Matthew57
Well-known member
I’m such a worrywart when it comes to my dog Rosie, she can be a silly dumb dumb sometimes but she also impresses me. I love her for it. If we got a chukar this year I’d be so proud.
Chukar Info
- Thread starter JLDemo
- Start date
Kick me in the feels why don't ya, my granddads wingmaster my brother and I fight over was a gift to him from my mother many decades ago. He means a lot to my brother and I, and both want that connection through the thing he loved the most outdoors. Quail, good dog work, and that wingmaster.
Salmonchaser
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At 70 I’m probably done hunting in the snow. 6 or 7 years ago I was working along an edge, dog was on point, I slipped fell, not too far and landed on a pointed rock. Cracked my femur. I had to self evacuate as I was separated from my group and couldn’t raise anyone on the radio.
If you’re hunting solo I would recommend carrying a Garmin and leaving directions as to your hunt plan.
Over the years I’ve seen two broken ankles, my leg broken, a number of serious sprains to ankles and knees cut hands from the basalt, lacerations to face, forehead back of head, knees from falls at least one broken wrist enumurable strains and pains of a general nature. A number of crushed fingers, (falling fingers between gun and rock. Only one snake bit dog, several injured dogs, carried a couple of the mountian. Somewhere not far from Brittany chukarman is a sweet Ithaca side by side 20 gauge I stashed when I had to carry my dog off the mountain, all my guns wear slings now. Still can’t believe someone found that gun before I got back up there the next morning.
I love chukar hunting
If you’re hunting solo I would recommend carrying a Garmin and leaving directions as to your hunt plan.
Over the years I’ve seen two broken ankles, my leg broken, a number of serious sprains to ankles and knees cut hands from the basalt, lacerations to face, forehead back of head, knees from falls at least one broken wrist enumurable strains and pains of a general nature. A number of crushed fingers, (falling fingers between gun and rock. Only one snake bit dog, several injured dogs, carried a couple of the mountian. Somewhere not far from Brittany chukarman is a sweet Ithaca side by side 20 gauge I stashed when I had to carry my dog off the mountain, all my guns wear slings now. Still can’t believe someone found that gun before I got back up there the next morning.
I love chukar hunting
Salmonchaser
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Hunt them like you’re hunting deer, sneak and peak, it will make a difference. Get as high as you can as fast as you can. Look for basins
Irrelevant
Well-known member
Never shoot that 3rd shot at the main covey. There's often a straggler.
just keep hiking, you'll find them eventually.
a chukar isn't worth dieing for, stay away from icy cliffs.
Sometimes they just don't hold, and I don't know why.
Hunt quietly. I almost never say anything to my dog.
A few thoughts:
You’re going to loose your footing and scratch your shotgun. Be prepared. I sold my LC Smith 16 because I couldn’t abuse her anymore.
Chukar come up in waves, not all at once instantly. Having patience and waiting for the other birds to popcorn will increase your kills. You’ll know where the birds are and will be prepared. I lose my patience all the time and watch easy birds fly away with an empty shotgun.
Chukar are fantastic food. My wife asks for more chukar for the freezer each year. I tell her I’m trying my best…
Give other hunters room to hunt. I’ll drive a few miles to another spot than to crowd a guy.
Brittany Chukarman
Well-known member
Chukar are early risers and vocal in the morning. If you're camped in chukar country get outside just before gray light and listen. It will help you pinpoint where to start. I hear them on many mornings before the sun is up doing my early irrigation.
If you hit one and it keeps going keep watching. Sometimes they'll go a ways then fly straight up 20 yards or so and die at the top of their climb and fall straight down. I think it's due to a pellet in the heart. Makes for an awesome, challenging retrieve for your dog.
If you hit one and it keeps going keep watching. Sometimes they'll go a ways then fly straight up 20 yards or so and die at the top of their climb and fall straight down. I think it's due to a pellet in the heart. Makes for an awesome, challenging retrieve for your dog.
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300stw
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i spent about 10 years serious chukar hunting, had 2 english and a bunch of shorthairs, raised lots of pups and shot many limits,,,,
before fancy collars and onx,
listen for birds and look for droppings,
no droppings. chg locations, dogs that pay attention to their noses, let em go and hunt to the dog,, great to have a dog whoa broke to avoid bad situations
i like to hunt some bigger sage, if theres water in the bottom of the canyon s, it takes a while for them to get to the top, dont hunt to early in those areas,
i road my dogs 3 to 5 miles a day few days a week, year round, gravel roads and brushy ground, couple of my wirehairs hold a 15mph pace pretty easy no pad. no dog,
an out of condition dog really hurts a hunt, carry some bandages and blood clotting powder, i have had more ripped ears and toenails , that bleed terrible, never a snake bite, but seen plenty,
plan routes carefully and maintain the elevation best you can
plenty of water and hi energy snacks for dog and yourself,
i still hunt 2 or 3 states few times a year for my chukar fix,
best eating bird i think
i want to do alaska ptarmigan soon,
a few buddies that ive sold dogs to , go every year, have great time, shoot lots of pointed birds, they like it better then chukar hunting
before fancy collars and onx,
listen for birds and look for droppings,
no droppings. chg locations, dogs that pay attention to their noses, let em go and hunt to the dog,, great to have a dog whoa broke to avoid bad situations
i like to hunt some bigger sage, if theres water in the bottom of the canyon s, it takes a while for them to get to the top, dont hunt to early in those areas,
i road my dogs 3 to 5 miles a day few days a week, year round, gravel roads and brushy ground, couple of my wirehairs hold a 15mph pace pretty easy no pad. no dog,
an out of condition dog really hurts a hunt, carry some bandages and blood clotting powder, i have had more ripped ears and toenails , that bleed terrible, never a snake bite, but seen plenty,
plan routes carefully and maintain the elevation best you can
plenty of water and hi energy snacks for dog and yourself,
i still hunt 2 or 3 states few times a year for my chukar fix,
best eating bird i think
i want to do alaska ptarmigan soon,
a few buddies that ive sold dogs to , go every year, have great time, shoot lots of pointed birds, they like it better then chukar hunting
I've been working on his whoa training, it's going well I think. He's now starting to anticipate the command while casting, so I've laid off and whoa him at random times. He's now to a point where I can whoa him, and toss pigeons point blank with no movement. He's shaking like a leaf and wants nothing more to chase, but thankfully he's cooperative. It's taken a lot of work to get him to not jump or snap and run after the birds.
