It wasn't just snipe and woodcock that had long bills that were pursued as game in the late 1800s through the early 1900s until both Federal and state laws came into effect; yellowlegs, plovers (black bellied and golden), curlew (whimbrels), dowitchers, willets, peeps, knots, and other shorebirds were considered game birds and became endangered because of over-hunting during their seasonal migrations for both sport and market. The bans were phased in at first limiting species pursued, prohibiting sale and eventually became total after over a decade of legislation starting in 1913 through the end of the 1920's. It was only in many of our lifetimes that Wilson snipe hunting was legalized once again in 1953 having been banned in 1941. Shorebirds were lumped into the generic description as "snipe", but numerous species were hunted over decoys, Today, only Wilson's snipe and woodcock are legal game in the US. Some species of shorebirds are still legally and actively hunted in Europe. On Gr8day's fine Fox (date of mfg.?) could very well be shorebirds on the action, and the gun and its engravings artifacts of the glory days of shorebird hunting in the U.S. A.B. Frost, and others, painted iconic watercolors of the sport. Below: A.B. Frost and Thomas Eakin's "Whistling in Plover" (1874) Gil
"Snipe" decoys and whistle. Golden Plover on the left, Black-bellied plover on the right. All from New England late 1800's.
