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A Hunter's Fireside Book: Tales of Dogs, Ducks, Birds & Guns
A Hunter’s Fireside Book, originally published in 1972, is a timeless celebration of the hunting and outdoorsman lifestyle. For decades, Gene Hill’s articles and books have captured the spirit of the outdoors in a way that inspires and entertains millions of readers.
Hill writes with a deft wit and a rich nostalgia for days past. The bond between a man and his gun, a man and his dog, and a man and his woods, is unlike any other. Hill uses humor, wisdom, and passion to give voice to experiences, memories, and loves shared by so many sportsmen for their craft, their pastime, their lifestyle. A Hunter’s Fireside Book captures the essence of the life of a sportsman and explores the full spectrum of the hunter’s experience: from sunrises in the duck blind, to an unforgettable hunter’s moon, to the camaraderie of men who know the pleasures of being wet and cold and a little bit lost.
Articulate and sophisticated, yet down-to-earth and accessible, Hill’s writing makes him a fan-favorite amongst hunting enthusiasts of all ages. He writes with an infectious reverence for the age-old relationship of man and nature—readers will hardly be able to put this book down.
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.
Hill writes with a deft wit and a rich nostalgia for days past. The bond between a man and his gun, a man and his dog, and a man and his woods, is unlike any other. Hill uses humor, wisdom, and passion to give voice to experiences, memories, and loves shared by so many sportsmen for their craft, their pastime, their lifestyle. A Hunter’s Fireside Book captures the essence of the life of a sportsman and explores the full spectrum of the hunter’s experience: from sunrises in the duck blind, to an unforgettable hunter’s moon, to the camaraderie of men who know the pleasures of being wet and cold and a little bit lost.
Articulate and sophisticated, yet down-to-earth and accessible, Hill’s writing makes him a fan-favorite amongst hunting enthusiasts of all ages. He writes with an infectious reverence for the age-old relationship of man and nature—readers will hardly be able to put this book down.
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.
176 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1972
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
June 21, 2021
I love books on dogs, and through that have come to love books about hunting with dogs. This book bills itself as 'Tales of dogs, ducks, birds & guns' but the dog parts are a little too light for me, and the gun part is very heavy. That being said, I really enjoyed the book.
The author was middle aged when the book was published in 1972 so has this great feel for a different age. Or rather a different world from someone like me who doesn't hunt or spend so much time outdoors. He has a great way of just appreciating the day and the beauty of the outdoors. Great in a way that I want to re-read it again on a regular basis and will copy some excerpts from it to add to my list of favorite quotes.
His love of shotguns is so strong it makes you want to start a collection. I never knew all that went into that. The chapter 'A helping hand' is especially good one, where the wife of someone who is interesting in taking up the sport asks how much it would cost.
The chapter on 'Rain' is one of my favorites.
I saw another reviewer who rated it low saying it felt a little 'I love Lucy.' That comes from his references to his wife and kids that indicate they seem to take second fiddle to his love of hunting and collecting guns. That is a valid discussion on priorities of life. But I think people should not judge a book from the past in the same way as a book written today. You can learn from the past and not be offended by it. People are very easily influenced by their time and their sources of information.
In summary, if you want a good book, read it, if you want a good book on hunting, definitely read it, if you want a good book on dogs, I would have a LOT of other ones to recommend.
The author was middle aged when the book was published in 1972 so has this great feel for a different age. Or rather a different world from someone like me who doesn't hunt or spend so much time outdoors. He has a great way of just appreciating the day and the beauty of the outdoors. Great in a way that I want to re-read it again on a regular basis and will copy some excerpts from it to add to my list of favorite quotes.
His love of shotguns is so strong it makes you want to start a collection. I never knew all that went into that. The chapter 'A helping hand' is especially good one, where the wife of someone who is interesting in taking up the sport asks how much it would cost.
The chapter on 'Rain' is one of my favorites.
I saw another reviewer who rated it low saying it felt a little 'I love Lucy.' That comes from his references to his wife and kids that indicate they seem to take second fiddle to his love of hunting and collecting guns. That is a valid discussion on priorities of life. But I think people should not judge a book from the past in the same way as a book written today. You can learn from the past and not be offended by it. People are very easily influenced by their time and their sources of information.
