Lead is legal as long as the area you're hunting doesn't say otherwise.

And yes, everybody I know that doesn't hunt thinks I'm pulling their leg about snipe hunting. So then I have to pull up a few hunting pics on my phone. About half still don't believe me.

Yeah your right. That's why I don't rail or snipe hunt, how you distinguish them from all the other birds is a challenge in itself.

Its very easy to hunt snipe since you will always hear em before you see em.

Hunt them without airplugs and into the wind.

You need a dog as they blend in really well.

They taste great! They really do.
Slow cook in crockpot with carrots, onions and red wine
A delicacy overseas. Now even a rarety as hunting is forbidden in holland and belgium.

Haven't seen many this morning. Whipple about caught one about 5:30.

I thought you used a burlap bag and hunted them at night.

I have to admit, I'm one that always thought that snipe were a made up bird and a big hazing event as a child.

I'll keep my eyes, and ears, open for them now!

Is that dead smartweed in the background?...hmmm.....

If that pic is where I think it is, I hunt the same spot. I flushed a good 30+ snipe out there yesterday.

Nov 1st is the start of waterfowl and snipe. You can hunt teal and snipe simultaneously, I've been hunting both since last Sat.

Got checked by the GW yesterday. When I laid the birds out, he didn't know what a snipe was. Thought it was a shorebird of some type.

Great looking Vizslas in those pics! I have one and I love those dogs. Never thought about snipe hunting with my guy though. Where do you guys go to hunt snipe?(areas of state not spot) I only used to see them in rice fields etc. don't see to many in N Tex

I've never understood what makes some folks want to give advice about a subject they obviously know nothing about.

Did you use lead for the snipe? Did the GW give you any grief if you were?

Wheres the paper bag and flashlights????

You are correct, been hunting snipe for 20 years with my dad overseas and shot thousands (most of them overseas and there was no limits back then). I must have done something wrong. In holland it was very easy to walk the polders for 3 hours and come back with 30-40 snipe each. When you shoot doubles it was very hard to find the birds without a dog. In the afternoon we were hiding in a ditch to pass shoot the returning birds. These were the days. After that the population went down and the dutch government shut down all snipehunting for years. Not sure if they reinstated it, will ask dutchman.
Of course it helped to have hunted on one of the biggest snipe concentration in the world (dinteloord Netherlands)
We leased the property from the government (3000 acres flooded marsh that would fill up and recede with the tie) for 1 euro per year in condition we would maintain and protect the lication as a wetland. It was loaded with mallards, geese, heirs and snipe by the thousands. It was unreal. My family hunted there from 1902 till 2003.

#4 steel works though it will make a mess of a bird at close range.

The GW didn't ask about lead, but if he had, I had the right answer. No lead in possession while hunting waterfowl.

BURN!!!

Snipe hunting was something entirely different to me growing up too. Usually involved a burlap sack, a flashlight & a good-lookin lady

I thought "Snipe Hunting" was a joke that you play on people. Snipe really exist?

Nah. This entire thread is a huge joke.

So I started looking for snipe last season but never found any. This morning I finally found a good amount in a marsh. I was able to shoot 2 since I was duck hunting and shooting #2 and #3. Pretty fun and stoked I finally found and figured out what they are how they fly and etc. Looking forward to hunting them all up in that marsh.

A few questions:
What is the bag limit in TX? I am still looking trying to find it. (havent gotten the book out yet)
Steel or lead? Especially if you are in a marsh near water? I am assuming that if you shoot them over water you need to use steel but what if you are walking in the marsh.
What size shot? #6?
What is the best method for hunting them? Sitting at a tree, walking, etc.
Last but not least what are your favorite recipes for them. I plucked them like little cornish hens.
Thanks.

U can shoot 8 per day.
U can shoot lead, but if you are duckhunting at the same time, use steel.
Nr 7.5 ideal. To be safe u can find 7.5 steel at wallmart
Best is to jump them walking a ricefield or marsh into the wind.
When u have one down, mark the bird. They are hard to find.
If u miss a bird, they usually going down 200 yards further and u will have a second chance just like quail.
Snipe are always making a raspy noise when u jump them. Usually u wil hear them before u see them.
They are excellent to eat. Just put them in a casserole on the stove (preferabley ceramic) and slow roast them for 0.5 hour on very low heat with the lid on (otherwise they ll dry out) with wine, celery, carrots and butter. Serve them with strips of toast you made in butter in a pan. This is a recepy that was used for centuries in England. Pluck them like cornish hens. After plucking, burn them over newspaper for 30 seconds or so to torch all the light feathers u cannot even see. Leave the skin and head on. It is a delicacy by the way to crack their head open and suck their brains out. No joke! I ll pass. My dad usually plucked them and left them wrapped in newspapers in the fridge for 3 days before cooking. Do not put salt on it during the cooking, just add salt when they are done. As a matter, u should not put any salt on any meat while cooking. It shrinks the meat and makes it tough.

I always carry a box of 7.5 steel in my bag while duckhunting. If i have to go around the large pond to finish a cripple duck on the water i use 7.5. And i usually find some snipe on my way back to the blind.

8 snipe a day.

You can use lead, if you're not going to shoot ducks or geese.

I've shot at them with 4's before while duck hunting but I'd prefer something in the 6-8 range for the pattern density.

here is a smart, fast way to cook them

From the sipe forum:

http://thesnipehuntersforum.yuku.com/topic/5376/Snipe-cookery#.VG15dIhOKrU

Things to consider and check on.

Some public areas require non toxic shot for all game now. 7 steel works really well.

Some public areas do not list snipe as legal game. For example some lakes it is legal to hunt waterfowl only. Snipe are not waterfowl. APH units and WMAs that do not list "migratory birds" or "snipe" on their game list do not allow snipe hunting.

Some of the areas snipe are now listed as game is because I asked the area game managers to add them. Some I had to ask every year until they gave in. Some of those same areas i am now having to go back to ask them to add Rail now. Some game managers don't know they are legal to hunt believe it or not. So if there is a public area you hunt that has them and they are not listed; fire off emails and letters asking to the area's controlling authorities to add them.

Like beav said they'll usually fly just a little ways out. But if you are on a spot they really want to be, hang out a couple of minutes after they flush before moving on. Some will trickle back in and give you a passing dove-like shot. I went duck scouting yesterday and found a bunch of them. Had some #3 steel and got 4 all at pretty long range which I was surprised about. The lucky pellet I guess. Due to time constraints I couldn't finish up.

If you like dove with a jalapeno and bacon on the grill, snipe are just as good if not better the same way.

hello...my name is Michael....

Do they hunt Snipe in Italy?