
An introduction

To be a successful wildfowler a man must have particular qualities not found in those who participate in other shooting pastimes. Not for him the cosy pigeon shooting hide, the convenience of the driven pheasant or the certainty of the clay pigeon.

His sport takes place in the wild and lonely expanse of the inter-tidal zone, in muddy creeks and deep gutters, amongst the saltings and spartina grass. He will endure hardships and risks unknown to those who shoot the moors and woodlands. Lying in wait in the darkness and bitter cold, shooting from cramped positions with numb fingers, and with feet and legs trapped in an unforgiving ooze for a single shot that will test even the best of men.

Long hours will be spent learning the habitat and habits of the wondrous creatures he pursues, distinguishing their many and varied calls, understanding what individual notes mean and masterfully calling back to them luring them within range of his gun.

Encountering a huge variety of birds, he must be able to identify them by call and wing beat alone, judge their range in an instant and in poor light and extreme weather conditions. His quarry flies mainly in the half-light, at dusk or dawn and in the moonlight. His best chances are dependent on weather conditions and may come when the wind is in the east coming from somewhere bitterly cold but he must be able to decide what each species of bird will do under varying conditions of weather and tide. The wildfowler experiences many of the splendors of nature as he lies in wait on his mystical marshlands. The magnificence of the winter dawn and sunrise, of bright moonlit nights full of sounds, strange calls and cries that ordinary folk never hear. The rush of air spilling from the wings of the plover as they race through the sky, the melancholy notes of the curlew as dawn breaks and the marshes awaken, the evening sky full with the melodious whistles from pintail, teal and wigeon as they pass high overhead on route to their feeding grounds, magical notes of the wild geese and the ghostly call of the bittern are sounds familiar to the wildfowler but denied to those who slumber in their beds.

The wildfowler has at his disposal a far greater armoury than other sportsman. From the 3 1/2" chambered magnum 12 bore guns though 8 bores and 4 bores to massive puntguns weighing 100 kilograms. His knowledge of ammunition calls for a far more comprehensive understanding than is necessary for the common person. With lead gone, the wildfowler must be familiar with steel, tin, bismuth and tungsten, and loads ranging from the normal 32 grams to an enormous 800 grams.

Uncertainty and anticipation are a fascination of wildfowling, and when patience and endurance are rewarded, even the smallest bag gives great pleasure.

Join the Kent Wildfowlers today