The great chukar quandary

[SoCalhunt88]

The next ridge I always gonna be better

 

[wa_archer]

well Neffa didnt mention I got two as well so 5 total not to bad especially since a couple groups didn't hold very well. Lots of sheep a couple deer and found a 4th point broken off a bull.

 

[Irrelevant]

well Neffa didnt mention I got two as well so 5 total not to bad especially since a couple groups didn't hold very well. Lots of sheep a couple deer and found a 4th point broken off a bull.

True, but damnit we're going to shoot better this weekend and get 5 each.

 

[JLS]

True, but damnit we're going to shoot better this weekend and get 5 each.

I wish I had a dollar for every time I’ve told myself that.

 

[Irrelevant]

Because I'm lazy and don't want to start a new thread.

Second to last day, @wa_archer and I took his dog and hit old reliable. And while I pointed out where the birds would likely be, we proceeded to avoid that area for the first hours, then stumbled into that area and completely blanked on two very large coveys. Chased then back over areas we'd already stomped and managed 1 bird total. Definitely fewer birds and none held well.


Last day (at least for me), took one of my good college buddies out. He didn't want to shoot but wanted to try out his new camera. We tried a new spot, which was all of 2 miles from old reliable. The first covey held great, I got a double. The rest didn't, and I didn't get crap. Brown dog really didn't give a crap about pointing today, it was very half hearted. She found her inner lab and seemed to really just want to see them fly, then bark. It's very likely it's her last hunt. Pretty cool area. If my buddy forwards any better pics I'll update.

 

[Irrelevant]

A couple of pics from my buddy.

 

[SoCalhunt88]

Gorgeous looking spot regardless

 

[JLS]

I hunted a completely new area this weekend. I’d never even been there before. I hunted with the two brothers I bought Finn from, and another mutual friend who is a senior judge for the VDD testing system.

It was a hoot. I really wish I could share pictures, but it would be too easily recognizable and I don’t share pictures when I’m a guest.

It was a fun time sharing a passion for good dogs, funny gray birds, the country they live in, and good beer.

One more pioneering trip is on the docket next week.

 

[SoCalhunt88]

I’m out in NV and so far not as many Chukar as advertised but it certainly looks great and there’s a lot of space so it int half bad. I’ll end the season as a spot back home I know holds birds but until then I plan to explore new areas

 

[rtraverdavis]

A couple of pics from my buddy.
View attachment 170689View attachment 170690

That photo you used for your new avatar pic is awesome. If it were any steeper you’d need climbing ropes.

 

[Irrelevant]

That photo you used for your new avatar pic is awesome. If it were any steeper you’d need climbing ropes.

So it actually gets quite a bit steeper, but on that day, with the snow, you really didn't want to be doing anything but paying attention to your boot placement on those steeper slopes. So no pics and certainly no thought of shooting on the really steep stuff.

There have been times and places in chukar country where I have been pretty puckered over the conditions. In mountaineering there's two* independent variables you're constantly weighing as you tackle the mountain. How dangerous is the actual slope your on, and what is the danger of falling on that slope. They often not correlated. Rarely in chukar country are you ever physically on a slope that is overly technical, but often the ramifications of slipping or falling can be quite high, as high as anything I've seen in the alpine spine of the Cascades.

*Technically there's a third, the risks of hazards coming down on you, but that is generally negligible in chukar country.

 

[Mule man]

So it actually gets quite a bit steeper, but on that day, with the snow, you really didn't want to be doing anything but paying attention to your boot placement on those steeper slopes. So no pics and certainly no thought of shooting on the really steep stuff.

There have been times and places in chukar country where I have been pretty puckered over the conditions. In mountaineering there's two* independent variables you're constantly weighing as you tackle the mountain. How dangerous is the actual slope your on, and what is the danger of falling on that slope. They often not correlated. Rarely in chukar country are you ever physically on a slope that is overly technical, but often the ramifications of slipping or falling can be quite high, as high as anything I've seen in the alpine spine of the Cascades.

*Technically there's a third, the risks of hazards coming down on you, but that is generally negligible in chukar country.

Great pictures, looks like you are in bunch grass , any cheatgrass mixed in ?

 

[Irrelevant]

Great pictures, looks like you are in bunch grass , any cheatgrass mixed in ?

So I think that pic is a bit deceiving, there certainly is some bunchgrass on the north faces, but there's still lots of cheat grass (mostly under the snow), and the south faces are almost entirely cheat grass with some dalmation toadflax mixed in. Cover this year was much less than years past, which is one of the reason why I think I struggled with birds not holding all year (except for a few coveys).

 

[SoCalhunt88]

So it actually gets quite a bit steeper, but on that day, with the snow, you really didn't want to be doing anything but paying attention to your boot placement on those steeper slopes. So no pics and certainly no thought of shooting on the really steep stuff.

There have been times and places in chukar country where I have been pretty puckered over the conditions. In mountaineering there's two* independent variables you're constantly weighing as you tackle the mountain. How dangerous is the actual slope your on, and what is the danger of falling on that slope. They often not correlated. Rarely in chukar country are you ever physically on a slope that is overly technical, but often the ramifications of slipping or falling can be quite high, as high as anything I've seen in the alpine spine of the Cascades.

*Technically there's a third, the risks of hazards coming down on you, but that is generally negligible in chukar country.

Were they hanging on the clear south facing stuff/lower elevations where they didn’t have to scratch to get to the cheat grass or more in the white stuff?

 

[Irrelevant]

Were they hanging on the clear south facing stuff/lower elevations where they didn’t have to scratch to get to the cheat grass or more in the white stuff?

Since it's the end of the season they are trying to spend a much time as they can on the gnarly north faces but still feed on the gentler south faces. We bumped birds of the north but are our real opportunities were on the south.

 

[Mule man]

So I think that pic is a bit deceiving, there certainly is some bunchgrass on the north faces, but there's still lots of cheat grass (mostly under the snow), and the south faces are almost entirely cheat grass with some dalmation toadflax mixed in. Cover this year was much less than years past, which is one of the reason why I think I struggled with birds not holding all year (except for a few coveys).

Looks like you guys are paying your dues for sure. When is your season over? We are headed back for desert on Monday for the week. Be our last go this year. Has been slow but the birds are out there, just have to put one foot in front of the other.....lol

 

[Irrelevant]

Looks like you guys are paying your dues for sure. When is your season over? We are headed back for desert on Monday for the week. Be our last go this year. Has been slow but the birds are out there, just have to put one foot in front of the other.....lol

Monday, MLK day was the last day for us. I've debated getting an OR license for a few more days but that's a +3 hr drive at best for me, and I think I've rather try to scrape a duck or two instead.

 

[Mule man]

Monday, MLK day was the last day for us. I've debated getting an OR license for a few more days but that's a +3 hr drive at best for me, and I think I've rather try to scrape a duck or two instead.

Great picture ,good luck on the ducks

 

[SoCalhunt88]

Headed out manana and probably Saturday as well out here in northwest Nevada

 

[SoCalhunt88]

Getting into the mindset before the hunt, Chukar and mountain quail