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THE UPPER FORTH WILDFOWLERS ASSOCIATION
The Association was formed in the early eighties by a hard core of wildfowlers, most of who are still in the club. The membership year runs from 1 April to 31 March, with new members joining on a pro-rata subscription basis. You must be a member of BASC via the UFWA. We formed to protect and promote the sport of wildfowling on the Upper Forth estuary, covering the area from the Forth Road Bridge to Alloa.Until the recent introduction of the “right to roam” bill many people found that gaining access to the shore was difficult, now with the new law and subsequent amendment you can gain access to the shore almost anywhere. UFWA encourages members to conduct their sport in a fair and responsible manner. We promote the use of a retrieving dog – no wildfowler should go on the foreshore without one, provided that it is kept under proper control. It’s not a bad idea to tell someone where you are going and roughly when you will be back. If you park your vehicle at a public access point, do not leave evidence of your sport lying about inside. BASC window stickers are often a giveaway in some areas.An awareness of tide times is vital, as is an idea of what weather conditions you may face - dress accordingly. Be aware that esturine mud is, at the very least, dirty, adhesive and very deep in some places. Mud in barrels before a shot can be interesting. Shooting should be conducted sensibly – leave the 60-yard geese until next week. Be confident of species recognition – know what you can or can’t shoot before you squeeze the trigger.
Note that season 2005/6 onwards, in Scotland, will now mean an introduction of non toxic shot being used over defined “Wetlands” therefore the UFWA strongly advises members to be sensible and comply with this new legislation.
Wildfowling is often a difficult and solitary sport, conducted in adverse conditions with limited bags. It can, however, be very fulfilling and satisfying in a primitive sort of way.
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