Wildfowling is a tough mans game, often solitary, often cold, often dangerous and often unfruitful yet many purists claim wildfowling to be the pinnacle of shooting sports combined with advanced field craft.

The quarry is roughly divided into 2 groups, ducks and geese.

Ducks

 Geese

The legal duck species are: Pinkfoot, Greylag, White Fronted (England and Wales Only) and Canada. Most geese shot in the UK are migratory, coming in from Northern latitudes in the autumn though there are pockets of various species breeding in the UK. The exception is the Canada goose, an introduced species that is now  a breeding resident all year around and considered a pest by many.

We would strongly suggest you are fully aware of the species in the UK, a good reference to start would be the BASC ID guide found here

Most true wildfowling takes place on the coast where shooting is over the marsh or exposed mud flats. As such the weather and the state of both tide and moon play key roles in establishing when to go out in search of your quarry. Often shooting is solitary but a wildfowler should always take a dog with him to enable safe retrieval of shot quarry. Birds will and do land in mud or in water and it would be a foolhardy shooter who would attempt retrieval with out dog.

Without doubt the most common dog to be see out wildfowling is a Labrador.

They are big, strong dogs happy in the water and, in the right hands, quiet, steady and happy to wait for the action to start, often a prolonged wait.

As wildfowling occurs in the tidal region it can be dangerous if the correct precautions are not followed. Make sure that you know the area you are planning to shoot well, if this involves visiting it in daylight then do so. It is also prudent to make your first visits in the company of an experience local gun, they will know the quirks of the particular area and safe exit routes should they be required if you are caught fowl of the tide or weather. Tell someone where you are going and what time you expect to return, and try to carry a mobile phone with you if an emergency occurs. Check the tide times and height so that you know exactly how long you can stay on the foreshore, remember it is never possible to outrun the tide.

Equipment

Most people will use a 12bore for wildfowling, often with magnum loads for the larger species. Side by sides, Over and Unders and Semi’s will all be found on the foreshore though many prefer the adding flexibility and hitting power of a 3 shot semi.

There are special laws governing the type of cartridges now allowed to be used on the foreshore, these vary by region and also cover some inland shooting over wetlands and sites of special scientific interest. Basically if unsure contact the local government body or BASC to check current legislation, but in most cases it is now illegal to use lead shot on wildflowl quarry.

Other equipment that may be used would also include:

A wading stick is highly recommended as it can be used to gauge the depth of dykes, gutters and pools. Neoprene lined waders as they help keep you warm in the coldest of weathers and allow you to cross pools and gutters. Warm and water proof clothing which blends into the surroundings is a must for any wildfowler as the weather that you can be exposed to is often cold and wet. Calls, there are many many wildfowl calls available, no surprise give the range of calls the long list of quarry available.

Inland Fowling

Wildfowling is not exclusively the preserve of the foreshore or marsh, both duck and geese can successfully shot away from the cost given the right weather conditions and availability of food.

Geese will often come in from the coast to feed on over wintered stubbles and winter cereal crops. Decoying can be a very effective means of attracting them to the gun. The principles are similar to pigeon decoying requiring excellent field craft and knowledge of geese habits. The sight and sound of a skein of geese heading towards your decoy pattern certainly raises the heart beat a notch or 3.

Inshore the most common way of shooting ducks is flighting. This is where ducks are shot on their return to ponds or pools inland from the foreshore at dusk. Ponds can be fed with a variety of food stuffs such as wheat, barley or potatoes to attract ducks into the area.

To further increase the chance of a shot decoys and calls can be used much the same as on the foreshore and call ducks were developed in the last century. These are domesticated ducks released onto the ponds to “call” in wild ducks

Which ever style of wildfowling you take part in you will require great field craft and particular attention to detail. As most wildfowling occurs in times of bad light, the shooter must be able to identify the quarry he is trying to shoot in all conditions.

Above all they must take particular care with safety at all times.

Finally I would like to direct you to a fantastic summary of wildfowling posted by one of our forum members, Creccamarsh.

I have included a small extract below:

"There is nothing like it. Arriving on a marsh in total darkness, wind blowing a gale and no-one else around, it can be an eerie place too but it has a certain draw, those expectations of what first light will bring. Dawn starts to break and the marsh becomes alive with the call of Curlew and other wading birds and you sit in wonder listening but also listening for those tell tale wing beats of duck to come your way. Then whoosh, a pack of Teal go flying past, low and fast, too fast to get a shot and they are past before you know it, time to sharpen those eyes up and concentrate now. You hear more wing beats and this time you spot the silhouette of Mallard coming your way, crouching in the ditch, gun at the ready you ease off the safety and mount the gun, bang! Bang! Follows a single splash in the flood water behind you, one came down, not a bad start. Time for the dog to do its job."

The full text can be found here

Be sure to visit our forum to discuss all wildfowling issues and get some tips and advice from other members.