'With our very fast tides, our estuary is not best suited to shooting in punts'
Have a go at puntgunning
Though these pictured here are not puntguns like "Irish Tom", the 14ft
boat-mounted gun on display at the BASC's headquarters, you can take any
non-powered craft out after duck and geese. BASC's advice is that the best place is
Scotland. Give BASC Scotland a ring on (01350) 723226 to say where you are going.
BASC can also put you in touch with local guides.
The club has secured the crown foreshore lease after years of negotiation with
other estuary users.
In 1976, the club was fully affiliated to WAGBI, now BASC and, with the help
of the organisation, our club finally secured the crown foreshore lease in
1996. This was achieved after nine years of
negotiation with other estuary users like English Nature, the RSPB, local
councils and the MoD.
Roll on the cold fronts
We normally welcome the cold weather that comes in from Central Europe
because it pushes before it the migrant duck and woodcock populations ever
further south and westward in our direction.
When previous bans were imposed, we benefited from boosted quarry numbers in
our relatively milder weather conditions and resented the loss of our
potential duck bonanza.
In our first year, however, our first management decision was to impose a
severe weather shooting ban ahead of the rest of the national ones, since we
were unusually badly hit by prolonged freezing weather.
Jolly Boating: Brian Stimpson (in the stern) and Les Oldham afloat.
Brian Stimpson is the dedicated club warden who is unselfish in passing on his hard won knowledge.
A role in the local community
Our club has served on the local estuary forum since it was formed in 1988,
along with other conservation groups, local councils, leisure and business
interests as well as the MoD.
Its main function is to act as a non-political
pressure group against inappropriate development around the estuary, prevent
pollution and address potential inter-group differences across the table.
Matt, our former honorary secretary, served as its vice chairman for several
years.