The Unnatural Enemy

I found this book referred to in one of Gene Hill's books when he was talking about great hunting books he had read and enjoyed in his early years. I was not disappointed. Most of the stories are about bird hunting (pheasants, ducks, quail, doves, snipe, crows, etc.) and about various dogs he has had. The best chapter was definitely the account of one single day of hunting he and his dog Moon had in Iowa, trying to get his limit of pheasant. It was quite an enjoyable book to read on a winter's night sitting in front of a crackling wood fire. Bourjaily's style of prose is unique and I cannot compare him to any other author I have read. Written from the heart, he examines not only the details of the hunt, the shot and the kill, but the whole ethos of man's desire to hunt various birds and animals. One of the most useful things I learned from his book is that "a shotgun is like a paintbrush" when shooting at moving targets. Going to have to try that one at the trap range next week.