About us

Founded in 1952 as the Dee Wildfowlers Club, we changed our name in the 1980s to the Dee Wildfowlers and Wetlands Management Club to emphasise the fact that we exist not only to shoot wildfowl but we are, and always have been, managers of one of the most important wetlands in Europe. The estuary covers more than 30,000 acres and is SSSI, RAMSAR and Natura 2000 site. It also has SPA and SAC status.

 We have consent from the Nature Conservancy Council under Section 28 (6) of The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to carry out wildfowling, a notifiable operation, within the Dee Estuary SSSI. The Dee Estuary falls within the remit of both The Countryside Council for Wales and Natural England, both organisations have expressed no concern about the level of wildfowling on the Dee.

Decoys are extensively used on the Dee to attract ducks within range.

The Dee is not Crown property, unlike many other sites on the UK coast, and among the landowners are Defence Estates, Environment Agency, RSPB, Corus Steel, Wirral Borough Council, Mostyn Dock and several farmers.

The Dee is mainly a duck estuary, best known for Pintail but we have good numbers of Wigeon, Mallard and Teal. We’re not known as a goose estuary but do have several thousand Canada geese and increasing numbers of Greylag and Pink-footed geese.

A good dog is required to retrieve shot birds in the strong Dee tides.

For some 40 years we’ve had a bag limit of 10 ducks as we see no reason why anyone would want to shoot more than that. There is also a limit of 2 grey geese but no limit on Canadas, the weight of Canadas and the size of the estuary makes a limit on them unnecessary.

Dee tides can easily exceed the predicted height and caution is required.

All members must complete a Shooting Return at the end of the season, recording not only what was shot but all the visits, successful or not, and all shots that were made. This enables us to monitor not only the bag taken but the disturbance made.

Waiting for evening flight.

All full and probationary members must make at least 3 wardening visits each season and be available for work parties. Probationary members have to go through a training and mentoring scheme before they can progress to full membership.