SNIPE SHOOTING 



The snipe is notorious as an uncertain bird, and snipe 

 shooting as a sport that can never be depended on. 

 In old times one used to walk mile after mile in the 

 hope that some of the birds might be started from some 

 favorite bit of feeding ground, but too often only dis- 

 appointment and weary leg muscles rewarded the en- 

 thusiastic tramper. On the other hand, snipe were 

 occasionally found in great abundance, and could 

 hardly be driven away. Recollections of occurrences of 

 both kinds are laid away in the memories of all of 

 the older gunners. 



Near Vincennes, Ind., many years ago, there was a 

 famous feeding ground for snipe to which, during mi- 

 gration, the birds resorted in great numbers. Thither 

 I went one season with a companion to whom the 

 grounds were well known, and there I saw more snipe 

 than at that time I supposed existed. We were driven 

 to the edge of the marsh, and there, as the team drew 

 up and the wagon cramped to let us jump out, a dozen 

 snipe rose almost under the horses' hoofs, flew fifteen 

 or twenty yards and alighted. 



Disregarding the advice of my friend, I had brought 

 a dog with me, the best on partridges that I had ever 

 seen, but he proved absolutely useless here. The birds 



