Ronnie and I went to High School together and worked at the grocery store for several years through High School and Junior College. We were about 4 months away from JUCO graduation into the world of big people. He was a great friend but was a little unconfident in the world and too trusting. Several of us co-workers planned a Saturday night camp-out. We promised each other not to discuss with outsiders our possible night hunt because we were not going to purchase the license just for one night. No one would ever know.
As we got excited, the planning got more elaborate. Ronnie wanted to bring his 13 year old cousin when we mentioned a Snipe hunt. Ronnie had never been in the woods – ever. So now we had a purpose, to teach Ronnie how to snipe hunt! God, that was sauce spilling all over that cook-out!
The three of us taught the two of them how to spread their legs with the croaker sacks between them. At the right moment they would turn on their flashlights pointing into the sack openings so the birds would run into them.
We went in search of a flock. The Florida Snipe are tall white nocturnal birds that cannot fly. We tied white rags on the ends of the walking sticks needed to beat the brush during the bird round-up. After 15 minutes we were pushing a flock towards them where they were standing on the only dry ground in the marsh. Then it happened.
The beaters got into a huge argument because one of us spooked off the flock just as they saw the birds and flipped on their lights. That argument almost broke up the camp-out. But we settled down and had to go back further to get behind the flock to drive them again. This was going to take a little longer.
Of course, when we explained it all, we had turned the sticks upside down and had the rags hidden in our hands while holding our sticks. In order to get behind the flock we walked, then ran, back to the campfire. We laughed, drank sodas, ate a case of Oreos and told our best. An hour later the two matriculated hunters joined us.
They have us on a global Snipe Hunt Folks. Know that. How long will you "stand to" while holding the bag?
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Up Next: Part III. How To Let The Government Finance Your Survival.
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