By David DiBenedetto

It’s time to announce the winner of our latest caption contest, and what a contest it was. First off, many thanks to Dexter the Dachshund for actually retrieving the bumper during our quasi-photo shoot. Who would have thought?

And big thumbs up to the gang at Zink Calls for our prize: a great Power Hen 2 duck call ($125). But let’s get on with it.

By David DiBenedetto

By David DiBenedetto

Okay, folks. The response to the last Man’s Best Friend caption contest was spectacular, and many of you expressed desire for another chance to win big. So here it comes.

We’ve got a pretty great image of, ummm, an atypical gun dog, and we need your editorial touch.

By David DiBenedetto

I’m often asked about the perks of owning a gun dog. The answers are legion, but one of the best is that I hunt more, which means more wild-bird dinners. During the season, and long after, our menu ranges from dove to ducks, and most recently quail.

As I’ve said before, I’m no chef, but my wonderful wife is a maestro in the kitchen. So I turned these birds over to her. Jenny found a recipe in a new cookbook by Chris and Idie Hastings of the Hot and Hot Fish Club in Birmingham, Alabama. Chris, whom I’ve met briefly, is a bird hunter and a dog guy—the good chef prefers setters. He’s also one hell of a cook. For our meal, Jenny handled the prep and the sides (in this case, roasted winter veggies and couscous) and I manned the grill. Here’s how we did up the birds: