# It's getting personal!



## BugBuilder (Oct 17, 2007)

Went chukar hunting AGAIN today without seeing a bird. We are putting in our time and miles, but are not finding much. Is anybody else seeing many birds this year? Also, what is the best way to locate them? Do you listen for them up canyons before hiking up? Any thoughts on how to zero in on the Devil chickens? The dogs are young, but we have had them on pen birds, they know what they are doing we just cant find wild birds.

Bugbuilder


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## coolgunnings (Sep 8, 2007)

BugBuilder said:


> Went chukar hunting AGAIN today without seeing a bird. We are putting in our time and miles, but are not finding much. Is anybody else seeing many birds this year? Also, what is the best way to locate them? Do you listen for them up canyons before hiking up? Any thoughts on how to zero in on the Devil chickens? The dogs are young, but we have had them on pen birds, they know what they are doing we just cant find wild birds.
> 
> Bugbuilder


What you said about your dogs being experienced. Would be like saying that you went to a pay fishing pond and caught them big time. But you went flyfishing on the provo and can not catch a thing. Wild birds and farm raised birds are completely different creatures in behavior.

Do not know how young your dogs are but it is said the first year hunting with them is not realy hunting at all. You are more or less hiking and trying to get the dog to learn what its job is going to be, in hopes that you come accross a couple of birds.


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## Riverrat77 (Sep 7, 2007)

Your area looks "chukarish".... I'd say if you're in that habitat then they've got to be there somewhere. I'm no diehard chukar hunter but where I've found them when I've gone has always been the rocky slopes like that with some grass thrown in.


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Riverrat77 said:


> Your area looks "chukarish".... I'd say if you're in that habitat then they've got to be there somewhere. I'm no diehard chukar hunter but where I've found them when I've gone has always been the rocky slopes like that with some grass thrown in.


Ya, it also looks a little Utah lake "west mountainish". :?:

Try getting away from the city. Those mountains have been POUNDED! There's chukars up there but they have a PhD in escape and evade.

The farther you get from the city, the more birds you'll see. It's simple science really... :wink:


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## BugBuilder (Oct 17, 2007)

What you said about your dogs being experienced. Would be like saying that you went to a pay fishing pond and caught them big time. But you went flyfishing on the provo and can not catch a thing. Wild birds and farm raised birds are completely different creatures in behavior.

Do not know how young your dogs are but it is said the first year hunting with them is not realy hunting at all. You are more or less hiking and trying to get the dog to learn what its job is going to be, in hopes that you come accross a couple of birds.[/quote]

That is very true about the dogs. You are exactly right we know that we are just walking/hiking/crawling around trying to stumble onto some birds so that they get an idea of what is suppose to be going on. Looking back at my statement it looks kind of dumb now. :shock:

Ya, it also looks a little Utah lake "west mountainish". :?:

Try getting away from the city. Those mountains have been POUNDED! There's chukars up there but they have a PhD in escape and evade.

The farther you get from the city, the more birds you'll see. It's simple science really... :wink:[/quote]

Yes it is West Mountain, we know it gets pounded hard, (we saw all the empty shells all over the place) We just wanted a quick hunt and needed to be close by. Last time we drove 1 1/2 to the southwest and had the same results! If anybody would be willing to let us tag along with some seasoned dogs, we would appreciate it, and we don't expect you to take us to your honey hole, just need to see a couple of wild birds. 

BugBuilder


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## vdogs (Sep 22, 2007)

BugBuilder said:


> Went chukar hunting AGAIN today without seeing a bird. We are putting in our time and miles, but are not finding much. Is anybody else seeing many birds this year? Also, what is the best way to locate them? Do you listen for them up canyons before hiking up? Any thoughts on how to zero in on the Devil chickens? The dogs are young, but we have had them on pen birds, they know what they are doing we just cant find wild birds.
> 
> Bugbuilder


Yer gettin' warmer! :wink:


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## Texscala (Sep 8, 2007)

Don't get too discouraged. Last season it took me 5 trips to finally find birds and then we found them on all of the last 6. This year I have seen birds on 5 out of my first 6 trips 
I am heading out on Sat not sure where yet. 

How old are your pups and how far along are they. there are birds out there and they are very wise. 


If you want to tag along on Sat I might be game. I would want you to be able to call your dogs back if mine goes on point.
You should also know I hike a lot and will go until I find them (in some nasty stuff)

Let me know and I will get back to you.

Tom.


