"Houdini-ed"

Three generations of hunters walking through the woods and sharing a duck blind is the best Wintergreen can offer. When I met Boyce at the clubhouse he introduced me to Bray’s Island and Cherokee hunting guide Jaime Cook, Jaime’s family and a chocolate lab escape artist known as “Houdini.” Jaime came to Wintergreen, like many hunters do, for a overnight, Quail hunt in the afternoon/ Duck hunt the following morning. And after our first sweep of the field for quail, “Houdini” had chewed through the bottom half of his dog kennel and sat anxiously awaiting our arrival at the truck.


A closer inspection of his crate revealed numerous repairs from previous escapes. Pieces of wood patched here, metal brackets there, and a 6 foot heavy chain were all signs of Houdini’s spectacular career. As I laid the contents of my vest on the back of the truck, I realized the dog wasn’t the only one who had pulled a Houdini on us.

Jaime has worked dogs before and knows this game well. Birds that run, muddle the scent making it difficult for a dog to pinpoint its location. And a bird that hunkers down after dodging a gauntlet of shotgun pellets can give a dog hell trying to find it. Sometimes the best strategy is hunt your way back to the truck, water your dog, and let the birds settle.





As the sun hung close to the horizon, we finished our afternoon chasing down the birds that had escaped us earlier. And Houdini had two little kids positioned as chaperones back at the truck. I enjoyed hunting with Jaime, talking shop, and watching him teach his children the importance of having a safe hunt. In many cases, gun safety is something passed on from generation to generation. But just because your father taught you well, doesn’t mean someone else’s father did the same. So I was glad to see Jaime putting such an emphasis on safety whether you’re carry a gun or not.

“Its just a bird, let it go. Its not worth shooting a dog or someone else”

Jaime’s Grilled Quail

Whole quail marinated in Game Tame and Italian dressing

Grilled, wrapped in bacon.