Duck Shooting

chrisr

Morning all,

I am an avid hunter so is my father and brother, we have done small bits of duck shooting but nothing serious. But this season i would like to change that, as my father is not getting any younger and i know he has always wanted to.

What i would like to know is where are there some good duck shooting spots in Ireland and what way i would go about boat hire (if needed) and where we would be allowed to shoot. All 3 of us are Game club members and have the appropriate licences and insurance.

Thanks all

pedroeibar1

For real? Why would anyone give away their best shooting spots?

If you want a great day out save your pennies and go to http://mocklerstownshoot.com/
Costly, but great value for what is delivered.
P.

chrisr

sound bloke pedroe. i was asking for areas not your spots. lakes etc.

Eddie B

Any major lakes in the country will have good populations of duck especially in the winter when the Teal and Widgeon arrive!

If your serious about taking up duck shooting then your gonna have to get a good number of decoys, of maybe three or four species at least!

Your also gonna have to get a camo net, poles, a duck call or two, couple of seats, chest waders, good dog that will retrieve from water etc.

You talked about hiring a boat!

1. Have you any experience in using a boat?
2. Do you know any lakes well enough to cross it in the black of night?
3. Do you know any lakes well enough that you can name every island on the lake?

If the answer to these questions is no, then don't even attempt to use a boat!
You don't have to use a boat, but your limited without it, and if you don't have one, then a dog is essential!

Do you live near any majour rivers?
They can be excellent during the winter when in flood, especially the river Shannon!

chrisr

great advice eddie B, i have most of that equipment and 2 great springer's that Ive trained to retrieve from water. I also do a lot of fishing so am used to a boat but as for in the dark and knowing the islands well that's a no. But i would be happy to start off from land and progress from there.

Are there strict licensing issues any these lakes or would my own suffice?

Eddie B

chrisr wrote: »

great advice eddie B, i have most of that equipment and 2 great springer's that Ive trained to retrieve from water. I also do a lot of fishing so am used to a boat but as for in the dark and knowing the islands well that's a no. But i would be happy to start off from land and progress from there.

Are there strict licensing issues any these lakes or would my own suffice?

you need the foreshore license!
There has been a few threads about it here, the last few weeks!

cavan shooter

pedroeibar1 wrote: »

For real? Why would anyone give away their best shooting spots?

If you want a great day out save your pennies and go to http://mocklerstownshoot.com/
Costly, but great value for what is delivered.
P.

Holy Smoke pedro, there is a recession on thats some money, :eek:

homerhop

Had to re read that again missed the 6/8 guns bit.
We were getting 250 per head for 70-80 bag(worked out roughly £25 a bird) and had no problems with bookings for the following year.

bunny shooter

pedroeibar1 wrote: »

For real? Why would anyone give away their best shooting spots?

If you want a great day out save your pennies and go to http://mocklerstownshoot.com/
Costly, but great value for what is delivered.
P.

"Cost Per Day €7,200 for a minimum bag of 200 birds for 6/8 guns. Larger bags by negotiations."

For 8 people that's €900 each :eek::eek:

pedroeibar1

bunny shooter wrote: »

"Cost Per Day €7,200 for a minimum bag of 200 birds for 6/8 guns. Larger bags by negotiations."

For 8 people that's €900 each :eek::eek:

I did not say it was cheap, I said it was costly but great value for what was delivered.

A group of us shot there a couple of years ago and it was one of the best driven shoots I’ve been on in Ireland or in the UK. Very professionally run – it was quite new when we went there. We shot only the high birds – and there were lots of them – and we still shot more than the expected bag and were not charged overage. It is some set-up, and when the funds allow I definitely will be going back!

P.

bunny shooter

€36 per bird .............. You'd buy 'em form game farm for a fraction of that and do same thing yourself

Tackleberrywho

bunny shooter wrote: »

€36 per bird .............. You'd buy 'em form game farm for a fraction of that and do same thing yourself

I nearly wiped out 5 young birds with the motorbike this eve on my road for Free.
€36 for a bird is ridiculous.

Auldloon

What's the set up like there Pedro? I have shot ducks on a few shoots in the uk and one in Ireland and they were all pretty sad. Normally one drive as part of a pheasant day and more to get the bag up than anything else I reckon.
Think one big flush from a pond then birds circling trying to land again. Not my idea of shooting.
Is the above set-up much different?

Edit to add I have just read the press reports from the site, sounds amazing.

Auldloon

Chris have you access to any water where you have seen a few ducks?

bunny shooter

Chuileog wrote: »

What's the set up like there Pedro? I have shot ducks on a few shoots in the uk and one in Ireland and they were all pretty sad. Normally one drive as part of a pheasant day and more to get the bag up than anything else I reckon.
Think one big flush from a pond then birds circling trying to land again. Not my idea of shooting.
Is the above set-up much different?

AFAIK they take them away form feeding pond/s and they shoot 'em as they return to the pond/s?

terminator2

i have shot ducks driven off a pond on a shoot before ......not worth the money,ide much prefer two teal flushed off a drain and retrevied by my springer than 30 mallard that were hand reared .....its like shooting fish in a barrell

pedroeibar1

Chuileog wrote: »

What's the set up like there Pedro? I have shot ducks on a few shoots in the uk and one in Ireland and they were all pretty sad. Normally one drive as part of a pheasant day and more to get the bag up than anything else I reckon.
Think one big flush from a pond then birds circling trying to land again. Not my idea of shooting.
Is the above set-up much different?

Edit to add I have just read the press reports from the site, sounds amazing.

The press report on Mocklerstown is fair in my view. We had a great day’s sport there.

The set-up is primarily duck, and they intended to eventually develop a few pheasant drives also. Most of the ponds are old gravel pits, with a few new ones put in. The ducks flew, strongly and high, because there were mature trees (like some big old ash, sycamore etc.,) between ponds and because they are made fly from a young age – several of the ones I shot were from a previous season. We had six drives; the pegs were well placed to take advantage of the terrain and some had only a small shooting ‘window’ so there was some good snap shooting. I will be going back.
Rs
P.

wildfowler94

The Best Shooting Is When The Wigeon Teal Tufted Duck Golden Eye And Pochard Arrive....Mainly From October On!
If Theres 3 Of Ye And You Can Use A Boat Go Together And Buy 1....
Buy About 24 Decoys For The Big Lakes, Wigeon Teal Tufted Duck Pochard And Golden Eye Will All Decoy Very Well When Feeding So I Would Suggest Buying Some Decoys Of Them Breeds Of Duck. A Camo Net Is Essential To Stay Hidden And Hide Poles, Cammoflage Clothing Is Also A Must!! You Also Will Need To Wear Waders...Buy Yourself A Wigeon, Teal And Mallard Call. There Are Many Good Lakes Arond The Country Depending On Where You Are In The Country, You Will Need A Foreshore Lience To Shoot Most Lakes.There Free To Apply For From The npws.
PM Me To Find Out About The Lakes In Your Area.
I Would Be Willing Later In The Season To Go To A Lake A Show You How To Shoot On The Big Lakes Decoy it And That!!
PM Me

Hope This Helps!!:)