A Hunter's Road

June 1, 1992
In September 1990 freelance sportswriter Fergus bird-hunted during the opening days of the sage grouse season in Wyoming, blue grouse season in Colorado and chukar season in Idaho. Five months later, this first-time author and his yellow Labrador, Sweetzer, had hunted (and retrieved) 21 species of game birds in 24 states during a 17,000-mile journey recounted here with asides providing recipes for how to cook the various catches. Man and dog tramped in woods and fields, through swamps and deserts; they observed a shoot on a private game ranch and met hunters (and dogs) from all walks of life. Fergus gives a splendid tour of the countryside and a spirited defense of hunting as a sport, sharing his worries about the growth of anti-hunting sentiment and the decline in bird population due to loss of habitat. A fine travel-and-adventure tale, both for hunters and readers who enjoy the outdoors.