Earith Wash
In 1994 The Leicestershire Wildfowlers' Association, in partnership with Holbeach & District Wildfowlers' Association and Spalding & District Wildfowlers' Association, purchased 60 acres of prime shooting land on the Ouse Washes at Earith, Cambridgeshire.

Built in the 18th century to prevent the river Ouse flooding great tracts of farmland, the Ouse Washes provide a flood reservoir some 22 miles long by half a mile wide.

A large sluice at Earith allows flood water onto the Washes once the water in the Ouse reaches a level called the 'draw mark'. At its height, the winter flood on the washes can reach a depth of around 8ft. The water is then allowed out at the downstream end of the washes through another sluice at Denver when tidal conditions allow.

The Ouse Washes are famous for their large populations of wildfowl and waders. They also provide habitat for winter migrants, and nesting birds in the spring.

Earith Wash is managed in the traditional way, with cattle grazing the grass during the summer months. The ditches are maintained as 'wet fences' throughout the summer and are 'slubbed' out on a controlled cycle to maintain plant banks.

During the winter the Wash affords excellent sporting opportunities for members of the three clubs. Limited numbers of places are available throughout the season on a day ticket basis, with records being kept to assist in the management of the Wash.

Ouse Washes (click to enlarge)

Kirby Lakes
Situated near Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire, Kirby Lakes are a series of worked out gravel pit lakes over which The Leicestershire Wildfowlers' Association have controlled shooting for 15 years.

To qualify for a flight on the lakes, members must first attend a Work Party on the club's nature reserve. After the work party, their name goes onto a list and when their name comes to the top, they get to shoot.

The shoots are very popular with members, as results can be very good with Greylag and Canada geese regularly finding their way into the bag, along with almost all of the duck quarry species. Mallard and wigeon will normally make up the bulk of the bag.

Kirby Lakes (click to enlarge)

The shooting is from hides built on islands which members wade to, so thigh boots are required.

The lakes are regularly fed and the shoots are carefully run to ensure members' safety and enjoyment. The shooting can be very testing, especially in a strong wind.

The lakes also give members with trained gundogs an opportunity to do some picking up on our 'own ground'.

Geese and duck are also occasionally flighted to and from stubbles and adjoining farmland when the opportunity arises.

Downloads
The following wildfowling documents are available for download in Adobe Acrobat (*.PDF) format:

• Leicestershire Wildfowlers' Safety Code (23 Kb)
  Live to wildfowl another day. Compiled by R.P. Mason.
   
• Wildfowler's World (27 Kb)
  A poetic embodiment of the sport of Wildfowling, penned by J.M. Porter.

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Further Information
For further details, please contact Kevin Wilcox (kwilcox@leicswa.org).