fowling

Fowling is the hunting of wild birds, especially waterfowl such as ducks and geese, using various methods. The term derives from fowl, meaning birds, and historically referred to hunting birds as a source of food and feathers. In medieval and early modern Europe, fowling was a common subsistence activity and a recreational pursuit, and the practice gave rise to specialized equipment known as fowling pieces, or fowling guns, designed for bird shooting.

Methods have included firearms, nets, and falconry. Firearms, especially smoothbore shotguns, shoot birds in flight or on the water from blinds or boats. Netting techniques such as clap nets, throw-nets, and hoop nets have been used to capture birds near roosts or along migration routes. Falconry has also been part of fowling in some regions, targeting larger or wary birds that are difficult to approach with firearms.

Modern fowling is regulated to protect bird populations. Laws address seasonal limits, bag quotas, gear restrictions, and habitat conservation. Sustainable practice emphasizes humane dispatch, avoidance of endangered species, and compliance with migratory birds treaties and local wildlife statutes.

In many places, fowling remains a recreational activity, a tradition in rural communities, or a means of subsistence in parts of the world where hunting is integrated with other subsistence activities.