BACKSTORY

For years I have had on the back burners of desire the yearning to do a story which plays out over several seasons, and heralds the head-on clash between a truly great grouse dog, and an equally wily and gifted old wisdom bird grouse. Which, in fiction or fact, is spectacular. Arguably the most spectacular of any genre in upland sporting lore. A story told by the dog and the bird, by the antagonists themselves. A story told blow-by-blow as two indomitable warriors battle it out amid the splendor of the grouse woods, so equally matched that they fall to a draw time and again. Until comes the day, hour and minute the duel is finally brought to a crashing climax, where one at last prevails and one succumbs. A story in which a human presence is incidental, as truthfully it is when such warriors meet, and a man or woman simply watches in awe as the play unfolds, just thankful to be there, just thankful to hold a ticket to see the show.

The yearning gained irresistible impetus one evening a few years back in Minnesota at Steve Grossman's venerable and legendary little cover-bird chapel, Little Moran, as - after everyone else had retired - Steve and I sat before a flickering fire, and he related an iconic match between Mack, one of the five greatest dogs in the 30 year history of his Grouse Camp, and the similarly incredible and canny old swamp grouse that tried his mettle as no other. So much that watching it unfold, as Steve said, "was like watching two all-time great antagonists duke it out on the brink of a cliff, so evenly matched you held your breath to see which of the two would ultimately topple, while admiring each so supremely you really hoped it could be neither."

From a few such thoughts a timeless story is sometimes born, and taking this small tale as a nucleus, I set out to attempt the task, knowing the time was at hand to plot and set it fully to word and paper. The humble effort is DUEL ON TABERNACLE MOUNTAIN, written for dog people especially. Particularly seasoned grouse hunters who know intimately the genius of a great dog and the superlative wit of the "King of Game Birds," the ruffed grouse, and will know as acutely how closely I have succeeded in telling their story. Though I believe it to be, as well, a tale that anyone who loves dogs, birds, and the upland shooting life will relish, anyone who loves the magic and mystery that happen when the trilogy finds its finest hour.

I wanted to bind it to a small, heirloom quality, limited edition that could comfortably be read fireside in one evening, should this be one's desire, or savored over the expanse of several.

As a final note, Duel On Tabernacle Mountain was printed in preview, in greatly condensed version, in Sporting Classics magazine. This is the full, unabridged novella.

                                                                                                                        Mike Gaddis