10 cool Canadian birds that belong that belong on every wingshooter’s bucket list

#7  SNIPE

At one time, snipe were a commonly hunted bird species in Canada, but for reasons I don’t fully understand, they’ve pretty much fallen off the menu for most wingshooters. Mention a snipe hunt to most folks, in fact, and they’ll likely think of that legendary prank where a dupe is tricked into trying to catch a non-existent animal called a snipe.

In my estimation, that’s not fair to snipe, as they’re truly worthy—and real—adversaries that can test the mettle of even the most avid gunner. A migratory species found in every Canadian province and territory, snipe are most often hunted by walking through damp or shallowly flooded grass or sedge flats, where they forage for worms. Exhibiting the nerves of a cat burglar, they’ll often hold tight, allowing you to walk right past them. When they do flush, however, they announce their departure with a distinctive “scaipe” sound before twisting and turning low to the ground. Resist the urge to shoot right away—their zigging and zagging is totally unpredictable—as they’ll soon lift skyward, and that’s when you want to take them.

For many, one of the challenges of hunting snipe is being able to differentiate them from other small, long-billed shorebirds. Just know you won’t find snipe in small flocks on mudflats. Instead, they’re usually found as singles, and occasionally pairs, within cover.