TWO DETERMINED TEXAS BIRD HUNTERS GO GUNNING FOR A DREAM IN OREGON
Michael Baughman
November 19, 1984
In an essay on
hunting, the late Canadian author Roderick Haig-Brown wrote that one virtue of
chasing after upland birds is that it takes hunters to places they otherwise
would not have gone. I think Haig-Brown was right, and I believe his premise is
especially true in regard to mountain quail. Found primarily in four Western
slates—California, Oregon, Washington and Idaho—mountain quail are surely the
most elusive game birds in North America. Here's the story of two Texans who
learned the truth of this by chasing mountain quail long and hard.
Less than 24
hours after they'd arrived, the Kimbroughs were on a southbound flight. Dick
called me at home before they left. "You got to let us give you something
for this," he said.
"I don't need
anything," I said. "I told your brother that the first time he phoned.
You can call up Rob if you want, but I'm pretty sure he feels the same about
it. I'm glad it worked out."
"What a day!
A lifetime dream come true! We'll never forget it!"
"Mountain
quail get you to places you wouldn't go otherwise."
"Did you
write that in your article?"
"A guy named
Haig-Brown wrote it a longtime ago."
"He was
right," Dick said. "By god, he was right. They damn sure do!"