Game Birds and Game Fishes of the Pacific Coast

In Short

Written in 1913 by an experienced outdoorsman, this field guide catalogs the game birds and sport fishes of the Pacific Coast. Harry Thom Payne surveys upland birds, waterfowl, shorebirds, salmon, trout, and ocean giant species, blending technical classifications with practical field craft. Rather than offering an academic study, the book serves as a utilitarian manual for active hunters and anglers. It captures an era when conservation laws, state hunting licenses, and dedicated sports resorts like Catalina Island and Monterey's Hotel Del Monte were actively reshaping American outdoor life.

The Story

The book opens with an introduction that sets its scope and purpose. Payne points out that state licensing laws have revealed that nearly twenty percent of the Pacific Coast’s population over the age of fifteen are active sportsmen. To serve this massive audience, Payne designs a plain-spoken guide that eschews excessive technical terminology in favor of practical advice, supplemented by photographic illustrations and organized family reference diagrams.

From there, Payne launches into an exhaustive survey of upland game birds. He begins with quail, elevating the California valley quail above all other American species for its intelligence and tactical cleverness in the field. He examines its diet through crop data, explains its ability to temporarily withhold scent in the air, and details its breeding habitats. He then covers introduced species like the bobwhite, which adapted rapidly to the Pacific Northwest, and the Mongolian pheasant, which thrived in Oregon while failing to establish itself in dry California. He continues through various grouse, including the Oregon ruffed grouse and the Canadian ruffed grouse, describing their distinct coloration, nest structures, and behavioral quirks.

Next, Payne turns his attention to waterfowl and shorebirds. He distinguishes fresh-water ducks from salt-water species by their foot structures, specifically noting the small web flap on the hind toe of salt-water birds. He details the range, plumage, and nesting of the ubiquitous mallard, the wood duck, the fulvous tree-duck, and northern visitors like the golden-eye and lesser snow goose. He moves through cranes, rails, and shorebirds like the mountain plover and snowy plover, tracking their feeding habits along the surf and open plains.

The narrative then shifts beneath the surface to the rivers, lakes, and oceans. Payne provides a deep dive into salmon and trout, analyzing the life cycles of the chinook, sock-eye, silver, and hump-back salmon. He tackles the period debate surrounding the origin of the steelhead, arguing that steelheads are simply sea-run versions of cutthroat or rainbow trout altered by ocean feeding.

Finally, the book ventures into marine angling, celebrating the sport found in the Santa Barbara Channel, Catalina Island, and Monterey Bay. Payne describes monstrous deep-sea catches, including the fierce leaping tuna, the formidable swordfish, the giant black sea bass, and the agile barracuda. He closes by highlighting premier angling destinations like the Hotel Del Monte, where historic California meets world-class salmon fishing, leaving the reader with a full picture of the West Coast's aquatic and avian life.

How It Unfolds

The sportsman’s census Payne introduces the book by highlighting that state licensing laws prove nearly one-fifth of the Pacific Coast population engages in outdoor sport. He outlines his goal: to create a clear, accessible guide written from a practical sportsman's perspective rather than an academic one.

Upland game and the supreme quail The guide surveys upland birds, crowning the California valley quail as the finest game bird in North America. Payne breaks down its diet, nesting habits, and tactical evasiveness, while detailing other species like the imported bobwhite, Mongolian pheasant, and timber-dwelling grouse.

Ducks, geese, and marsh waders Transitioning to aquatic birds, Payne explains how to differentiate fresh-water and salt-water ducks by their hind toes. He details the seasonal migrations, body measurements, and egg counts of mallards, golden-eyes, tree-ducks, geese, and small shorebirds running the ocean surf.

Salmon cycles and the steelhead debate Focusing on fresh waters, Payne covers the major salmon species before addressing the true identity of the steelhead. He argues that steelheads are not a distinct species, but rather sea-run rainbow or cutthroat trout transformed by ocean feeding.

