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WILDFOWLING
Scotland is home to some 400,000 wintering geese every year and the populations are growing. From October to March the skies over the east of the country are full of the clamour of calling geese as birds move daily from roost to feeding areas and back to roost again; their presence is a wonderful wildlife spectacle as is the skill needed to carry out a successful shooting venture.
The quarry species are the Greylag and Pinkfooted geese, which are the most common species in Scotland, and which are to be found throughout most of the country and, in the case of the greylag, on many of the west coast islands. These birds are large and good to eat, but they are difficult to stalk and even more difficult to hit - because of their size, it takes a lot of experience to realise that they travel at great speed.
Geese are hunted in two ways: either by flighting at or near a roost site or by decoying them at the feeding fields. Where geese feed can only be judged by constant observation although greylag geese are particularly site and roost faithful; pinkfooted geese tend to move around their feeding sites more haphazardly but again are roost faithful. It is clearly important to avoid shooting a roost too often.
The use of decoys and calls is part of the skill and intrigue of the sport: from observation of goose movement, the feeding area of a particular flock must be pinpointed. Before dawn and before the geese move from their roost, guns must be concealed and in position to meet them; a pattern of decoys and skilful calling will help to attract them to the field corner where guns are concealed so that out-of-range shooting is avoided.
Guns do not get many opportunities as geese are intelligent and wary - this is wild bird shooting at its best. The combination of suspense with the movements of nature at dawn and sunset make goose shooting a memorable experience and there are few other sports which unite man with nature in such an intimate way.
Scotland lies on the main west-European flyway for migratory species of ducks and geese; the main duck species on the UK shooting list are Widgeon, Teal and Mallard but Pintail, Gadwall and Shoveler are also shot. Tufted duck, Goldeneye and Pochard are sometimes shot but they do not rate highly on the scale of culinary assets.
While all of Scotland carries these birds at some time in the year, the east coast is the principal area for migratory waterfowl, providing estuary feeding and shelter for large numbers from late September to March/April when birds return to their Scandinavian and Russian nesting grounds.
The natural duck numbers are supplemented by reared mallard on many estates which are carefully managed and fed on flight pond systems. Wild birds are also attracted by this artificial feeding and thus Scottish duck flighting becomes a highly varied experience with many species coming to the bag.
Inland flight pond shooting is the most common form of duck shooting, but tidal flighting and pass shooting is also carried out by experienced guides; this latter requires skilled field craft and shooting of this kind should be negotiated directly with Sporting Agents who can provide local information and guides.
There are restrictions on certain guns when used for wildfowl shooting: multi-shot repeater shotguns are not legal unless permanently plugged to hold only two cartridges in the magazine.
Recent legislation has made it illegal to use lead shot over wetlands – this is still a contentious area, as it will take time, and probably legal guidance to establish which areas are ‘wetlands’ and which are not.
Alternatives to lead shot are available – Tungsten and Bismuth are readily found, although around four times the price of lead shot, and steel shot is available, and is considerably cheaper – more akin to the price of ordinary cartridges.
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