doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Bog Sprite Strategies?

Not sure I've ever heard snipe referred to as "bog sprites" until I came across this drawing by Richard Bishop. The name made me chuckle because I've shot at snipe many times, but I've never gotten one! One of the definitions I found for sprite was "mischievous [censored - come on man!]-like creature". These little mischiefs excel at avoiding my shot pattern. I'm curious what strategies others use for hunting snipe? I've usually found them in the marshes going to and from a duck blind, so my shooting was always with waterfowl loads. I realize that's probably not optimal. I'd love to hear if others have favorite guns/chokes/loads/techniques for snipe. I also like Mr. Bishop's drawing. He did a lot of waterfowl too, and all his work was top notch. These simple black and white drawings really highlight the elegant shapes of the birds. Please share any experiences/strategies you've had for these mischievous bog sprites!

I’ve only stumbled on them while traversing slewy, wet areas to get to higher areas that looked like grouse habitat. They startled me, and then I vacillate while wondering do I need a migratory bird stamp, do I need non toxic shot, does the gun have a plug in it, and, then, the bird is gone.
I then proceed to forget those questions entirely, and go back to grouse hunting.

A friend reports that he has a wet spot that is about belly deep on his GSP dog, and the dog has a fixation on snipe, and he makes a special trip or two a year exclusively for the birds. A successful year would be about 6 birds.

Unsuccessful season, less, sometimes none.

That’s why they call it hunting, and not killing.

Best,
Ted