Seems like Jake and Grady have become a little disgruntled with me lately. Evidently they are not too happy about the number of birds they are getting to mouth. They feel they have been doing their part, but there’s been a lot of slacking on my part. I have to admit to not keeping up on the mountain, but it’s not entirely my fault. I’m a wimp.
But I’m trying to rectify that problem. So far, the shots and surgeries the back doctors have put me through have not solved the back issue. But they think they are on the right track and we’re ready to try one more thing in the next month or so. If that works, look out chukars in 2023.
The achilles problem is still there also but I definitely have that under control. The leg doctor says if I don’t injure it any further it could possibly heal without surgery. So I bought a new pair of Kenetrek boots that have metal reinforcement plate on both sides of the ankle. Much like the three plates I already have in my left leg. That ought to help prevent any more ankle twisting before the end of the season. There might be a problem with that though. Saturdays hunt had me falling down a hill while approaching a point. It hurt the achilles a little but I won’t know how much until the MRI on Sunday.
Ain’t those boots pretty? I’ll never forget 2 1/2 years ago when I broke my leg in five places and the life flights attendants had to cut them off my foot. They cost almost as much as my first car back in 1967.
The point to all this is that the dogs and I are supposed to be ambassadors of the great sport of chukar hunting. The dogs are doing their part but I’m not. I’m seeing between ten and twenty points on every hunt, but lucky to get to 5. I’m too much of a puss to pack my camera around so the best I can do is take an end of hunt picture with my phone. (Yes I finally learned how to use that feature).
The hunt was a mixture of dry, mud and snow and the chukars didn’t have any preference. You just have to trust me when I say there are lot’s of birds out there to be chased and still leave plenty for seed.
But they aren’t as easy as earlier in the season. They have mastered the the ability to run uphill and use any cover to prevent a shot.
But great chukar hunting in Idaho is still there to be had. It takes some healthy hiking with some good dogs and the willingness to tromp through mud and snow. But, if a person is willing to put out the effort he could easily spend a box of shells on the mountain. How many birds come home is determined by the shooter.
I get so tickled when other hunters send me a picture of their hunting experience. These pictures from Eric Johnson show what putting the miles on with great dogs can produce.
Obviously, Eric is not afraid to go where the birds call him. I’m assuming this was his picture of his success from high on that mountain behind him.
Back at the truck, I’ll bet there was plenty of bragging on dogs and that one in a million shot. There’s plenty to talk about on this tailgate picture. And plenty to savor over, also.
Thank you Eric for the pictures and being another great ambassador to some of the great hunting Idaho has to offer.
Good luck on the rest of the season and I hope to be out there somewhere.
The Reigning Chukar Champions 