Dalva's OK there in January, unless you get a few days of unusually warm weather.
My best friend from college (Heathrow, north of Orlando) has been hunting labs regularly at Merritt Island and up and down the St. Johns from west of Fellsmere all the way up to Salt Lake on Thanksgiving weekend every year. (I tell him to not to take the dog during teal season but he won't listen). But that St. Johns watershed damn sure has some big lizards in it.
He and I hunted snipe together walking the perimeter of small backwater ponds on the FL side of Lake Seminole (Apalachee WMA) back in the 80's while in college. Sometimes we'd spend an hour jumping them after a morning ringneck shoot on open water nearby. Sometimes before an afternoon wood duck hunt in those ponds and sloughs, or before an afternoon dove hunt in scrub pines along the edge of one of the backwater sloughs. They're quirky, good flyers and tasty.
I’ve hunted labs in the St. John’s for most of my of life. It’s tough to leave a dog at home, but sometimes it’s the right thing to do. As I’ve matured as a hunter and as a man, I’ve left fewer dogs at home. Not because I hunt more, but because I hunt less. I would rather drink coffee on the porch than watch a sunrise without the dog.
Snipe used to be secondary game—the stretch-of-the-legs after a duck hunt. Today, I’d take a snipe hunt over most things, including a pile of dabblers.
Good stuff.
Never seen a snipe over 4 oz, they must eat well around your hunting spots.
I miss hunting them in one good spot we had in Vermont. Haven't come across any spots to hunt them here in Maine.
Or the author is bad at guessing the weight of small birds. I’ll correct it, but don’t tell anyone about our stud snipe here in Central Florida.
Thanks for the read, John!
Dalva's OK there in January, unless you get a few days of unusually warm weather.
My best friend from college (Heathrow, north of Orlando) has been hunting labs regularly at Merritt Island and up and down the St. Johns from west of Fellsmere all the way up to Salt Lake on Thanksgiving weekend every year. (I tell him to not to take the dog during teal season but he won't listen). But that St. Johns watershed damn sure has some big lizards in it.
He and I hunted snipe together walking the perimeter of small backwater ponds on the FL side of Lake Seminole (Apalachee WMA) back in the 80's while in college. Sometimes we'd spend an hour jumping them after a morning ringneck shoot on open water nearby. Sometimes before an afternoon wood duck hunt in those ponds and sloughs, or before an afternoon dove hunt in scrub pines along the edge of one of the backwater sloughs. They're quirky, good flyers and tasty.
Good stuff, Chad.
Thanks for the read, AJ.
I’ve hunted labs in the St. John’s for most of my of life. It’s tough to leave a dog at home, but sometimes it’s the right thing to do. As I’ve matured as a hunter and as a man, I’ve left fewer dogs at home. Not because I hunt more, but because I hunt less. I would rather drink coffee on the porch than watch a sunrise without the dog.
Snipe used to be secondary game—the stretch-of-the-legs after a duck hunt. Today, I’d take a snipe hunt over most things, including a pile of dabblers.
Not waking up at 0330 helps the cause, for sure.
🫶