Big game of the Pacific waters The guide concludes in the ocean, detailing heavy-tackle sea fishing off Catalina Island and Del Monte. Payne describes battling immense game fish like the tuna, swordfish, and 400-pound black sea bass, showcasing the region as a world-class resort for anglers.

The People

Harry Thom Payne The author and main voice of the book, Payne is a seasoned West Coast sportsman and field observer. He wants to educate the rapidly growing population of hunters and anglers using clear, unpretentious language. Payne is driven by a deep practical knowledge gained from decades of hunting and fishing across North America, using his firsthand experiences to challenge academic theories about bird behavior and fish biology.

The California Valley Quail Praise as the undisputed monarch of upland game, this bird is treated almost as a central character. It wants to evade hunters using dense cover, running strategy, and an ability to temporarily suppress its scent in mid-air. It stands out for its supreme gameness and resourcefulness, resisting even experienced hunting dogs.

The Mongolian Pheasant An acclimatized subject that illustrates environmental adaptation. It demands a cold winter climate and abundant insect life during chick-rearing to survive. While it failed to adapt to California’s dry heat, it thrived in Oregon and Washington, eventually migrating north into British Columbia in obedience to its primal instincts.

The Steelhead Trout A central figure in Payne's biological argument, the steelhead represents nature's adaptability. It seeks food and growth in the open ocean, transforming its appearance, scale count, and size before returning to fresh-water streams, challenging the formal classifications of early twentieth-century ichthyologists.

In Its Own Voice

"After years of experience with all of the upland birds of the United States and half of Mexico, I do not hesitate to pronounce the California quail the chief of them all in gameness, in resourcefulness, and in its general adaptability to furnish the highest form of upland shooting."

Payne asserts his authority as a veteran field observer when evaluating the premier game bird of the Pacific Coast.

"When he was turned loose in the Pacific Northwest he cast his bright little eyes about him and remarked to himself: 'This looks good to me. Bobwhite, get busy at once in raising big families and settle up your new domain.'"

The author captures the remarkably successful introduction of the eastern bobwhite to Western habitats with a touch of lighthearted anthropomorphism.

"The salmon is a surface fighter, leaping high into the air when he finds himself impaled; and this sight of his beautiful sides, scintillating in the sunlight, quickens the pulsations of the heart of the angler and gives zest to the sport."

Payne describes the sheer physical thrill of ocean angling off the California coast.

What It's Really About

Beneath its catalog of feathers, scales, and measurements, Game Birds and Game Fishes of the Pacific Coast is an argument for the thoughtful, informed outdoorsman. Written during the dawn of modern conservation, the book reflects a transitional moment in American history when wild game was moving from a commercial resource to a regulated, sporting one. Payne argues that true sportsmanship requires precise knowledge of animal habits, diet, and migration rather than blind luck or brute force. He emphasizes how climate and food supply dictate species survival, cautioning against futile introduction efforts like planting pheasants in dry climates. Ultimately, the book asserts that field experience provides a vital, practical truth about nature that formal academic science often overlooks.

Why Read It Today

Modern readers interested in environmental history, ecology, or angling will find this volume a fascinating period piece. Payne’s writing is clean, direct, and delightfully free of modern marketing jargon. It offers a vivid snapshot of California and the Pacific Northwest in 1913, capturing a landscape where giant black sea bass were pulled from Catalina waters on heavy hand lines and vast flocks of waterfowl filled the Central Valley.

Readers should be prepared for the realities of early twentieth-century outdoor writing. The book contains granular physical descriptions—down to feather markings, wing measurements, and stomach-content analysis—that may feel tedious to non-enthusiasts. Furthermore, it unabashedly reflects the era's hunting ethos, complete with bag limits that seem astonishingly high by modern conservation standards and a clear focus on killing game for sport and the table. Yet for those who appreciate natural history, Payne's genuine love for the West Coast wilderness, his sharp observational skills, and his authentic field wisdom make this guide a rewarding, historically rich read.