Update on high desert weather

BRRRR! It’s been a little cool this week. Yesterday, I went down to the shop to do a little work on the trailer. The grass was green but it was overcast. An hour later, I came out and there was two inches of snow on the ground and snowing hard. The temperature was 33 degrees. That put an end to my hike with the dogs. About an hour later the sun came out and it rose to 42 degrees. An hour later there was nothing but green grass once again.

That’s pretty much how it has been this last week. Typical high desert weather in April. A couple of posts ago, I mentioned the dryness of the chukar hills. Well that quickly changed. The growth of the already green grass will be good for the next three weeks. About that time I’ll be worrying again and once again Mother Nature will probably come through.

Yes, it’s been a little cool, but that doesn’t matter to chukars. They’re used to it. A little cold at night and only being able to cuddle with the mate rather than with a covey means they just have to get a little closer.

At best, a few of the hens might have started laying but they just cover the egg or eggs and wander off until it’s time to lay the next egg. A little grass covering them will protect them from the cold and hopefully from any ground predator.

So the early call for chukar production is normal. But it ain’t doing a thing for me and the turkey opener tomorrow. Although I live at 2900 feet in elevation and the snow is gone, the place I hunt is 4500 feet and I’m sure there is still snow. Being on the hill first light and hearing the turkeys gobble from the roost is a blast, and like everything else I do, the place I like to hunt is about an hours walk from the truck. I must be turning into a real puss because that sounds wet and cold to me. So, do I get in there early for that intro to turkey hunting 2022 or not?

I think I’ll wait and see if I can get an old tom to put a show on for me about 11:00 A.M.