SNIPE HUNTING

Penny For Your Thoughts By: Nancy Whitaker

I  have never been hunting or even thought about going, however, I don’t think I could eat anything that I killed.

Plus, I am not a lover of wild game meat just give me a fast food burger and that will  be great.

I have, however,  attended events where pheasant, buffalo, rabbit and deer was on the menu. 

The  poor edible animals all had stickers on their serving pans telling what kind of meat or animal they were. I just chose one and with all of them bathed in gravy, I held my nose and ate a few little bites. 

My opportunity to go hunting came a few years later. One evening, when I was just a newly wed, my new husband asked me if I wanted to go snipe hunting. Well I wasn’t sure what a snipe was, but said I would try and catch one 

According to my husband, snipes were hard to hunt, but if I got one, he would cook it for dinner. 

We got into his old 1957 Studebaker and headed to a back road. Once the car was stopped he handed me a bag to put the snipe in. He told me to stand on the side of the road and look around in the ditches and grass for the snipes.

Then what do you know? Hubby took off in the car and I was left there holding a bag. I walked around calling, “Here snipe here snipe” then I whistled and also clapped my hands to get a snipe’s attention.

No luck. Then out of no where a bike rider came along and asked me if I needed help. I said “Well I am hunting for snipes and haven’t had any luck.” The bike rider laughed and said, “Mam, there is no such thing as a snipe” Oh no this was a prank that I never knew about and I felt dumb standing there with my bag. 

After the whole family got a good laugh from my snipe hunting, I was convinced there were no snipes and I had fell for the joke. Well, my friends, I finally googled the word -“SNIPE” Guess what? There is a bird existing that happens to be a snipe.

The snipe is a medium-sized, robin-sized, wading bird with a long, straight bill and short legs. It’s a member of the Scolopacidae family, also known as shore birds, and is closely related to the American woodcock. Snipe are about 10.5 inches long and have mottled brown, black, and white plumage for camouflage. They live in wet grassy areas like marshes, ponds, and flooded meadows, and are most often found near reeds or other plants.

People hunt snipe for a few key reasons: it’s a challenging and unique hunting experience, they’re a good source of food, and it’s a tradition in some areas. 

Snipe hunting offers a distinct challenge compared to other game birds, as they are known for their rapid flight and camouflage. Additionally, snipe provide a tasty and healthy meal, and hunting them is a recreational activity enjoyed by many. 

I did not know there were snipes until the other day when I googled them. I can’t imagine anyone trying to eat one. So readers, Snipes do exist and people go snipe hunting. 

So if anyone tries to fool you or tells you otherwise, let me know and I’ll give you a Penny for Your Thoughts.