A gunny sack, also known as a "gunny shoe," is an inexpensive bag made of burlap usually formed from jute or other natural fibers, although modern sacks are often made from polypropylene; the "gunny" portion of the name ultimately descends from Sanskrit guṇa, "thread"/"fiber," by way of imperial British corruption of that word's descendants in later Indian languages.
Jim Vitti, author of The Cubs on Catalina, told of Hansen's trip to the bottom of a canyon on the island, led by two teammates who gave him a burlap bag and disappeared, ostensibly to flush out the snipe.