Last Day Chukar Hunt Options

[RiverRat77]

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Richard and I met up again on the last day and went out to a different part of the same area that we hunted on Sunday. We walked up a rocky pressure ridge until we came to "cattle valley". There were tracks all over and cows down in the gully. After he convinced his dogs it probably wans't in their best interest to chase cows, , we kept climbing up a rocky steep cliff to the top Juniper pocket in the draw. Richard dropped down on the snow covered part of a knife edge ridge because he said there were a ton of chukar tracks down there. I told him I was going to follow Millie for a minute because she was getting birdy around the juniper trees. No sooner had I started into the trees than Millie darted between two thick ones and I heard the lovely sound of birds flushing. Millie had gone to go on point... I don't think that she flushed them intentionally because they came up about ten yards past where she'd gone between the trees. Anyway, it took a split second and they started popping out over the top of the short trees... it was almost funny. Anyway, they did a 180 and the flock flew right past me. I fired two shots, missing both, at a bird that came right over my head. I don't know why I didn't keep shooting... perhaps I was just so surprised that I missed a direct overhead shot that I just quit shooting. I have no idea. Anyway, after my two shots, Richard said the whole covey flew over the ridge past him.... looked like it was raining chukars. He pulled up and shot the second one over the ridge and hesitated to shoot another one because he thought he might have peppered me. Anyway, the one he shot folded immediately but it was going so fast and the draw was so steep, it fell about halfway down before it hit the ground. He hollered at me and I came over to watch him go all the way down to the bird with Copper. Another half hour later, he was back to the top where we sat down and took some pictures. We were amazed at the size of the chukar. It was the biggest one I've ever seen... rivaling the ones they have mounted in the case at Cabelas (to give you some idea of the size). Anyway, we sat, chatted, listened to some other people fire about eight shots a couple ridges away, and then kept walking. There were chukar tracks all over the sunny and the shady side of this ridge so we promised to keep it in mind for next season. We tried to figure out where the rest of the covey flew off to but they were hightailing it out of the draw and flew down into some really craggy ledge rock areas that we didn't want to attempt with all the snow on the ground. We walked another ridge out back towards the trucks, dropping into some juniper pockets on the way back. The dogs got pretty birdy as we pushed along another long wide ridge and we figured we were pushing a covey along the ridge in front of us or something. Anyway, we got out to the sunlit point and Richard found a ton of tracks in the snow... the sun was going down so we figured we would just walk down the rocky slope back to the truck and see what Millie and Copper could pick up. Nothing else flushed so we finished up the day on that slope. It was another great day and that one covey flush was about as rewarding as anything else I've done this season. The one giant chukar was a bonus and the company, both Richard and the dogs were top notch. The dogs worked really hard, really well and really deserved their treats they got back at the truck. Come to find out, Millie (the GSP) had a cut on her back pad that went all the way to the bone but she never limped and hunted the whole way back to the truck.... one tough dog. Richard is at the vet with her right now..... anyway, here's some pictures of the day and they're all reasons I'll be back in the mountains next year chasing chukars.

Sorry, I can't figure out how or if I can link my pictures from Photobucket to this site so heres the link to my Photobucket album with all my birdhunting pictures.

http://s32.photobucket.com/albums/d41/Rive...bird%20hunting/

[okbowman]

Enjoyed the pics!!

[Cat Call 26]

Nic pic


Those dog look like they had fun to.

[RJ-Max4]

Hey RiverRat77

We'll need to get out again more this next year.

My two dogs love hunting those Chukars.

Thanks again for going out with us on the last day.

[StruttinBuck]

Looks like you guys had alot of fun!

Enjoyed the pic(s)!

-Ted

[bowhuntingrules]

Congrats. thanks for sharing.

[Sp3Ak-Th3-LaNgUaG3]

pics were awesome...looks like a great hunt!

[ccoutdoorlife]

looks like a real good time. here in north carolina, all we really have are doves. the game birds were most all killed out back in the 50s. something about pesticides i believe. occasionally you will see a small covey of quail but they still have a long way to go to come back.