The Great Snipe Hunt
The Great Snipe Hunt was originally released in December 2007 as a short story in the Bloodcast Season 1 podcast compilation released by author Scott Sigler.
Synopsis
Four friends from a college Biology class are told by their professor to go on a "Snipe Hunt". The professor of their class does this once a semester as a final exam, rather than having a traditional test. The purpose of the Snipe Hunt itself it to show how well prepared on would be in the field if one was preparing to monitor an animal in the wild. The group that does the best will get to go on a trip to discover a new species with their professor over the break.
In a more theoretical portion of the class, the professor explains that technically, if an animal was to evolve at such a rate and adapt to living undetected in various areas of the inner-city, they could go on living undetected. This being because any niche where life could be, life probably will be.
The "Pennyless Four" as the troupe of friends had been dubbed, set out in a more poverty stricken area of one of the four's hometown. They set up all of their equipment, which included recording devices, as well as heat and motion sensors. After a while of monitoring, the group notice movement of a rather large rodent-like creature that walked on it's hind legs. At first, the group thought it to be a highly advanced and very large rat. Upon further inspection the group notice that there are many of these highly advanced rats.
Upon using a sledgehammer to bust a whole in the wall to their hideout, they discover the place to be deserted. However they did find a shank on the floor that looked to have been crafted by someone, or something. They noticed a newspaper in the corner kept moving, and underneath it was one of the creatures, which turned out to be an animal similar to a weasel or Mustelidae Family. They are then bombarded by a large group of the creatures that are collectively holding a gun.
Much chaos and violence ensues, involving sniper induced gunshots, a car bomb, arson and a shifty newspaper in the office of the Biology professor.
The moral of the story is that some things are not seen because they do not want to be seen. Also, some of the inner-city homicides such as the shootings, stabbings, and such, are not always a result of gang violence, but of snipers covering their tracks.
Tagline
Nature abhors a vacuum. The sooner you learn this, the better off you’ll be. Too bad the students in this story don’t learn it in time.
Other
This short story was adapted to include the characters Dawn and Drew for the podcast The Dawn and Drew Show, and was simultaneously podcasted on that show.
Episode Downloads
Episode Number | Download Link | Podcast Date |
---|---|---|
The Great Snipe Hunt Part 1 | Download | May 31, 2007 |
The Great Snipe Hunt Part 2 | Download | June 12, 2007 |
The Great Snipe Hunt Part 3 | Download | July 14, 2007 |
See Also
Short Stories by Scott Sigler
A Glow in the Dark • Another Mother • Bag Man • The Case of the Haunted Safeway • The Case of the President of Hell • Chuckles Mulrooney, Attorney for the Damned • Complex God • Dale & Mabel • Dangerous Prey • Dead Man's Switch • Dear Diary • The Fifth Day of Deer Camp • Fifth Girl • The Final Blow • A Glow in the Dark • The Great Snipe Hunt • The Hate • Hero • The Hippo • The Hippo II • Iowa Typhoon • Introduction to "Plants and Animals" • Kissyman & Screamin' Jesse Dupre • Kissyman and the Succubus • Kissyman & The Last Song • Lady and the Wolf • The Last Child • The Laundry Demon • Little Murder Machine • The Love • Mister Double-M • Nosferatu, Brutus? • Number One With A Bullet • Passenger • Pink Torpedo • Plants and Animals • Public Domain • Puppet Master • Red Man • Reunion • Sacred Cow • The Sadness & Joy • The Seventh Day of Deer Camp • The Sixth Day of Deer Camp • Simple Silas • Splashing Contest • The Third Guy • Those Gaddam Cookies • Throwdown • Vacation • Victim with a Capital V • The Wolf