In summary, if you want a good book, read it, if you want a good book on hunting, definitely read it, if you want a good book on dogs, I would have a LOT of other ones to recommend.
October 12, 2019
Gene Hill is a fantastic outdoor writer. If you like dogs and enjoy wing shooting this book is a great way to spend the offseason. There are hilarious stories and some very emotional ones. It's divided up in very short chapters as it is a compilation of articles he wrote for field magazines. Highly recommend.
January 11, 2021
Great collection of short stories. If you like guns, hunting, or dogs this is a book for you!
September 8, 2011
Several of Gene Hill's hunting tales previously published in hunting and fishing magazines. Entertaining reading.
November 10, 2021
Another audible. Made me envy the relationship a sportsman can have with a trusty bird dog
April 12, 2019
I purchased my printing in 1989 and read it in it’s entirety at that time. Over the years, I have referred back to several specific short stories or shuffled through to sparsely read certain selections. I thoroughly enjoy Hill’s dry sense of humor and the ability to point to ridiculous idiosyncrasies peculiar only to seasoned shooters and bird hunters.
I read again, from cover to cover and enjoyed every page!
I read again, from cover to cover and enjoyed every page!
February 13, 2009
This was a very enjoyable collection of short (2-3 pages) pieces from Gene Hill, a columnist for Sports Afield. I read the book cover to cover, though it could just as easily be enjoyed as a coffee table book, picked up and sampled randomly.
March 7, 2021
Dated. In a bad way. Not without merit... the tone is just very "I love Lucy" for much of the book.
Big props to Hill though for his very much before his time view on conservation and the optics of hunting as viewed by the general public
Big props to Hill though for his very much before his time view on conservation and the optics of hunting as viewed by the general public
February 9, 2025
While some of the stories feel a bit dated, they are all wonderful reads. They range from several pages to a single paragraph in length; perfect bathroom or bedtime reading. Wonderful prose by a master of outdoor writing.
June 4, 2022
A collection of essays on hunting and bird dogs written by Gene Hill. Hill does a great job of making his stories connect with, as well as educating, the reader. Oftentimes he does this through humor. Hill's descriptions of his dogs and his hunting adventures puts the reader "right there".
September 29, 2022
A lovely, mellow, good-natured and good humoured collection of quips, pondering, and advice from a hunter of yesteryear. The writing is of its time, and we would balk at the slapstick sexism and stereotyping today - but overall, this was an incredibly comforting read.
July 8, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A simple read with profound and emotive observation throughout the “out of doors” lifestyle! An evergreen collection depicting the classic humor, charm, and allure that only Gene Hill possess.
December 12, 2022
Hunters and their dogs, firesides and their whiskey. Cozy birddog stories.
May 8, 2024
This book is pure GOLD, and speaks to my soul!
September 19, 2024
Required reading for those who enjoy sporting literature and short stories. Gene Hill is on the Mount Rushmore of outdoor writing.
October 3, 2024
Nice collection of articles written by Gene over his career. I listened on Audible.
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August 23, 2018Great book of essays regarding: Dogs, Ducks, Birds & Guns. Poignant, charming, sad, uplifting, and certainly funny. What a great talent.
"A grown man walking in the rain with a sodden bird dog at his heels who can smile at you and say with the kind of conviction that brings the warmth out in the open, “I’d rather be here, doing this, right now, than anything else in the world,” is the man who has discovered that the wealth of the world is not something that is merely bought and sold."
I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I am a sucker for tales about dogs and he writes of them with comedy and grace. His penchant for collecting guns is lost on me tho. Had he wrote of collecting fishing tackle, I'd be all in.
"A grown man walking in the rain with a sodden bird dog at his heels who can smile at you and say with the kind of conviction that brings the warmth out in the open, “I’d rather be here, doing this, right now, than anything else in the world,” is the man who has discovered that the wealth of the world is not something that is merely bought and sold."
I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I am a sucker for tales about dogs and he writes of them with comedy and grace. His penchant for collecting guns is lost on me tho. Had he wrote of collecting fishing tackle, I'd be all in.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews