Shooting truly wild birds in a truly wild location is what makes woodcock and snipe over dogs so exciting.
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It’s a rural myth that woodcock live in the trees: long heather provides cover, making these challenging birds a sporting target when flushed over dogs on the open hill. Besides being home to a resident population, Lewis is on the Scandinavian flight path, luring woodcock in numbers to shores warmed by the gulf stream.
The second punch in this left and right is provided by the smallest bird on the quarry list, the snipe. The Hebrides are a paradise for these elusive waders, with 15% of the UK’s freshwater surface area to 1.3% of its landmass. The combination of speed and diminutive size makes this among the most testing of birds.
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