2 sprigs 5 snipe Saronson Nov 13, 1977 Took my class out Saturday on the annual excursion to Gray Lodge Refuge. Very little water on the refuge and few birds - perhaps 30,000 at most. Came back to the duck club at 5 PM and had a delicious duck dinner with Jed and Woody. Sunday morning was flat calm at daylight. A nice westerly breeze at 4:30 died away. There were lots of birds on the pond but after we flushed them practically none came back. I had one shot in no. 4 just at shooting time and two other chances at singles. Ended up with a pair of snipe. Again the substantial number of snipe we heard jumping on the way to the blinds was completely gone before daylight. Watched marsh hawks cruising the south end all morning and they did not jump a single snipe. Woody and I went over most of Joe's pond without seeing one bird. What the hell is going on? Are they all taking to the plowed fields? After lunch we worked hard in N end of Brown Run and got 13 snipe between us. Again we saw birds settling in the dry clods. I followed Woody home. He counted 11 bestrels, I got 12. Good double check.