# Odd Chuckar Hunting Strategy?



## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

A couple of days ago I spoke with an older gentleman that was telling me about the good 'ol days of hunting upland birds and he mentioned an odd tactic that he still uses while hunting chuckars.

He claims to bring a black balloon filled with helium along with about 50 feet of string along with him. And before he starting pushing a ridge line, he will take the balloon to one end of the ridge and tie it off (and lets it float about 30-50 feet in the air). He then skirts the hill to the opposite end and starting pushing the ridge line toward the balloon. 

He claims that as the birds run away from him, they see the balloon and freeze because they think it is a hawk or other bird of prey. So as he pushes these hills he claims that these birds wont flush until he is nearly on top of the birds.

This seems a bit nutty to me, but in a bizarre way it also makes a little sense. Anyone ever heard of such a strange thing? 

o-||


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## sittingbull (Feb 1, 2008)

Yeah, I've heard of it. I've also heard of oldtimers tying the balloon to themselves. If I see a bird of prey circling the sky while hunting chukar, I always hike straight to it because if there are birds there, they won't run.


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## tigerpincer (Dec 5, 2009)

I havent heard of this strategy myself but last week an older guy heard that I was a big Chukar hunter and had an idea he wanted to share. He claimed that banging 2 big rocks together will get the birds to call to you. I'd never heard of that one before either.


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## Packfish (Oct 30, 2007)

I thought it was silver coins


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## cfarnwide (Sep 10, 2007)

Heard of both... tried the banging of rocks trick and it works. On occasion, lighting off a shell or slamming your car door will do the same... just depends on the day. Various things can "shock" a covey into chucking at you kinda like a turkey.


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## Lonetree (Dec 4, 2010)

When chukar hunting we alway watch for hawks. They find the chukars way out ahead of the dog. And yeah, if there is a hawk in the air, they dont want to flush. When they do flush, they will hug the ground, and make shooting a bit interesting. 

As for talking to them, just buy a chukar locator call. Works best after you have already had them up once. But also works well to locate them up to ~1/2 mile away(in the right terrain), if they are willing to talk.


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## Cooky (Apr 25, 2011)

I ran across a guy with a balloon tied to his kid (a young kid, without a gun) out chucker hunting once. He told me it was to keep track of the kid. I believed him.


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## waspocrew (Nov 26, 2011)

Cooky said:


> I ran across a guy with a balloon tied to his kid (a young kid, without a gun) out chucker hunting once. He told me it was to keep track of the kid. I believed him.


I would have done the same thing haha.


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## elkfromabove (Apr 20, 2008)

Cooky said:


> I ran across a guy with a balloon tied to his kid (a young kid, without a gun) out chucker hunting once. He told me it was to keep track of the kid. I believed him.


Good idea! It should keep the kid from flushing! :lol:


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