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Wildfowling - book review
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The Bedside Wildfowler by Colin Willock
Colin Willock, well known as a wildfowler,
writer and also as the Shooting Times' Town Gun, has combed through
the vast bag of the last two hundred years to select and collect the
gems and rarities of fowling literature. The result is this anthology,
liberally bestrewn with notes and comments by its editor and lavishly
illustrated with drawings and plates.
Among those given particular mention in this book are Hemingway, Hawker,
Chapman, Millais, Savory, Cadman, Sir Peter Scott, Vesey-Fitzgerald,
T.H. White, Negley Farson, Payne-Gallwey, Lewis Clements Kenzie Thorpe
and Aubrey Buxton. It's a must for every fowler's bedside table. |
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Fowling for Duck
by Mike Swan
In this clear, accessible guide to the exciting sport of duck flighting,
Mike Swan shares his expert knowledge of the quarry, its habits and
identification, so essential to the success of the shooter. Drawing
on his practical experience of shooting he provides wildfowling strategies
for the coast and inland, and tactics to suit all times of day and
weather conditions. There is also advice on guns, clothing, hides
and decoys and important tips for safety.
Illustrated throughout with black and white photographs, the book
also contains useful colour plates to help in the identification of
the legal quarry and the more common protected duck in both good and
poor light conditions. Concluding with a fascinating look at the future
of wildfowling and conservation, Fowling for Duck gives a unique and
complete insight into an enthralling sport. |
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The Fowler in Ireland by Sir Ralph
Payne-Gallwey, BART
Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey could aptly be called
a 'gentleman fowler', a rare breed indeed in 1882 when those with
title, land and social position generally confined their shooting
to driven grouse, partridge and pheasant with the shotgun and red
deer stalking, in season, with the rifle.
One of the great contributions Sir Ralph and this book make to present
day wildfowling is to keep alive the tradition of punt gunning. This
noble and arduous sport is often in danger of disappearing altogether
due, on the one hand, to the risk of over-emotive and ill considered
legislation and, on the other hand, because of the lack of punt gunning
expertise to be found among today's 'fowling enthusiasts.
One other factor threatens the very existence of punt gunning, which
is the knowledge and ability to plan and build the specialised gunning
punt. The detailed plans and specifications, for single and double
handed punts, and other craft, so capably described in this book,
will help ensure that at least a few sturdy punts, manned by 'fowling
enthusiasts, will still slip quietly down some lonely creek towards
the estuary. |
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The Fowler in Scotland by John
Guille Millais
Every wildfowler should own this book! Though
that would not be easy as the deluxe edition of this book, available
from Tideline is limited to 500 copies, 490 of which are offered for
sale. Even before opening this edition of the book, bound with rich
red leather, decorated with gold inlay, the reader is made aware that
inside is something quite special.
J.G. Millais, son of the famous Pre-Raphaelite artist J.E. Millais,
was an advocate of the big bore shoulder gun and the gunning punt.
His exploits in Scotland are beautifully documented and illustrated
within eight chapters of thoroughly enjoyable accounts and useful
advice. |
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Goose Shooting by Alasdair Mitchell
The sport of goose shooting has never been
more popular and this book takes a studied look at current methods
and etiquette, much of which has undergone enormous change in recent
years. The author offers practical advice and factual information
and yet manages to maintain a feel for the fundamental emotional appeal
of the sport. Recent research has been used and challenges the basis
of many traditional beliefs. Its the author's belief that if goose
shooting is to prosper in the next century its disciples must fully
embrace the principles of the humane hunter and the conservationist.
The book commences with an overview of the sport and an introduction
to the natural history of the species most commonly sought. Etiquette
in the field and descriptions of guns and shot follow, leading on
to the different tactics of hides, camouflage and decoys that are
employed. It is the first comprehensive examination of the sport as
pursued today.
Of particular note on this book is the incredible photograph of Alan
Myers discharging a mighty 2-bore shoulder gun under a September moon.
Illuminating stuff indeed! |
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The Gun-Punt Adventure by Colin Willock
Another of Colin Willock's extremely well
written works, The Gun-Punt Adventure is an almost week by week account
of the endeavors of a few dedicated 'fowlers (including the author)
to plan and build a double handed gunning punt and various weapons
for use aboard her.
A mixture of both interesting accounts and useful information range
from the initial recognition of the need for such a vessel, leading
on to planning and building the punt and gun and then onto the testing
and use of their admirable work. Armed with both Payne-Gallwey's Fowler
in Ireland and this book, the enthusiast would lack nothing in his
pursuit to keep the adrenalin-pumping sport of punt-gunning alive. |
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KENZIE The Wild-Goose Man
There are few men like MacKenzie Thorpe now
left in the British countryside. He was a successful poacher, a superb
practical naturalist and an authority on the packs of geese which
visit 'The Wash' each winter.