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## BugBuilder (Oct 17, 2007)

Thanks Tex, pm sent.


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## kamas_kid (Dec 4, 2008)

I'm not too happy with the chukar hunting sitch either. My brother is a very experienced chukar hunter and has a great dog grown up on chukars. couldn't find a single bird, though we saw fresh scat, we had to go 10 miles and 2 hours before seeing any birds, and my bro got the only one. 
those dang birds are right smart, after we flushed em' they disappeared even though we literally covered the whole mountain with the dogs and by foot.


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## Jonny Utah (Jul 4, 2008)

kamas-kid, you should be shooting grouse up on your home turf since they extended the season and the weather gods have complied. :lol: It has been tough, hiked the hills today with a buddy who shot 3, but I think we all will have those birdless days this year at some point.


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## blt4spd (Aug 24, 2008)

Your first picture go higher. Second photo get down in that canyon. Third one get back to the top. Then do it all over again about ten more times or until you find them. Hope that helps.


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## Texscala (Sep 8, 2007)

chukar hunting is supposed to be personal. If you don't hate those birds you aren't hunting them right. I would hate to see how many miles I hike for each taken bird. I know ptamigan was over 30 for me.


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## BugBuilder (Oct 17, 2007)

blt4spd said:


> Your first picture go higher. Second photo get down in that canyon. Third one get back to the top. Then do it all over again about ten more times or until you find them. Hope that helps.


First picture, we are coming from the top heading back down. 
Second picture, we already came up that canyon, I just turned and took a picture. 
Third picture, again, just came from the top. Notice the fresh marks in the slide. That is where I came down and then I took a picture as my buddy came down. The area to the left was a cliff we couldn't go thru.

BugBuilder


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## kamas_kid (Dec 4, 2008)

I've got some spots for grouse up here, all right. about 2 weeks ago we went up and saw a pair of HUGE bluies that, of course, flew straight through a really thick grove of trees and landed amongst em'. :x I hate it when they do that. since then, haven't been except pheasant and chukar hunting. 
I don't have a dog, and prefer to hunt with them; my foot hunts have never gone well :|


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## Texscala (Sep 8, 2007)

BugBuilder said:


> The area to the left was a cliff we couldn't go thru. BugBuilder


That is where the birds are on that mountain. To get into the birds out there you need a dog you trust not to kill itself running off cliffs.


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## GSPonPoint (Sep 24, 2008)

For the most part the birds are extremely jumpy which makes bagging anything very difficult. I'm guessing they've been pounded pretty hard.

My dog locked on a covey of about 20 this past weekend and before I could get in range they busted. My dog was working about 100+ yards below me and I got the tone from the Astro. As I made my way down the whole group bust at about 80 yards. Man I was disappointed after hiking all afternoon and not to get a shot off.

We did hear another group that gave us the slip. My dog lock-up on top of the ridge from where we first heard them but when I got over there they were gone. It was getting late so I didn't have time to pursue much further.

Two weeks ago my pup found a bird that was the exception to the rule. This bird held so tight I had to actually poke it will my gun barrel to get it to fly. Definitely not the norm for wild chukar.

The birds are out there but it has taken me a few years to really begin to find them consistently, however, I've only been able to consistently find them on one particular mountain range and unfortunately this range is very popular and gets pounded hard.


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## cat_man (Sep 19, 2007)

GSPonPoint said:


> Two weeks ago my pup found a bird that was the exception to the rule. This bird held so tight I had to actually poke it will my gun barrel to get it to fly. Definitely not the norm for wild chukar.


Sounds like it was either sick or wounded to me.


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## bwhntr (Sep 12, 2007)

Get a horse!


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## north slope (Sep 8, 2007)

bwhntr said:


> Get a horse!


Get a horse and feed it, house it, shoe it, water it, and then leave it at home and pack out out your own elk. :mrgreen:


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## bwhntr (Sep 12, 2007)

...lazy freaking animals!

I can think of a few other hunters that really appreciated my horses this year!...I wish I could...

Actually, I put some VERY hard miles on them this year, I think your little elf buddy was invited most everytime...He had more important gay things to do...


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## Texscala (Sep 8, 2007)

I would love to hunt from horseback someday. I do think that a lot of the places I hunt would be hard to get a horse into ( I ripped a big hole in my pants falling last trip, and Ryfly took a spill as well and cut his hand up). Even if the horse could make it I know I am not a good enough rider to be doing it.

Other places a horse would be a welcome rest for the legs.

One day.....


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