A Chukar Hunter’s Companion, by Pat Wray, lives up to its name. It’s a companion you can count on for accurate information and fun. It’s a friend who’ll help get you ready for a successful hunting trip, then go along to help you enjoy it.
Wray has been humor columnist for Game and Fish Publications columnist since 1989, and as his many readers will attest, he sees life just a little differently than other people do. Wray has the heart of a hunter, the gift of a writer and an unerring sense for the best way to tell a story or describe action. His ever- present humor sparkles throughout the text. This is not just a hunter’s book; it is a reader’s pleasure.
Companion opens with well-researched information about the bird itself, its history and habitats, then launches into the book’s underpinning, the how-to section. Wray takes you from physical conditioning through the gear you’ll need, then into the hunt itself. The hunt section is a comprehensive look at the entire hunting process, from deciding on a hunt location to caring for your birds.
Wray’s 40 years of hunting experience are evident in every part of the book, the extensive section on dogs, including a chapter on hunting without dogs, the state-by-state hunting summary and a fine chapter of chukar recipes.
Wray puts most of life into a chukar hunter’s perspective. His essays, sprinkled lightly throughout the text, are funny, introspective, heartwarming and occasionally troubling. They are the spice on a wonderfully fulfilling reading experience.
