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choosing to hang around with my bird dog rather than devote the time and effort needed to transform myself
into a respectable American citizen." – Jim McDermott, in "A Comfortable Range." And if you ask us, the U.S.
needs MORE citizens like him!
"Nobody can fully understand the meaning of love unless he's owned a dog. A dog can show you more honest
affection with a flick of his tail than a man can gather through a lifetime of handshakes." – Gene Hill
"Vegetarians are cool. All I eat are vegetarians - except for the occasional mountain lion steak." – Ted Nugent
“There is one vulnerable spot in the armor of my sales-resistance, one weakness that has brought me within two-
whoops-and-a-holler of the poor-house and threatened to loosen the blessed ties that bind; that has at times
warmed the cockles of my heart and at times filled me with the bile of disillusionment. I can’t help buying bird
dogs." – Havilah Babcock
"When you get a pal whom you can hunt with, eat and sleep with, drive and endure with for two or three long
days, you have a real shooting partner." – William G. Tapply in "Upland Days"
“The performance of my dogs ranges from brilliance to stupidity. So does my own (performance). They have a rare
capacity for doing fool things. So have I. I love them for their imperfections.” – Havilah Babcock
"I talk to him when I'm lonesome like; and I'm sure he understands. When he looks at me so attentively, and
gently licks my hands; then he rubs his nose on my tailored clothes, but I never say naught thereat. For the good
Lord knows I can buy more clothes, but never a friend like that." – W. Dayton Wedgefarth
"I have bought more bird dogs and know less about buying bird dogs than any other man in seven counties. It’s a
good thing the thou-shalt-not-covet commandment says nothing about dogs. I don’t give a darn about my
neighbor’s ass, but how do I envy him that high-stepping pointer!" – Havilah Babcock
"Every puppy begins by conceiving his master to be a god; it is that master’s business never to do anything to
make that dog change his mind.” – Archibald Rutledge
"I like the smell of wet dogs, northeast winds, woodcock swamps, gun oil, bourbon whisky, pipesmoke and roasting
ducks. I hope I'll always have a puppy to play with, a gun to trade and a new bird cover to try out." -- Gene Hill
"No one, I told myself, should expect a bird dog to execute, with slave-like precision, a plan drawn up by
humans." ~ Jim McDermott, in "A Comfortable Range"
"The quail hunter leaves a hierarchy of troubles and worries behind him. He is not wondering whether the bank is
going to foreclose, or when the next note will be due. He is not wondering whether he has coal enough in his
basement, whether that insurance policy has elapsed, or whether he has enough cash on hand for his next income-
tax installment. He is for the time being one of those men who are born free and equal.” – Havilah Babcock
"Properly trained, a man can be dog's best friend." ~Corey Ford
"…you’ve got to stay afield as late as the birds do, regardless of a houseful of guests, the sanguine promises you've
made to the missus, or the overdraft bank notice at home. To heck with everything when birds are feeding and fish
are biting. Stay late and lie like a dog if necessary.” – Havilah Babcock
"My goal in life is to be as good of a person my dog already thinks I am." ~Author Unknown
"I learned that grouse hunting involved miles of hard walking, a great deal of yelling at the dogs, frequent shooting,
and not much killing." – William G. Tapply in "Upland Days"
On Marriage: “There is never any disagreement between us. She does what she wants to do, and I do what she
wants to do.” – Havilah Babcock
"Whosoever loveth me, loveth my hound." – St. Sir Thomas More
“Give me a dog I can bawl out, on proper occasion, without his being mortally offended – one wiling to take
part of the blame for my mistakes.” – Havilah Babcock
"When a father can see his boy follow and fairly kill our most wary and splendid game bird, I think the Old Man has
a right to feel that his son’s education is one to be proud of. I’d far rather have a son of mine able to climb a
mountain and outwit the wary creatures of the wilderness than be able to dance the Brazilian busybody or be able
to decide whether a lavender tie will match mauve socks. These little lisping men, these modern ruins, these lazy
effeminates who could not tell you the difference between a bull and a bullet—it is not in these that the hope of
America, that the hope of humanity, lies. – Archibald Rutledge
"The great pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you,
but he will make a fool of himself too." ~Samuel Butler, Notebooks, 1912
"And so it goes in November season. It’s a time for the pleasures and delights of the old traditions, the awakening
of the young to the magic of bird and dog, and the reassurance to the not-so-young that deep contentment and
satisfaction are near at hand, for a while, in a cornfield, on a hillside, and by the edge of the water. – Gene Hill
"Don’t worry if you have birdless days. We all do. Don’t worry if your dogs have off days. They all do. Don’t
worry if you sometimes get so you couldn’t hit a bull in the posterior extremity with a horticultural implement.
Don’t we all? And don’t mind it if a covey rise flusters you. It rattles everybody who hunts for fun. And heaven
help the fellow who doesn’t!" – Havilah Babcock
I want a companion to be friendly, but not too friendly; to be talkative, but not too talkative; to have a good dog,
but not quite as good as mine; to have a sense of humor without being a humorist … I also want a companion who
is a goo shot, but not too damned good.” – Havilah Babcock
"Turbo, whoa! Damn it, come back here! Turbo, here! Hey, any of you guys see where that mongrel of a pointer
went? Naw, he's not bumping birds ... just a big runner, the way I like 'em. If you want a boot licker, get yourself
a Lab. HERE Turbo! HERE!" – Greg Bayer, Quail Point Kennels, Repeated Every Time He Hunts With His Pointer
"Maggey, whoa! Whoa! Damn it, quit chasing birds! Maggey, here! Hey, any of you guys see where that English
Setter took off to? Naw, she's not bumping birds ... those quail flushed wild, probably heard you boys jabberin'
about your wives." – Greg Bayer, QPK, Repeated Every Time He Hunts With His English Setters
"There's another point, boys! How many coveys is that this morning, four or five? Notice how staunch she is? At
least your setters and pointers are backing the way they should. In a bit here, I'll pick up my Brittany so your dogs
have a shot at pinning a bird or two. I imagine they've gotten enough practice honoring points for a day. Now,
go ahead and flush those birds. They should be 35-40 yards out in front of her. Sorry she's crowding 'em like that,
but the wind is at her back." – Greg Bayer, QPK, Repeated Every Time He Hunts His Brittanys
"I have made a point (never mind the obvious self-sacrifice) of not only permitting but encouraging my wife to
pick and clean every bird I bring home ... I'm sure that part of the deep pleasure my wife exhibits in serving rabbit
stew is the fact that I bought her a nice light skinning knife for her last birthday and taught her how to use it." –
Gene Hill, The Happy Wife
"A pup is a perfect blend of love and worry. A pup brings a happy sense of purpose and adventure for all the
days to come. A pup can make the aches and pains of time fade away by just watching him worry a bone out
from under the good chair. A pup asleep on the foot of the bed is the perfect guardian against the fears of the
night. A pup is a baby that takes care of you ... a mischievous reason for wanting to see tomorrow ... an excuse
for a walk in a soft rain ... a reason to laugh again ... even someone special to cook for." – Gene Hill, A Christmas
List
"Guns, like love, cannot be measured with numbers. It's common knowledge to the student of modern sociology
that the more guns a man owns the more happily married he tends to be." – Gene Hill, How Many Guns Are
Enough?
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