It's funny how meanings of words get twisted around so I'll do a little twisting
of my own without any basis in fact. As birders, most of whom will have flushed
a Snipe at one time or another, we know that this bird has a very erratic flight
path. If it is being hunted as a game bird it would probably require a well
place shot to hit it even with a shotgun. If one managed to bag quite a few of
these birds as opposed to ones companions who couldn't hit the broad side of a
barn door might he not become acquire the reputation as a "Sniper"? Synonymous
for a good shooter? Don't they use snipers in the armed forces?

Just guessing 8-)

Roger Craik
Maple Ridge BC

Ruth Taylor wrote:

> Ian, Tweets:
> The Seattle Times picked up the AP version of the this story in this
> morning's paper. It is a longer, much more humorous version. The link is
> below.
> And yes, when I started birding, I was surprised that there was such a thing
> as a snipe, because I remembered all the jokes about snipe hunts from when I
> was a kid at camp.
>
> http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/134448343_snipehunt04.html
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ian paulsen <ipaulsen at krl.org>
> To: tweeters at u.washington.edu <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
> Date: Saturday, May 04, 2002 10:15 AM
> Subject: [BIRDCHAT] Snipe & cultural misconceptions (fwd)
>
> >HI ALL:
> > Someone might find this interesting or maybe not!
> >
> >Ian Paulsen
> >Bainbridge Island, WA, USA
> >ipaulsen at krl.org
> >A.K.A.: "Birdbooker"
> >"Rallidae all the way"
> >
> >---------- Forwarded message ----------
> >Date: Sat, 4 May 2002 07:29:46 -0600
> >From: David White <drmwhite at NETS.COM>
> >To: BIRDCHAT at listserv.arizona.edu
> >Subject: [BIRDCHAT] Snipe & cultural misconceptions
> >
> >Good morning, Chatters.
> >The Associated Press reported this morning that there is a culture clash
> going on between American and British peacekeeping forces in Kabul, because
> the British chose to name a pursuit mission "Operation Snipe."
> >To the Brits, this means an organized bird shoot. To the Americans it has
> implications of a "wild goose chase." The AP reported angry reactions from
> some U.S. military personnel...
> >I knew that many people incorrectly believe snipe are nonexistent; I
> recently mentioned having seen a snipe to my Dad (born in 1910) and he was
> incredulous--having been sent to hold the bag by some older teens, when he
> was growing up in West Texas.
> >But I was surprised to see that The Dictionary of American Slang has been
> taken in--hoaxed by the hoax, as it were--as it calls snipe "a nonexistent
> animal."
> >
> >David White
> >drmwhite at nets.com
> >Santa Fe NM
> >
> >
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> >
> >