Snipe

[Teal]

With regard to the origin of "Sniper" James is spot on. Wikipedia gives the following: The term sniper was first attested in 1824 in the sense of the word "sharpshooter". The verb "to snipe" originated in the 1770s among soldiers in British India where a hunter skilled enough to kill the elusive snipe was dubbed a "sniper". One notable early victim was Robert Greville, 2nd Baron Brooke, killed in 1643 by a sniper hiding in Lichfield Cathedral.

With regard to snipe numbers, these birds have been in decline because of loss of habitat, though they are such elusive birds, the counts made of them are almost certainly very much underestimates. (You can walk within feet of a snipe and it will sit tight).

Estimates of Woodcock are also probably woefully incorrect. Many of the records of woodcock are derived from counting 'roding' birds during the spring and summer months. I have been counting woodcock for some years and a quite accurate picture can be gleaned by counting birds flighting out of woodland at dusk (you also get both sexes this way).

[Dogs]

Originally Posted by FUDGEY

Well there are not huge numbers around where I live, but perhaps there are plenty in other parts of the UK. One good thing in my arae is the "gentlemens agreement" amongst the shooting fraternity is that they agree not to shoot Hares as there is not that many. They have to be applauded for that I say.

Ive found that most decent countrymen and women that shoot or otherwise catch game, will not take specific animals if their numbers are scarce. And in the vast majority of cases the game is actively looked after, in both habitat management and predator control. In my area of wet moorlands and grasses, snipe rise at the feet every few yards at certain times of the year. And there are a few people here that get great joy out of the difficult sport of shooting these nimble flyers. Ive eaten snipe on many an occaision and they are simply delicious.... ive never tried the entrails though, and never will, as they eat worms etc and so i might as well eat the guts out of the moles i catch

[Muggsy]

They don't have entrails as such, a single alimentary tract, they are usually plucked and the beak pushed through the side of the body to hold wings and legs in place while cooking. I don't shoot snipe any more, but I usually have a couple of woodcock each season and very nice they are too.

[Paulie L]

Don't think so.. There is plenty of them, I saw loads on Sunday just gone.. I was luck enough to be fishing in the River Crouch opposite the Wallasea Wild Bird development, loads of other birds too! I must admit I did eye a few of them up myself!

Wild Food, Wild Mushrooms and Fishing in Essex: River Crouch Fishing in January