JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The folklore surrounding snipe hunting as a practical joke played on gullible, inexperienced campers has been around for so long that some people don’t realize snipe are real birds. “There are so many great reasons to hunt snipe,” said Mark McBride, a biologist for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Only minimal hunting gear is needed, and they taste great.”Snipe season in Florida runs Nov. 1 to Feb. 15 and there are several wildlife management areas in Florida that offer good snipe hunting opportunities. The best snipe hunting WMAs contain wetlands with low cover around the edges, and the banks along Lake Okeechobee and the Kissimmee and upper St. John’s rivers are traditional snipe hunting hotbeds. Not much gear is required when snipe hunting and most hunters choose #8 or #9 shot size in their shotguns.