Snipe - the most overlooked gamebird!

Snipe are wonderful gamebirds, and shockingly sporty, particularly when pursued with flushing dogs!

Snipe - the most overlooked gamebird!

The pocket of spent hulls was a taunting reminder of less than stellar performance that morning. There were several snipe riding in my vest, but many more had weaved safely out of harm’s way despite my attempts. There were plenty of birds around but running two flushing dogs at once had been a failed experiment. I desperately needed a mental re-boot to regain confidence!

I tucked one dog in the vehicle while grabbing a handful of cashews, then crossed the fence and heeled my companion as we edged around the upper rim of another marsh.  The low-lying flood plain was still spongy under foot, with ankle-deep pockets rippling from a strong west wind. 

The dog launched upon release, and swept through the low tussocks bordering the cattail edge toward a large sheet of surface water 35 yards away. I quickened pace while hooking her back right to allow me a chance to catch up. It worked for 4-5 strides closing the gap, but it was obvious from her ambition that she’d picked up scent. She angled south again with a shower of spray glistening in her wake, and just then a flicker of movement drew my eyes. A streaking smudge formed into a bird-like shape as it darted left for half a count, and then back right again temping an early shot. But, I’d played this game before while falling prey to this deceit. Instead, I waited half a count longer wondering if it would ever pull up. Finally, near 40 yards the snipe rose and veered toward the wind, and the gun went off as the comb touched my cheek.

Several snipe in the bag after an hour in the marsh. And, look at those garters. Not essential kit for snipe, but then why not?

Deep in the scroll of Canada’s migratory game bird regulations is a line for snipe with a limit of 8 per day. I overlooked this opportunity for many years, and sadly had missed out on some of the very best wing shooting that autumn has to offer. But not anymore, snipe are now fully ensconced in my annual calendar under the heading - winged game. 

Snipe are deceptively quick and readily attain speeds of 100 km/hr without the benefit of a tail wind. Their slender body and wide wingspan, coupled with 14 very purposeful tail rudders,  enables them to jink and dodge with more ease than any other game bird on the planet. For walked up game you’re unlikely to find a more worthy adversary to test your gunning skills, or more correctly, your mental game when it comes to feathered quarry. 

Quartering away birds, feathered or clay, prompt an innate response to react quickly before it gets further away.  Instead, I frequently remind myself to slow down and match the mount with the anticipated kill point, whatever the distance. Snipe test this resolve more than anything else with feathers that I’ve come across. Their tendency to remain tethered to the deck while zig zagging for the first 20 yards easily lures a snapshot while trying to anticipate their next move.  There’s a low-ball chance of getting this right, even though it may seem the natural thing to do at the moment. The only time it pays consistently to take an early shot is when positioned to take the bird more as a crosser to one side.  This mitigates the relative change of any lateral moves in their flight, and generally allows a view of the entire bird rather than a fleeting glimpse of tail feathers.

The second, and far more important reason to wait until the bird rises before the shot is to avoid a discharge near the dog!

Snipe use their long beak to forage for invertebrates in the first few inches of moist soil.  You may notice holes about the size of a nailhead around a marsh edge or puddle, which may indicate a wader, and possibly a snipe is feeding in the area.  Snipe migrate south through Alberta in September and October, likely matching their departure with the photoperiod, but also the availability of low-lying moist zones.

The best areas I’ve come across that attract snipe during their annual fall move are shallow flood plains with water covering 10-50%, while bare soil with tufts of grass and sedge make up the difference. If water gets beyond ankle deep I’ll move out to more shallow areas.

Ken Bailey walking up snipe in southern Alberta.

The number of snipe encountered during a hunt varies through the season.  Last fall my average was roughly 5-7 movements per hour from early September through mid-October, but I had one glorious week when the main migratory pulse passed through and rates tripled.  The hunt described earlier occurred on one of those days, and also taught me the futility of running two flushing dogs together on snipe. We moved just shy of three dozen snipe in the hour before noon but had very few decent opportunities.

The trouble with running two dogs while alone on snipe is the inability to reliably detect the bird early. With both dogs working independently to the front and sides it’s just too much ground to visually cover. To pick up the flush early, I’ve found it most effective to use a broad focal gaze in front of the dog’s movement, while trusting the eyes to detect early motion. We certainly boosted birds that morning, but for at least 80% the first indication was a sudden scaipe call on my left or right.  By the time I picked it up visually and positioned my feet the bird was at the edge of range.  Did I mention they are fast?

I’ve heard some say they are hesitant to hunt snipe because they’re concerned about shooting a different wader mistaken for the intended quarry. This is a good reason to pause and bring identification skills up to par, but differentiating snipe from dowitchers or yellowlegs is quite easy. Your first indication that a snipe is around is when it lifts near you and takes off with a scaipe call and zig zags as described. It’s far faster off the mark than other waders, and it’s generally alone.  Other waders tend to hang in small groups and often near the mudflats along a shoreline. Snipe could be found there, but they’re more likely to be away from these open areas feeding in a mosaic of shallow water with patchy tufts as described earlier.

Third - stripes. Snipe have distinctive buff stripes on their head, one running below the eye and another directly above, with a third down the centerline of the skull. They also have three whitish stripes running down their back, along with a white belly. If you see a few different waders in an area, and one appears to be twice as fast as anything else, and, has the described stripes -  it’s a snipe. Did I mention they’re fast?

But what to use? You may normally pack an autoloader when heading into the marsh on ducks, but somehow this isn’t quite the same thing? No, walking up snipe is more akin to chasing partridge or grouse than it is to jump-shooting duck.  There’s nothing wrong with three shots, and a synthetic stock is cheaper to repair if using it to break your fall while jumping a ditch. Even so, snipe seem far better suited to the elegance of a breech opening gun, and, since they commonly rise as singles you already have that back up shot if the first doesn’t connect.

Double guns are a perfect match for snipe. These 16-bores are made by AyA and tip the scales at a gentlemanly 6.25 lbs apiece. Each is a delight to carry.

Given their size there’s no need to shoot a heavy load. The main consideration is pellet density at distance - say 35-45 yards being the most likely kill point.  I personally favour a choke and shell combination that delivers a 70% pattern at 40.  It’s a slip of a bird, but then it doesn’t take more than one or two pellets to do this job very well. If you’re hunting in Canada then non-toxic loads are your only choice, and I’ve become quite fond of 24 grams of steel 7s in a competition clay load. 

Snipe have rich deep meat that deserves effort. Here is “snipe on toast” roasted in the classical style, un-eviscerated with the head and innards intact. A fine treat, and goes nicely paired with a big red.

September is a busy month in the wing shooters diary, especially in Alberta where we’re spoiled for choice among forest grouse, ptarmigan, early ducks and geese, and my personal leaning toward Huns. But snipe have changed things up, and carved out a welcome place in my heart. With surface water a condition of the hunt, those warm autumn days are well suited to a romp with the dog without fear of overheating. Snipe pursued this way are also demanding gun work.  They will sharpen any shooter’s skill, and provide confidence as you head into October having already attained sniper status for the year. Did I mention they are fast?

Snipe are powerful fliers, with breast muscles 25% greater than other waders of similar size. They’re deceptively quick and easily reach speeds of 60 mph in very short order!