A Fall of Woodcock : a Season''s Worth of Tales on Hunting a Most Elusive Little Game Bird

“A fall of woodcock into a covert you have either chosen or to which you have been directed is a magic all its own," Tom Huggler writes in this book devoted to the woodcock and to those who await the return to their favorite coverts each autumn. This book, with a new introduction by Charley Waterman, casts a similar spell as it chronicles Tom's travels to New England, the Maritimes, Maine, Louisiana, then back to his beloved Michigan in search of a better understanding of the woodcock, and finally, a better understanding of himself. Like the annual migratory flights of the woodcock, A Fall of Woodcock follows no particular line, but rather meanders along the main currents and causeways of Huggler's life, dropping down here and there in places that both sustain it and give it meaning. It covers his early hunting years, old friends and new ones, four-legged partners, woodcock researchers, and a visit with H. G. “Tap" Tapply. Huggler also traces his evolution from a run-and-gun birder to a slower but surer hunter who sets his own pace and his own bag limits. Those familiar with the magic and mystery of the American woodcock are sure to find a kindred spirit here. Skyhorse Publishing is proud to publish a broad range of books for hunters and firearms enthusiasts. We publish books about shotguns, rifles, handguns, target shooting, gun collecting, self-defense, archery, ammunition, knives, gunsmithing, gun repair, and wilderness survival. We publish books on deer hunting, big game hunting, small game hunting, wing shooting, turkey hunting, deer stands, duck blinds, bowhunting, wing shooting, hunting dogs, and more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home. A hunter travels about the United States and Canada to speak with woodcock hunters, guides and researchers, gathering information on the little game bird. “A fall of woodcock into a covert you have either chosen or to which you have been directed is a magic all its own,” Tom Huggler writes in this book devoted to the woodcock and to those who await the return to their favorite coverts each autumn. This book, with a new introduction by Charley Waterman, casts a similar spell as it chronicles Tom’s travels to New England, the Maritimes, Maine, Louisiana, then back to his beloved Michigan in search of a better understanding of the woodcock—and a better understanding of himself. Just as the migratory flights of the woodcock follow no particular path, A Fall of Woodcock meanders along the main currents and causeways of Huggler’s own life, taking readers with him on an unforgettable, and sometimes unpredictable, journey. Readers will learn about his early hunting influences and will meet his friends (both old and new), his four-legged partners, and various woodcock researchers. Writer H.G. “Tap” Tapply also makes an appearance. And as Huggler’s voyage takes him from place to place, he uncovers many riveting revelations about his own life. “Tom Huggler’s A Fall of Woodcock evokes the joy that sensible men reserve for the flight of feathered fancies.” —Guy de la Valdene, author of The Fragrance of Grass “A Fall of Woodcock depicts a world caught at its best, encompassing everything that we who love autumn’s poignant glories dream about during other seasons: shortening days, knowing dogs, mysterious birds, fine guns, good companions, beauty, and mortality. Add good meals and good conversation, life on the road, and even a little science and conservation, and you have the best book on American woodcock, the philosopher’s game bird, ever written.” —Steve Bodio, author of Querencia and Eagle Dreams Front Cover; Title Page; Copyright Page; Contents; Acknowledgments; Introduction by Charley Waterman; Prologue; 1 Fledglings; 2 Partners; 3 New England; 4 The Maritimes; 5 Maine; 6 A 28-Gauge Tribute; 7 Louisiana; 8 Michigan; 9 Bird Camp; 10 Researchers; 11 Old Hands; Epilogue; About the Author; About the Artist.;Tom Huggler is author of several books and a hunter with a lifetime of experiences. He is an expert writer of hunting and fishing manuals and stories, such as his books Upland Bird Hunting Handbook and Quail Hunting in America. He has hunted a variety of game across several continents and currently resides Lansing, Michigan. Charley F. Waterman is the author of Hunting Upland Birds, Modern Fresh & Salt Water Fly Fishing, and Gun Dogs & Bird Guns: A Charley Waterman Reader . He lived in Livingston, Montana.