Making Game: An Essay on Woodcock

by Guy de la Valdene, Robert DeMott (Foreword), Russell Chatham (Illustrator)

Guy de la Valdène’s beautifully written essay (and first book) is an ode to an iconic bird, part natural history, and part hunting memoir. It’s a well-regarded and undisputed classic—an edgy, elegant examination of the habits and history of a reclusive gamebird, the Woodcock, native to Europe and North America, a bird that’s been hunted and celebrated since Roman times. Valdène writes exuberantly of the bird, the hunt, and the feast, gracefully balancing the obsessions of a naturalist, sportsman, and gourmand.

 

203 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 6, 1985

Reviews

[Ron Patch · Rating 5 out of 5]

A personal favorite.

[Jade · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciated the life history information on the American Woodcock as well as the insights into bird hunting.