Chukars???

bull_n_rut · Jan 24, 2009

Anybody having any success this year with chukar hunting? Been out a couple times and found very few birds. One day was on private land and it was worse than the public land. Just curious what everyones thoughts are on the declining numbers. I know the rain and freezes we had in spring last year were not good for the youngsters. Not to mention the cougars, coyotes, and now wolves. Looking to get out for the last couple of days of the season. I think the dog is more frustrated than me!

huntindude · Jan 24, 2009

I live in eastern Oregon and hunt quite a bit, no doubt numbers are down but I felt it was better than last year. I hunted on the Snake a couple weeks ago and there was more snow than I like to see, south slopes were melted off and the birds I took were fat but I heard farther north dead birds were being found. lots of displaced hunters from Idaho too, Idaho closed their season but Oregon is afraid they'd miss a license sale so they didn't. I think I'll go down on the Steens this week, I'm not going back on the Snake I don't feel the birds need the pressure they're getting so I'm not going to make it worse.

bull_n_rut · Jan 24, 2009

We hunted the Steens and around Crane a couple weeks ago. I will agree it is better than last year. Birds were hit and miss everywhere we went. We would find fresh sign up high in the rocks and the dogs would act like we were standing in their living room. But it would be another half mile before a couple would bust. We found the most birds in the Alvorde hot spring area. The birds we did get looked like they were on steroids too! Gonna try the John Day river area last couple of days this week, good luck to ya.

manny15 · Jan 26, 2009

Did you guys ever consider raising your own birds and letting them go, chuckers are the easiest bird to raise you can buy day olds for a buck or eggs and make your own incubator with a light bulb...

DGF sure isn't doing anything these days to help out with any wild life....

bull_n_rut · Jan 26, 2009

Better yet, how about doing away with ODFW and all the enviro's that make it up and know nothing about management and reform it with competent people who want quality over quantity!

I have a guide friend that began raising chukars here in western Oregon and the stupid birds would hang out in the highway just off his place since the asphalt was the warmest place around. Chukar suicide! I believe he gave up after that.

huntindude · Jan 26, 2009

Once you've hunted wild chuckar nothing else will do. I go to the preserves and shoot a few pet birds when I'm starting a pup, after that it's not for me.

manny15 · Jan 26, 2009

>Once you've hunted wild chuckar nothing
>else will do. I go
>to the preserves and shoot
>a few pet birds when
>I'm starting a pup, after
>that it's not for me.
>

Only problem with your statement is, Chuckars are not indigenous, their from Egypt, so they were tame once also, so over time they do become wild..

huntindude · Jan 26, 2009

I suppose, but you'll have to plant at least 100 for every one who survives the hawks, owls, yotes and bobcats long enough to nest. the learning curve is very steep for tame birds dumped in the wild.