Gunning Snipe on the Gulf Coast 1901

[John Allen]

I like the final comment that misses were the fault of the gunner not the gun. How true that is.

[stumpstalker]

There is a chapter on rail gunning skiffs in the book THE SEA BRIGHT SKIFF AND OTHER SHORE BOATS, by Peter J. Guthorn, Rutgers University, 1971; updated in 1982.

Quote:

“The rail does not fly high or fast so the range is less than twenty yards. Even so, the rail can be an elusive target. Guns range from 410 to 12 gauge, usually cylinder bored doubles. The more proficient gunners favor the smaller bore pieces. As gunning is limited to about two hours at each flood, downed birds are not immediately retrieved, but their location is marked.”

Guthorn references Thomas Eakins and his 1874 painting, THE ARTIST AND HIS FATHER HUNTING REED BIRDS (copied below), saying “Thomas is shown in the stern poling while Benjamin, his father, stands forward with gun ready.”

[stumpstalker]

Here is another, and more chromatic, rail gunning painting that Guthorn references in his book, by this top-tier American artist: WILL SCHUSTER AND BLACK MAN GOING SHOOTING, Thomas Eakins; 1876.

[Milton C Starr]

Originally Posted by Russell E. Cleary

Here is another, and more chromatic, rail gunning painting that Guthorn references in his book, by this top-tier American artist: WILL SCHUSTER AND BLACK MAN GOING SHOOTING, Thomas Eakins; 1876.

Heres another one of his works I saw recently about rail hunting.

[Kevin McCormack]

Originally Posted by Milton C Starr

Heres another one of his works I saw recently about rail hunting.

The description for this print is mismatched; the title of the print is "Whistling for Plover" by Eakins. Notice the stick-up decoys; they are priceless today. Most were wood but several decoy makers offered sets of hollow, half-body tin decoys boxed in a wooden carrier. Complete sets command unbelievable prices at auction.

[Stan Hillis]

Pringle's book is an amazing account of twenty years of snipe shooting. The numbers he took during the late 1800s in Louisiana are staggering. A few times he topped 300 birds per day.

[Dollar]

Snipe returned this year again but not in the numbers as last year.Still good numbers.
Last Sunday we had a good shoot with a few limits in a morning.

[Scott Gentry]

This guy came into a corn field during a winter dove hunt, what a surprise.

[Dollar]

Wonder what he was thinking, where he was going?

[Scott Gentry]

I wondered that also, the field is next to a River so I guess he was following the River. He was pretty high and I originally thought it was a woodcock until it hit the ground.