Being a Wildfowler

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("Early morning on a Scottish marsh" - Peter Coy 2006)

Anyone who engages in the pursuit of wildfowl whether inland or at one of the renown coastal venues understands that it is not just the actual shooting of a goose or duck that provides us with an unforgettable experience each and every time that some such venture is undertaken. Firstly there is the planning, where to go, anticipated tides, what is the weather likely to be. Indeed, sometimes it is forecasted rough weather that provides the incentive for a trip, if one is needed. Next, alone maybe or with a friend. Many trips are taken alone for there is definitely something about being out on the marshes with only your dog for company.

For many of us one of the big questions is what gun to take. Shall it be a modern o/u 3” 12g or shall it be one of the old traditional wildfowling guns made by some long dead gunsmith perhaps 120 or so years ago. When many of these guns were made they were for the market gunners of the English fens with many others going to the market gunners in America . Occasionally some better quality wildfowl guns were made for gentleman gunners operating here and in distant corners of the British Empire.

To embark on a wildfowling trip carrying a gun made by one of the famous wildfowling gunmakers such as J & W Tolley who were known for producing good quality reliable weapons, is to carry with you a piece of the history of our unique sport. If you are lucky, you may have a higher quality gun, perhaps a top grade hammerless by Greener that could not be improved upon by any gunmaker today, yet made at the beginning of the last century. This gun will almost certainly not kill very much better than a battered old gun by one of the lower order of gunmakers but will provide it’s owner with something of which to be proud and with which he can endeavour to do justice to the skill of the maker by occasionally bringing a duck or goose to bag.

If you are going to carry an 8 or 4 gauge gun it is probable that you have loaded your own ammunition. Again, the loading of cartridges is something that adds to the anticipation of a trip. Careful weighing of the powder and shot after much research to concoct some magic load that will better your kill to cartridge ratio. The smell of unburnt blackpowder trickling into solid brass cases specially made for the 4g or long chambered 8. Filling with shot and finally topping off with a card wad and silicon sealer. The cases then put aside for the sealer to set.

Next is the trip itself, a walk out onto the marsh, the wind blowing nicely just as the forecasters said it would. No sound from geese on the bay as the wind is blowing toward them but you know they are there. Still dark, you settle into a favourite place and make the dog comfortable. Now you feel a few spots of rain on the wind, no mention of this in the forecast so you had brought the hammerless 8g Holland .

Now the dilemma – shall I take the gun out of the slip and load up or shall I leave it in the hope the rain will stop before flight time or shall I take it out and load up anyway and get the gun wet. While still pondering this, a small party of pinks pass silently within 30 yards, gone before you can load. Much cursing at a missed opportunity. Dog looks reproving – nothing new there then.

You then resolve that even if it’s hammering down next time, the gun was made to shoot wildfowl with and a good wetting will not cause any harm if dried and cleaned properly afterwards.

Perhaps you have taken a gun that you are not so worried about getting a bit wet in which case you had already loaded and had the gun ready when you glimpsed the geese. Instinctively the hammers are brought to full cock with a double click, the gun thrown up to the shoulder, a quick swing through, two gouts of flame from the black powder loads. The geese pass on without any sign of being hit. Much cursing at a missed opportunity. Dog looks reproving – nothing new there then.

Perhaps a further opportunity is met with better marksmanship and a goose is retrieved by an eager dog.

Now the light is getting better you can see the engraving on the action and the detail in those long brown barrels that have seen many a goose missed and even some brought to bag over the course of the last 120 years. You can only sit and ponder on previous owners of the gun and the adventures that they had with it while you hope that you will be able to add some memorable event to the history of the gun.

A lot of this is unknown to the wildfowler with a foreign 12g using mass produced cartridges but to me and others like me the big old wildfowl guns are a very big part of being a wildfowler. Their contribution to my perception of this wonderful sport is so immense that I cannot imagine going on a coastal wildfowling expedition without one of the big old guns and I don’t think you should either.

Pete Coy