Snipe

[Lloyd90]

Do people find they get many walked up snipe on the marshes etc?  

[Walker570]

Gawd, Lloyd you take me back too many years.  In the late 40s just after the war and through the early 50s we had a bout 20 acres of really wet meadow land on my Grandftahers farm which was alive with snipe and on a days partridge shooting (Greys that is) the first drive was for snipe on what we called The Bog field which resulted in many cartridges fired for amybe one or on a good day two snipe.  I did enjoy a snipe drive up in Yorkshire a few years ago where at least 100 birds where pushed off a relatively small bog. 

The only snipe I have seen and enjoyed personally where on walked up grouse days down on the Welsh Hills just north of Abergwesyn, wild country and took us an hour just to walk into it.

That was back in the early 80s.  Choke barrels where order of the day because once those birds lifted they would be 40yrds away in short order, great sport.

[Lloyd90]

5 minutes ago, Walker570 said:

Gawd, Lloyd you take me back too many years.  In the late 40s just after the war and through the early 50s we had a bout 20 acres of really wet meadow land on my Grandftahers farm which was alive with snipe and on a days partridge shooting (Greys that is) the first drive was for snipe on what we called The Bog field which resulted in many cartridges fired for amybe one or on a good day two snipe.  I did enjoy a snipe drive up in Yorkshire a few years ago where at least 100 birds where pushed off a relatively small bog. 

The only snipe I have seen and enjoyed personally where on walked up grouse days down on the Welsh Hills just north of Abergwesyn, wild country and took us an hour just to walk into it.

That was back in the early 80s.  Choke barrels where order of the day because once those birds lifted they would be 40yrds away in short order, great sport.

 

My lodger is from West Ireland and his family have some bog land  ... We are hoping to head over this year for a bit of walked up shooting and will try to take my dog Ted  

He reckons there are loads over there. I seen they have some wicked woodcock as well but don't think Ted is the cover basher he needs to be for that type of shooting sadly. 

 

 

[Walker570]

Nah, he will enjoy himself come what may.  You will be lonely without him.  Is that Southern Ireland ? Just asking because don't know what the transfer of dogs by then will involve with us now out of the EU.   That little dog will enjoy himself bustling about in those reed beds, all excellent experience for him.  Now almost four years since I lost my last dog and even now it feels like something is missing not having him or a dog there with me, but approaching 80 at high speed I am not about to take another on. I just enjoy days out where other guns bring their dogs and I can enjoy their presence.   Ireland is one place I have not visited, the chance was cut short in the 70s with the 'troubles'  I have a few friends over there and I am sure you will have a great welcome.

[Lloyd90]

47 minutes ago, Walker570 said:

Nah, he will enjoy himself come what may.  You will be lonely without him.  Is that Southern Ireland ? Just asking because don't know what the transfer of dogs by then will involve with us now out of the EU.   That little dog will enjoy himself bustling about in those reed beds, all excellent experience for him.  Now almost four years since I lost my last dog and even now it feels like something is missing not having him or a dog there with me, but approaching 80 at high speed I am not about to take another on. I just enjoy days out where other guns bring their dogs and I can enjoy their presence.   Ireland is one place I have not visited, the chance was cut short in the 70s with the 'troubles'  I have a few friends over there and I am sure you will have a great welcome.

 

Yes in the Republic ... they don't like the English but It's ok cos I'm Welsh  

Na they are a very nice bunch of people, we went out last year stayed just near County Mayo I think, went to see the cliffs where Harry Potter was filmed, and also had a good night out down the local, all a good bunch, a load of us went, I stayed in my mates brother's house just across the road from the 'home house'. 

We will have to see what happens with taking guns over (although am sure could lend one in worst case) and also the dog.

 

My mate regularly takes working sheep dog back, they just put them in the back of the van and don't mention it  ... no one asks so they don't tell. Done it plenty of times for his boss and never had a problem. 

[derbyduck]

my first time at walked up snipe was 50 yrs ago on the foreshore on the Solway  ,we stayed at East Howe Creek and Peter Blackburn the man that  ran the place used to like us to get out and walk the marsh ,we could shoot lots more stuff back then shanks and curlew , but the snipe where every where and we  walked to Brow Well and back and down to where the river Annan ran into the Firth and we always came back with a few and a good appitite  LOL

 

[Smokersmith]

Yep ... have a few each season. Not easy to get on terms with them, but a bit of ABT helps.

