Sea Island Life Magazine Fall/Winter 2013 | Page 37

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CHASING
GENTLEMAN
BOB

lthough many years have passed,
i still clearly remember the vivid
details of a painting my parents
had in our home while growing up:
a vibrant sunset with shades of yellow and

A sport of the South,
quail hunting is rich with
tradition and history.
BY DAMON M. BANKS

of quail hunting as a father and son walk
free from the worries of the world, with only
their dogs in tow, a gun in one hand and a collection of their quail in the other. this sacred
quail hunt has been a time-honored pastime
for generations, and continues today, with the
bobwhite quail still holding its appropriate
anthropomorphism as “Gentleman Bob.”

while these species may be equally as
beautiful as they are tasty, the birds have

Rich in Tradition
Quail hunting has been a part of southern
heritage enjoyed by numerous generations,
regardless of age or class, for several hundred years. appropriately named for the bird
that has historically symbolized the sport of
southern gentry, Gentleman Bob has been a
source of common ground for many who love
the hunt and respect the tradition. these
traditions and the proper etiquette associated with quail hunting go back to the days
before smokeless powder.
Gentlemen in coats and ties were accompanied by ladies in long hunting dresses, as they
traveled by horses and wagons to the desigpointing dogs and their handlers around the
traditional side-by-side shotguns, they were in
pursuit of the next covey of quail to be discovthe exhilaration of the bobwhite quail being

the hunt has been equally as satisfying for the
farm kids armed with their father’s shotgun
with only the help of the family’s hunting dog
and a natural instinct. due to the thrill of the
hunt and the traditions passed down through
each generation, outdoor enthusiasts of all
types have been privileged with the opportunity to pursue Gentleman Bob.

The Quail Population
of adrenaline by the hunter.
the very same excitement that surrounds

florida and Mexico. while the states of south
Carolina, Georgia and alabama have the richest history when it comes to Gentleman Bob,
states such as texas, tennessee and Kansas
also have a very fond respect for the bird.
there are several other species of quail such
as the scaled, gambel’s and California quail
scattered throughout the U.s. Unlike the bobwhite, these species are typically larger, but

the beloved bobwhite quail is mostly found in
the Middle atlantic states, the Great Plains,

run, making them tricky to hunt with today’s
pointing dogs. at the end of the day, the pageantry of hunting bobwhite quail in the south
still commands a level of respect rarely found
in the world of hunting today.
relatively small, the average bobwhite quail
is 8.5 to 10.5 inches tall and seldom lives more
than a single year. they live and travel in a
small group, or covey, of eight to 25 before the
males and females begin to pair off for the
mating season. the two-note whistle the male
makes to attract a mate, as well as to signify
the boundaries of his territory, is what sounds
like “bob white.”
females lay their eggs on the ground and
cally producing two clutches each year. when

the air to confuse the predator, making it more
while the love of hunting bobwhite has still
passed through generations, their habitat has
sadly been reduced, resulting in the number
of birds becoming largely diminished. “in the
traditional southern quail states, bobwhite
populations have declined to the point where
some experts have considered listing them

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