Brief bits of wisdom, aphorisms, and proverbs are sometimes called pearls because they are precious and valuable. (These are the kinds of pearls you wouldn’t want to give to the swine, would you?) Ben Franklin, the man who invented getting struck by lightning, was a master of using these sayings, many of which he published in Poor Richard’s Almanack.

I am no polymath like Franklin, and I don’t even know if he was a quail hunter. I have hunted the birds for over half a century, so naturally I have amassed a lot of pearls and bits of advice from hands-on experience. The following ones I share with you freely and with affection:

• You can always go back and find the stuff you take off, but you can’t always go back and get the stuff you didn’t wear.

• Never bird hunt in boots that are not broken in or don’t fit.

• Doctor your hemorrhoids before you go hunting.

• Never take your grumbling brother bird hunting.

• It is easier to get forgiveness from your wife than it is to get her approval in advance.

• The next one is like the former: Never anger the cook.

• Never go hunting when you’re hungry or thirsty.