Upland Autumn

Book excerpt: William Tapply was a devoted and passionate grouse hunter, who took his twenty-gauge Parker, his gundog, and a friend or two and roamed the hills and valleys of New England every autumn, seeking an elusive bird not much larger than your hand. In this collection of twenty stories, all previously published in such magazines as Field & Stream and Shooting Sportsman, Tapply takes us along as he explores new coverts, tromps through old ones, makes great shots and memorable misses, and reminisces with old friends about hunting in the good old days. Through these pages, you’ll meet Tapply’s father, a Field & Stream contributor who took young Bill along on hunts and taught him not only how to shoot, but also how to appreciate the woods, the waters, and an elusive little bird that has such a devoted following. You’ll also get to meet the friends of Bill’s father, men such as Frank Woolner and Burton Spiller, men who helped establish the traditions associated with upland bird hunting. And, of course, you’ll get to hunt with Tapply’s dogs, including Burt, his faithful Brittany. Tapply’s knack for evoking the subtle, telling details of people, places, and things will hit home with every reader. If you yearn for crisp autumn days, blazing foliage, the tinkle of a dog’s bell in thick cover, and the explosive whir as a grouse blasts into the air; if the smell of woodsmoke, apple orchards, and gunpowder stirs something in your soul; then Upland Autumn is the book for you.