Ready for the coot shoot

SurfNHuntSD

Well-Known Member
Got this in the mail.. I guess I need to bag some coots this year. Also some gallinules.. wtf is a gallinule? Either way good luck to you duckers this year. Got my place staked out for opener, hopeful it'll shoot well. If you see me camped out near my new sneak boat and white Landcruiser, come by say hi and have a beer.

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Jason,

I just got mine for band-tails...Gallinules look like coots, except they have a red & yellow bill...Also, called moorhens...Get some Wilson's snipe too.
 
Jason,

I just got mine for band-tails...Gallinules look like coots, except they have a red & yellow bill...Also, called moorhens...Get some Wilson's snipe too.

I think I've had some snipe dip n dive through my dekes before, but not 100% sure of my snipe ID. Assuming they're the real fast flyers that weave on by? And isn't there some old school prank or joke about taking someone snipe hunting?
 
Wilson's snipe are never in flocks...Those would be dowitchers...And they look very similar to snipe...Snipe also like marshy areas more than dowitchers that like shallow water areas.

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Steve, Would you give us some more info on how you are i.d.'ing them and where and how we should expect to find them. It's one I have never versed myself enough to feel like I knew what I was doing and would like to give it a try. Seen both in the wild but was not capable enough to tell what I was looking at. I'll check the regs and compare them to your notes I think I get what you are saying about flocks and singles as I have seen it before.
 
Steve, Would you give us some more info on how you are i.d.'ing them and where and how we should expect to find them. It's one I have never versed myself enough to feel like I knew what I was doing and would like to give it a try. Seen both in the wild but was not capable enough to tell what I was looking at. I'll check the regs and compare them to your notes I think I get what you are saying about flocks and singles as I have seen it before.

Fred,

The Wilson's snipe are darker in appearance and fly erratically when flushed...They also make a funny sound when they take off...They frequent marshes, pastures, and stream bottoms... They also almost never fly in flocks of more than 2 or 3, and are usually by themselves...In the hand, they have a reddish brown tail area.

Short & long billed dowitchers like shallow water edged ponds and they on the other hand, are almost always in flocks...Much lighter in color and lack the reddish brown back & tail...They make a peeping sound in flight.

Short story...So, Cal & I are hunting a friends duck club back in 1975...Ducks weren't flying all that well, but the "snipe" were flying like crazy...I think Cal got like 4 with one shot...Then the owner of the club showed up and informed us that those flocks of "snipe" were dowitchers...We ate them and thought they were similar to doves...lol
 
People have taken them at Barrett at least that is what the lake staff has told me. Thanks for the info Steve I will keep a lookout for them.


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Fred,

The Wilson's snipe are darker in appearance and fly erratically when flushed...They also make a funny sound when they take off...They frequent marshes, pastures, and stream bottoms... They also almost never fly in flocks of more than 2 or 3, and are usually by themselves...In the hand, they have a reddish brown tail area.

Short & long billed dowitchers like shallow water edged ponds and they on the other hand, are almost always in flocks...Much lighter in color and lack the reddish brown back & tail...They make a peeping sound in flight.

Short story...So, Cal & I are hunting a friends duck club back in 1975...Ducks weren't flying all that well, but the "snipe" were flying like crazy...I think Cal got like 4 with one shot...Then the owner of the club showed up and informed us that those flocks of "snipe" were dowitchers...We ate them and thought they were similar to doves...lol

Kind of reminds me of the time at DKW club when another (nameless) member shot the crap out of the "green winged teal" aka Hen Pintails!!!
 
Matt (Mouthcallinmatt),

You used to be the Wilson's king...Anything I left out about the sporting snipe?
 
Didn't see any snipe on Saturday, but did see a gallinule or two lol. And the usual coot flotilla invading my dekes. Thought about taking one down just so I could report it.
 
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