Thanks for the words, damn good insight.
I've had to teach myself to zip my lips and just let my dog do what he does. It's been hard not to speak to him, but letting him work and using the collar has been a huge asset. Trying to overlay hand signals with the tone on the collar.
300stw
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whoa him everywhere, before he gets in truck before he gets out of kennel, ect, i rarely whoa a dog when there on birds, if the dog establshes a point, i do everything i can to kill a bird, if they are scent checking ,ect , but never establish a point on there own, and a bird flushes, i dont shoot, self discipline is tuff, but rewards at the right time build over time,,,
sometimes i think thats why guys get labs, so they can shoot every bird they see,,,,
i am a pointing dog guy,, shooting over a point is my reward...
Elktrack
Well-known member
Yep. Or lock their wings,feet dangling, dead, and sail half a mile down into the river.
El Jason
Well-known member
We’ve done the walk of shame down the hill after a cripple way too many times.
Salmonchaser
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300stw mentioned what many forget, water for the dog. Lots of water and have plenty in the truck. I figured on a gallon for a long morning hunt unless it’s freezing. My dogs drink from my camel back tube, I just squirt it into their mouths.
Very consistent comments on stealth, once you start figuring these birds out you’ll see they post sentries. We don’t wear face paint but we also don’t wear orange and avoid sky lighting your self. Not bow hunting think deer or elk hunting with a muzzle loader.
Early season think about a good pair of leather batting or golfing gloves. It’s amazing how much you use your hands in some of that country.
Very consistent comments on stealth, once you start figuring these birds out you’ll see they post sentries. We don’t wear face paint but we also don’t wear orange and avoid sky lighting your self. Not bow hunting think deer or elk hunting with a muzzle loader.
Early season think about a good pair of leather batting or golfing gloves. It’s amazing how much you use your hands in some of that country.
Salmonchaser
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- Nov 12, 2019
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As much as I enjoy hunting upland game, pheasants, quail and chukar, patarmigan are my favorite. When I was guiding out on the Penninsula I would offer cast and blast trips. Throw the dogs in the tail or the floats, throw in the shotguns and fly rods, fly south for a ways and you’ll be on unhunted birds. Everyone who has hiked and fished in Alaska has seen Ptarmigan you could hunt with a pocket full of rocks. Put a couple of dogs in the equation and they become much more wary. They still arn’t Chukar or Iowa pheasants but they’ll not let you get too close and they’ll hold for a point very well. The season is very long typically opening August 10. The birds are on the wild berries then and are absolutely the best eating bird there is. Not even close.
The bears are on the berries too. The Penninsula has a reputation well deserved for big bears. I never had a problem with them but had a number of bears get courious. Close working or well controlled dogs are a must. Keep them away from the alders next to the salmon streams, out in the open tundra and things will be good. I always told my clients the birds were untrained fighter pilots with one move. They flush pretty much straight away give three to six wing beats and turn down wind. Shoot them then.
PDX and Sea Tac have crappy dog walking areas. As much as I like Alaska Air the folks there just don’t get it as far as taking care of your dog. It’ll be frustrating. Anchorage is different. Great places to walk the dogs, you might run into a moose but not likely anymore. The folks there will really work with you to take care of the dogs before your flight home.
It really is worth the effort.
El Jason
Well-known member
To echo @Salmonchaser, I usually carry 4-6 liters of water early season. Some areas I hunt have really good springs and that helps.
El Jason
Well-known member
Make sure you kill the first bird you shoot at.
Save a shell for the straggler.
Don’t yell at your dogs or hack on the whistle.
Hunt ridges and basins.
Take lots of water and save it for your dogs.
Birds right off the morning roost can be hard to pin.
Birds in the middle of the afternoon like to loaf around, this is the best time to kill them.
Make birds flush into the wind.
Teach your dogs to track cripples.
Teach your dogs to hunt dead and make big casts.
When your dog is on point walk in with a purpose, don’t dilly dally.
Save a shell for the straggler.
Don’t yell at your dogs or hack on the whistle.
Hunt ridges and basins.
Take lots of water and save it for your dogs.
Birds right off the morning roost can be hard to pin.
Birds in the middle of the afternoon like to loaf around, this is the best time to kill them.
Make birds flush into the wind.
Teach your dogs to track cripples.
Teach your dogs to hunt dead and make big casts.
When your dog is on point walk in with a purpose, don’t dilly dally.
Irrelevant
Well-known member
Oh, and they love to crawl into rocks/talus to die. I've dug plenty out. A little flashlight helps peek into cracks to look for tail feathers.