As a professional wildfowler and guide to the Lincolnshire saltings,
he studied the habits of the geese at dawn and dusk for some 35 years.
He took out many visiting fowlers, some famous, some not, to help
them shoot their first geese. Colin Willock was once guided by Kenzie
when after geese, but he became a firm friend subsequently writing
this biography from his meetings with Kenzie and tape recorded accounts
of Kenzie's life.
Before the war Kenzie was employed by Peter Scott to look after his
growing wildfowl collection at the East Lighthouse at Sutton Bridge,
helping him to catch the nucleus of Peter Scott's first wildfowl collection.
Kenzie's ability to call duck and geese, hares, rabbits and even weasels
from the Lincolnshire countryside was a legend, and his intimate knowledge
of the birds he pursued gave him an interest to follow in Peter
Scott's footsteps, by drawing and painting wildfowl scenes for sale
to 'fowling clients.
Kenzie managed to live a hard, precarious life of his own choosing
in a modern society - this book is the story of part of his life and
his epitaph.... |
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Getting the Most out of Modern Waterfowling
by John O. Cartier
This book is written for over two million
North Americans who engage in the most satisfying and exciting outdoor
recreation ever invented. One purpose of this book is to bring recollections
of past waterfowling experiences - the swish of wild wings over decoys,
the shoulder thump of a heavy shotgun, the blood-sparkling excitement
of a frosted fall day. But the most important objective of the book
is to guide old and new waterfowling enthusiasts along the correct
trail of hunting skills, showing how modern techniques have revolutionised
the sport.
Modern waterfowling, in many respects, is an entirely different game
than it was only a few generations ago. Many successful practices
of years gone by are almost a total waste of time today, while recently
developed methods and procdures that would have been laughed at by
oldtimers now bring limit after limit to the up-to-date hunter.
Among the areas covered are unsuspected ways of finding and attracting
gunshy puddler ducks (along with valuable information on decoys, blinds
and calling techniques). The nine tricks to remember for bagging divers
are included, along with a description of the best diver blind and
how to build it.
The book goes on to document the current boom in goose hunting, with
valuable advice on field shooting with or without decoys. In subsequent
sections, author John O. Cartier gives readers the benefit of his
experience in proper outfitting and equipment, getting the most from
guns and ammunition, finding the best retriever, defeathering game
the easiest way and charcoal broiling - every conceivable aspect of
the sport. A fully illustrated section on species identification is
an added bonus. |
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Modern Wildfowling by Eric Begbie
Of all shooting sports, wildfowling is the
most arduous, the most romantic and the loneliest. It is also the
branch of shooting in which the novice has the most to learn - in
terms of safety, quarry identification, marshcraft and ethics.
In this handbook there is a wealth if information which the beginner
will find invaluable. For the veteran fowler too, there is much that
will provide food for thought. The history of the sport, current developments,
the quarry species, guns and equipment, gundogs and cooking the bag
are all covered in a clear and concise manner.
A special feature of the book are colour identification plates which
were specially painted for this volume by Bernard Barker. The book
is also well illustrated with black and white photographs throughout.
Eric Begbie has written a book which will be of benefit to all wildfowlers
and which reflects his deep knowledge of the sport. |
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Tales of a Wildfowler by Arthur Cadman
O.B.E.
A classic wildfowling text by Arthur Cadman
OBE, BA. Capturing all aspects of the sport, Cadman provides us with
a book that is a pleasure to read, stimulating and very practical.
Through his own experiences, the author, with the aid of Sir Peter
Scott's illustrations, effectively tackles aspects of wildfowling
that the reader cannot fail to find interesting and get drawn into.
Gundogs and wounded birds are examples of practical information, while
letters a sporting companion and accounts of curious incidents show
a more personal side of this extremely talented sportsman.
An absolute pleasure to read!. |
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Wildfowling: One Winter's Tale by
Alan Jarret
"Wildfowling, perhaps more than any
other of our shooting sports, is heavily steeped in tradition and
romanticisms. This is not a product of the writer's pen, but exists
as a result of the possibly unique affection which wildfowlers feel
for both shore and their elusive quarry; the shores and estuaries
are as wild an environment as one could wish to find within the
UK, and inspire men to pit their wits against the birds which live
there. In this book I have attempted to capture some of that essential
wildness of the shore, to convey the sportsman's reverence of his
quarry and to condense the magic of the sport into a few brief chapters.
At the same time I have attempted to inform - in a light sort of
way - so that which follows is a mixture of practical information
and anecdote, and is I hope, a re-creation of one man's sport that
will both instruct and entertain." Alan Jarret - chairman KWCA.
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