After a few hours we had gathered about 700 snails. We were careful to keep only the ones of good size and health. The small ones were returned to the grasses. We weren't all that worried that they would go too far before the next season began. A bag full of snails is not particularly appetising.
Preparation is another art entirely.
You don't just pop a snail in the oven and expect a meal. They are placed in a huge pot of cold water, then slowly brought to the boil. This causes the snails to exit their shells, which saves having to prise them out with a fork. They are boiled again to remove any slime and dirt and then bagged in dozen lots. Needless to say, we ate snails that night.