Go figure

To start off with, another chukar hunter passed on some information about chukars. They haven’t been seeing or hearing any chukars at one of the popular lakes to hunt chukars. He said he they didn’t get off the road but that was his report.

I’m still not at that negative point. Take the last two days for example. I headed to town early yesterday to get a tire fixed. Not 300 yards from my house was a hen turkey with several young ones. I haven’t seen a turkey around here for several years.

After getting my tire fixed I returned home and had four adults and about twenty very young quail run across the road at about the same spot. We often have quail here in the winter but this is the first time seeing young ones. No, this has nothing to do with chukars but it makes me wonder how chukars might have adjusted to this hotter summer.

Today I headed east to hopefully find some chukars. It was 80 degrees at 7 a.m. so needless to say we didn’t get far up the mountain. Just as in my past trips, I saw some juvenile quail as well as some adult groups.

Of course the quail were reasonably close to a water source and they were actively chasing insects. As we walked away from the road and into chukar/hun country, we found the big birds. The first was either a group of Jakes or Jennies ( help me out on this one Crexrode),

and the next two we saw were definitely Tom’s.

We never got close to these birds but I watched them actively chasing grasshoppers. Because of their size, they are easy to see, where chukars and huns aren’t quite as visible. They survive on the same things so why would there not be chukars and huns in this same area. I already know the dogs won’t find them until they almost step on them. Needless to say we gave up the hunt quite early, even though we did hear a chukar high above.

To add to the story, about a half hour ago, I stepped out on the front porch and watched a rooster pheasant cross my drive way. Jake and Grady were both on the porch but unaware of the bird. I tried to get Grady’s attention and the rooster ran off the driveway to the yard without being noticed. I was shocked when Grady moved to the driveway and couldn’t see the rooster. About that time Grady took off towards the arena in front of my house and I could see two hen pheasants sprinting across it. Usually Grady whoa’s real well, but not this time. The chase was on. After some serious yelling he reluctantly came back towards me. Just as he cleared the arena he busted towards the pond and I saw four more hens take off for distances unknown. Once again, there was no stopping Grady.

When he finally came to me, he sat down and watched a blackbird fly over. When it landed, he took chase on it. We have blackbirds and robins in the yard all the time and he never even gives them a second look. In short, it looks like our lack of time on the mountain has made a dog bored and we’re going to have to work on the basics some.

So, with all this activity going on with the other upland birds, why would chukars not do well also? After all they are use to the hot weather. Hopefully soon, some good news.