Prince of the woods

[Sooty42]

I haven’t cooked up very many of them, so I’m no expert. I pluck them, dry age them in the fridge for a day or two. Put salt and oil on them, then cook them in a very hot oven (probably as hot at your oven will get) for about 10 minutes. You’re right not much meat in them, but they are a tasty little snack.

[AverageGuy]

Curious to know how you prep the snipe. I found a soggy farm field this year that had many snipe in the grasses near cattail ponds. Took one out of curiosity. So little meat in there... decided it wasn't worth the effort of taking more.

Incidentally, my young pup didn't pick up on the snipe either. I attributed it to lack of exposure / experience, but I also wondered how much the scent of the rotting marsh masks the birds? They get dug in pretty deep there...

I got into a bunch of snipe in the same type of habitat back in September. Wet field butting up to a large cattail marsh. Snipe everywhere. Neither my pup or my adult dog would point them. The adult dog acted like they were a complete non-target species. I took 10 species of upland birds over him last season including woodcock so it's not like he won't point a bird.

I have also had other dogs which naturally pointed pigeons, quail, pheasants, grouse that would not point a woodcock or a snipe.

They obviously smell different is my conclusion.

[Willie T]

Got out and explored some new cover yesterday. Just Cricket and me. I enjoy watching the joy Cricket seems to get from his work but seldom slow down and take pics. Yesterday I took the time to get a few dog pictures.
First bird of the day. (Tap photo for full image)

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This one screwed me in the ground. The bird flushed at about 3’. I’m a lefty and it rocketed past my left shoulder and behind me at 4’ and into the trees. Good stuff! (Tap photo for full image)

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Second bird of the day. Picture of the point was blurry due to saplings and auto focus. This one was a lay up. (Tap photo for full image)

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More coming.

[Willie T]

This one was my limit bird and was spectacular. The saplings are messing with the auto focus so detail is not that good. Cricket is looking at this bird and is tight as a fiddle string, quivering from nose to tail, eyes about to pop out of his head. I really wanted to kill this one for him. (Tap photo for full image)

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(Tap photo for full image)

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Good times! (Tap photo for full image)

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[AverageGuy]

Nice Job capturing the Action! Man that looks like fun. You and Cricket are a great team.

[Drahthaar1108]

Willie, cricket is looking good , another great hunt with beautiful points. Forrest

[Willie T]

AG & Forrest, thank you for the kind words. I like Cricket.
Willie.

[Willie T]

Curious to know how you prep the snipe. I found a soggy farm field this year that had many snipe in the grasses near cattail ponds. Took one out of curiosity. So little meat in there... decided it wasn't worth the effort of taking more.

Incidentally, my young pup didn't pick up on the snipe either. I attributed it to lack of exposure / experience, but I also wondered how much the scent of the rotting marsh masks the birds? They get dug in pretty deep there...

I got into a bunch of snipe in the same type of habitat back in September. Wet field butting up to a large cattail marsh. Snipe everywhere. Neither my pup or my adult dog would point them. The adult dog acted like they were a complete non-target species. I took 10 species of upland birds over him last season including woodcock so it's not like he won't point a bird.

I have also had other dogs which naturally pointed pigeons, quail, pheasants, grouse that would not point a woodcock or a snipe.

They obviously smell different is my conclusion.

Personally I think all the bird species must smell differently. I also believe a good dog learns to handle the different birds differently based on scent recognition combined with the cover they are in when given enough opportunity.
Willie.

[Drahthaar1108]

Willie I agree all birds smell different , my young dog Gus wouldn't point woodcock to begin with , the old dog pointed I told him to whoa and then killed the woodcock , Gus retrieved it and has been pointing woodcock ever sense .
I get off this boat tonight about 2 AM , hopefully there are some woodcock around. Forrest

[AverageGuy]

Curious to know how you prep the snipe. I found a soggy farm field this year that had many snipe in the grasses near cattail ponds. Took one out of curiosity. So little meat in there... decided it wasn't worth the effort of taking more.

Incidentally, my young pup didn't pick up on the snipe either. I attributed it to lack of exposure / experience, but I also wondered how much the scent of the rotting marsh masks the birds? They get dug in pretty deep there...

I got into a bunch of snipe in the same type of habitat back in September. Wet field butting up to a large cattail marsh. Snipe everywhere. Neither my pup or my adult dog would point them. The adult dog acted like they were a complete non-target species. I took 10 species of upland birds over him last season including woodcock so it's not like he won't point a bird.

I have also had other dogs which naturally pointed pigeons, quail, pheasants, grouse that would not point a woodcock or a snipe.

They obviously smell different is my conclusion.

Personally I think all the bird species must smell differently. I also believe a good dog learns to handle the different birds differently based on scent recognition combined with the cover they are in when given enough opportunity.
Willie.

I agree on both, but I have seen my pups pretty consistently point the first pigeon, quail, pheasant, hun, chukar, grouse they encounter and always show intense interest in the scent where the bird got up at least. That vs those same pups may or may not show interest in woodcock and none have shown any interest in pointing snipe.

Makes me think there is some commonality in the scent of those other birds vs woodcock and snipe (which I think are considerably different genetically and theorize contributes to what I have observed). No doubt shooting some of woodcock and snipe can create interest in hunting for and pointing them.

[Willie T]

AG, your observations have merit. I’ve never went out to target snipe so I don’t have any experience. My hunch after a lifetime of bird hunting including but not limited to the woodcock is their scent does not appear to be as strong. My current dog is a prime example. He is blessed with a superb nose and has shown the ability and inclination to point from extremely long range. Long enough range that I will not post it on the net for fear of being viewed as a suspected key board warrior or a bull shitter. Yet this same dog does not throw down those same long range points on woodcock. He also has a tighter search pattern in woodcock cover than when hunting any other bird. The same dog is a skilled “hunt dead” dog but appears to need to get closer on the down wind side, even when hunting dead. I can say they have amped him up from day one.
Willie

[orhunter]

Really enjoy this thread. Good stuff...

My dogs never showed much interest in snipe. They would acknowledge their presence but not inclined to point them even after shooting a few.

[Willie T]

Another woodcock season is in the books. I got cricket out for a couple hours and shot a couple birds with the 410 to finish the season today. Nice day just me and the dog!

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[AverageGuy]

Nice! It's hard when the seasons close but we would never get anything done including training if it didn't I guess.