[islandgun]

1 hour ago, Lloyd90 said:

 

My lodger is from West Ireland and his family have some bog land  ... We are hoping to head over this year for a bit of walked up shooting and will try to take my dog Ted  

He reckons there are loads over there. I seen they have some wicked woodcock as well but don't think Ted is the cover basher he needs to be for that type of shooting sadly. 

 

 

Ive spent a bit of time over on the west coast of Eire , fishing etc had a great time. Not sure about the ground your on over there but the occasional Woodcock I see here are sitting in heather so no problem for Ted, I might shoot at a few Snipe but they are very small so i tend to leave them be. remember reading somewhere that the time to take a shot at Snipe is when they void on take off as they tend to slow up a bit..😄

[panoma1]

Many moons ago, a couple of friends and I had some shooting in central mid Wales, on the boundary was a large pond, we used to walk the snipe off the boggy land at the back of the pond, then wait for the duck to arrive in the evening into dark.........we used to flush quite a few Snipe and occasionally got the odd one or three! I remember once walking that bog, deep in concentration, waiting for the flush when the ground suddenly disappeared under me! I had stepped into a stream I hadn’t noticed, as it was totally covered in pondweed and the stream height was level with the bog surface! I went in up to my armpits! Dragged myself out, soaked to the skin....when I had emptied my boots and wrung my clothes out....I noticed my unruly, headstrong cocker had taken the opportunity to disappear 🤬.........We walked further, to the track leading to the farm at the end of the bog....and who should meet coming at some speed, towards us?.......Yep! My nutty cocker with one of the farmers Rhode Island Reds in his gob!  Looking so pleased with himself!
He delivered the bird to hand in good style..........I released the chicken, who legged it towards the farm thankfully none the worse for her experience........except for maybe a dented pride?

Sorry for the digression......but it was a tale loosely featuring.......Snipe! 😆 

[Lloyd90]

24 minutes ago, Smokersmith said:

Yep ... have a few each season. Not easy to get on terms with them, but a bit of ABT helps.

What's ABT? 

5 minutes ago, islandgun said:

Ive spent a bit of time over on the west coast of Eire , fishing etc had a great time. Not sure about the ground your on over there but the occasional Woodcock I see here are sitting in heather so no problem for Ted, I might shoot at a few Snipe but they are very small so i tend to leave them be. remember reading somewhere that the time to take a shot at Snipe is when they void on take off as they tend to slow up a bit..😄

Don't think he has ever been in Heather 👍

I will need to get out more on different terrain  

[Lloyd90]

5 minutes ago, panoma1 said:

Many moons ago, a couple of friends and I had some shooting in central mid Wales, on the boundary was a large pond, we used to walk the snipe off the boggy land at the back of the pond, then wait for the duck to arrive in the evening into dark.........we used to flush quite a few Snipe and occasionally got the odd one or three! I remember once walking that bog, deep in concentration, waiting for the flush when the ground suddenly disappeared under me! I had stepped into a stream I hadn’t noticed, as it was totally covered in pondweed and the stream height was level with the bog surface! I went in up to my armpits! Dragged myself out, soaked to the skin....when I had emptied my boots and wrung my clothes out....I noticed my unruly, headstrong cocker had taken the opportunity to disappear 🤬.........We walked further, to the track leading to the farm at the end of the bog....and who should meet coming at some speed, towards us?.......Yep! My nutty cocker with one of the farmers Rhode Island Reds in his gob!  Looking so pleased with himself!
He delivered the bird to hand in good style..........I released the chicken, who legged it towards the farm thankfully none the worse for her experience........except for maybe a dented pride?

Sorry for the digression......but it was a tale loosely featuring.......Snipe! 😆 

 

Brilliant!!! Ted has had a good attempt at retrieving one of my mates chickens in the past  ... just had a load of tail feathers! Poor chicken! 

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Automatic Ball Trap, fast and going away!

[Lloyd90]

Just now, TIGHTCHOKE said:

Automatic Ball Trap, fast and going away!

 

I tend to hit the fast going away ones easy! It's the crossing ones that I miss  

[islandgun]

6 minutes ago, Lloyd90 said:

What's ABT? 

