I loaded the old pointer and was about to invite the adolescent sinner into the car. Rebel had behaved so badly on our last hunt that nothing he could do would alter Paul’s judgement, and my friend was quick to remind me of the pup’s turpitude.

Like mankind, domesticated canines make mistakes and develop habits that need redemption. Oh, the shame that a man, or a dog, can be defined by an indiscretion made on the worst day of his otherwise exemplary life.

Ingredients
4 quail, dressed and split down the backbone
1 pinch salt
1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
4-6 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pint fresh strawberries, washed, stemmed and cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 head, baby Frisee lettuce, cut, washed and dried
1 cup parsley leaves, washed, dried and torn into pieces
1 bulb fennel, trimmed and cut into very thin julienne slices
2 ounces Marcona almonds, roasted and salted
Directions
1 In a shallow baking dish add 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1 pinch cayenne pepper, 1/4 teaspoon fennel seed, 1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. Stir to combine.
2 Press the quail on a cutting board with your hand to flatten the birds. Add the birds to the baking dish and evenly coat the quail with the mixture. Let marinate for about 1 hour turning once or twice.
3 Place the remaining vinegar and oil in a small bowl. Add the strawberries and a pinch of salt and pepper. Let marinate for 1 hour.
4 Heat the grill. The fire should be moderately hot.
5 Lift the quail out of the marinade and pat dry. Brush the grill grates with a small amount of cooking oil. Grill the quail, breast side down, for about 3-4 minutes. Turn the quail and finish the cooking, about 3-4 more minutes. If the quail are getting too dark, move them to the side of the grill so they do not burn. Let the quail rest while making the salad.
6 In a salad bowl place the Frisee, parsley leaves and fennel. Add 2-3 teaspoons of the strawberry balsamic mixture and toss well to dress the salad.
7 Divide salad greens among 4 plates. Remove the strawberries from marinade and arrange them around greens. Place a quail on the greens and drizzle with a little more balsamic dressing-marinade. Sprinkle with roasted almonds.

Lars Jacob is turkey hunting, everything he does revolves around shotgunning. He’s likely to be in the Covey & Nye gun shop in Manchester, Vt., searching for the exact gun that will make a customer smile. Other times he provides shooting instruction and gun fittings at the Dutch River Club, an adjunct property owned by Covey & Nye.