Don't think he has ever been in Heather 👍

I will need to get out more on different terrain  

I understand Gorse is good holding cover for Woodcock and would think hard on a dog,  couldn't you take Ted up some Welsh hills before you go

[Lloyd90]

12 minutes ago, islandgun said:

I understand Gorse is good holding cover for Woodcock and would think hard on a dog,  couldn't you take Ted up some Welsh hills before you go

I have been near some but without rabbits or game inside he is not keen to go in and look. 
 

I am going to take him beating more this year and hope he twigs that going inside is the best way to get himself a flush and retrieve. 
 

He has hunted out some of the thickest cover you’d ever see when he is hot on a scent he knows! 

[dipper]

Snipe were some of the first birds I ever shot.A small wet patch in a field shot on it each week .Always got 1 or 2 had a 16bore right barrel was wide open  t/c .Walked them up with the gun almost mounted and shoot fast .All shot quite close.Apart from snipe I was a slow shot.

[Lloyd90]

15 minutes ago, dipper said:

Snipe were some of the first birds I ever shot.A small wet patch in a field shot on it each week .Always got 1 or 2 had a 16bore right barrel was wide open  t/c .Walked them up with the gun almost mounted and shoot fast .All shot quite close.Apart from snipe I was a slow shot.

They speed they go, you got to snap shoot em or they're gone. 

[marsh man]

16 hours ago, Lloyd90 said:

They speed they go, you got to snap shoot em or they're gone. 

Perfectly true , but in all honestly , how many people can tell the difference from a common snipe to a Jack Snipe which are protected ?, shooting walked up Snipe is nigh on by instinct , you are mentally ready for the fist sign of movement , when it jump your gun is on the direction it is going and then you pull the trigger when you think the time is right , in most cases it would be a common Snipe but you always get a one off and in that split second the majority of us would find it hard to tell the difference .

[London Best]

I don’t think the majority would know the difference in their hand, particularly if they only had one snipe.

[GADWALL41]

As I am sure all of you know Jacks will sit much tighter than a common Snipe often getting up right at the boot tip , then the flight is usually a loop up and over away from the shooter , perhaps slightly left or right only to land again not to far off and the common barrels away at speed jinking left right like a North Korean missile in fail mode .  We can shoot both here but these days I only shoot 1 Jack a year and depending on how the season goes up to 50 commons.   A few seasons back we had an influx of Jacks and I had 18 of them in the bag , the normal ratio here would be about 1 jack  to 7 or 8 commons met on the marsh .    In the hand they are much smaller and lighter and with a fabulous Purple blue color on the rump so there should be no id issues . That purple tinge does fade after a bit.    The pic is from 30 or so years ago 2 jacks on the right,  an hour on the marsh  after snipe so that ratio is also high , the gun is a Fabarm euro 3 long gone to the scrap man.  Thorburn has 2 nice paintings of Snipe which I will upload shortly , you can clearly see the differences in those.

Edited April 27, 2020 by GADWALL41
spelling error

[GADWALL41]

3 of A Ts many Snipe paintings .

[Smokersmith]

Like you've said .. the easiest way to distinguish is the pattern of flight … Jacks much more 'fluttery' and they don't go that far at all.

[dipper]

Jack snipe are usually mute.

[aister]

Snipe is one of my favourite forms of shotgun shooting. A wander around with the 20 bore and the hound is a fantastic way to spend a saturday morning after a morning flight. I find it is also the best practice you can get with a shotgun. 

 

[Norfolk wildfowler]

As a kid I used to shoot a lot of snipe in the Broads. My best day was in a freeze up and got 19, all walked up. Once managed 5 snipe with one shot . A bit of a fluke really. Again the weather was very cold and the narrow ditch I was walking up had a tiny trickle of running water flowing between the ice. A single snipe got up and I killed it . As I went forward 4 more lay dead  or flapping along the edge of the ice. I had not noticed them until after the shot , but they must have got caught in the patten of my shot on the ground. Not bad for a 12 year old shooting with an old single barrel hammer Harrington and Richardson 12 bore. Snipe are quite scarce these days unless you catch them as they arrive on migration. A couple of years ago I flushed over 100 from one flooded marsh just over the sea wall of Breydon Water. But these days many of us shoot with semi autos or heavy twelves made to handle steel and that is not the sort of gun to shoot snipe with.