Great chukar hunt!

[Ithaca 37]

We'd only walked about 1/4 mile when Scout went on point. I walked up to her and about twenty chukars flushed! BANG! One down. Bang! Another one goes down. Two swing down below me, curving around the hill and I see a chance to get them both with one shot. BANG! Only one drops, the other acts like I didn't touch a feather. Scout makes three great retrieves. We head in the direction the chukars went and after about 100 yards Scout starts acting birdy and then picks up a dead chukar and heads back to me. I didn't miss him after all!! Scout's about 40 yards in front of me and returning with the chukar when she swings around and locks into a beautiful point with the chukar in her mouth, steady as a rock! This is great! Everything has to be just right for that to happen and it only happens about every other year. Scout usually retrieves about three hundred birds a year---so you know how rare this is!!

I walk up to her practically shaking like a leaf I'm so anxious not to blow this shot!

The bird flushes and I swing and shoot! BLAM! Down comes the chukar!! Scout lays down the chukar in her mouth and runs to retrieve the one I just shot, brings it to me then goes back for the other one. She's cool as a cucumber about it! Another perfect retrieve and we sit down for a talk.

I pet her and hug her and tell her she's the best bird dog in the world and she says, "Thanks, but let's get going. We've got to get three more for a limit and I think I know where they are. "

Pretty soon she's birdy again and I can see her homing in on some scent when she locks into a beautiful point. I walk up, a covey flushes and BANG, BLAM, BOOM!! Three shots and three chukars fall out of the sky ! Three more retrieves and we head up the hill where my buddy just came into sight.

He has a Lab and hasn't seen a bird yet. While he's telling me about it Scout goes on point about a hundred yards away. We walk up to her and a covey flushes. He shoots, connects and Scout retrieves while the Lab runs around smelling all the bird scent. Well, we got my friend a few more birds before it was time to head back to the truck and meet up with our other friend.

Great day and the kind of hunt where everything goes better than perfect! I wish you all coulda seen it! It makes all the work to train a pointing dog well worth the effort!!

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 11-11-2002 08:53: Message edited by: Ithaca 37 ]</font>

 

[Nut]

Wow just reading about Scout is great. Watching her work must be a joy! Congrats to Scout

You too Ithaca.

 

[T Bone]

Ithaca,
Great post. Scout sounds like a great dog, what breed? You are a good shooter too. I'd have to say I only connect on every 3rd shot on chukars. I've run out of shells more than once. I always shoot too fast.

Post some pics of the dog if you have them!

T Bone

 

[Moosie]

COOL TOOL Ithica !!!!

Congrats to you having a good dog and the good shooting.... I'm about 1 box per bird on average for shooting.. HHAH Maybe one year I'll practice a bit

 

[Ithaca 37]

Thanks guys! Here's pictures of Scout from another topic last winter:

http://www.huntandlodge.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=18&t=001716

Here's more pictures of pudelpointers:

http://www.versatiledogs.com/photos/pudelpt.html

As for the shooting; 8 chukars with 7 shots is the best I've ever done on them. I've only gone 8 for 8 a very few times. Generally, if I'm hitting 50% I think I'm having a great day!

I had some stock work done on my favorite shotgun (an Ithaca model 37, naturally) last Spring and it fits me so perfectly and it's shooting so well I'm amazed!! After lots of practicing with it this summer I'm so confident in it I'm really surprised when I miss! In the past I was usually surprised when I hit! I've been making fantastic shots this year that I usually would have missed. In fact, I've got 18 chukars so far and still haven't used a box of shells!

But yesterday's hunt was much more than I ever could have hoped for and I'll probably never have another day like that.

The biggest thrill was seeing Scout find the bird I thought I missed and then pointing another one with it in her mouth! It'll never get any better than that!!!

 

[Nut]

Thanks for the pic Ithaca. Beautiful Dog for sure!

 

[Carnivore]

Wow,

What a great story (hunt). I was out yesterday and shot my first (3) Chukar. Of course I should say "we", since I have a German Shorthair. I have always loved the Pudelpointers and Wirehairs but my GSP came along as a rescue dog. She had a very hard and abusive 1st year until she came to us. I was in need of a dog, and she was in need of a good home and lots of TLC. Now she's part of the family and my hunting partner.

As for chukar, we found plenty of them yesterday, but they were located in some of the roughest country I've been in. I was actually out scounting for deer/elk, but brought my dog and gun in case we ran across some birds. I thought we might have seen some quail, but all we saw was hundreds of chukar. I know the numbers sound good, but where they lived was rugged. 600-800 foot, 45 deg. hills that towered up on both sides. The birds just flew up from peak to peak. I knew better than to chase them since I would still be out there. There has got to be better places, but if not I'll endure the pain. I'm in the Air Force and will only be here for another 18 months. I (we) missed all of last year because I was deployed. We usually find the good spots and end up leaving before we can hunt them. I guess it come's with the job. Again great sounding hunt, and by the way, Scout looks like an awesome dog. Thanks for sharing the hunt.

 

[Ithaca 37]

I had a more typical chukar hunt yesterday. Walked about 4 miles before Scout found some birds and pointed. As I approached two got up about 35 yards in front of her and I missed them both. As we followed them another bird flushed wild and I missed that one. Scout pointed again and I got two out of a covey of ten. Then my buddy up the hill from me shot and two birds came screaming down past me going about 90mph. I missed them both by a mile! It was hot and dry and the dogs were worn out and seeking shade after two and a half hours so we decided to head for the truck. Another wild single flushed on the way back. Scout wasn't anywhere near it. I got off a long shot (45 yards) and connected. The bird set it's wings and glided to the bottom of the hill about three hundred yards away. Scout and I went that direction and in about twenty minutes she found it. My buddy got one bird yesterday and I got three with 8 shots! Actually, that's not bad when the birds are flushing wild and far out. I'd be content going 3 for 8 any day like that!

Terrible scenting conditions made for a tough hunt---hot, dry and no wind. Great fun, though, and I can't wait to go again. Any day with Scout and a few birds is terrific and beats anything else I could have been doing!

 

[Tom]

8 with 7 shots is awesome!! What kind of shell was it? Chukkars are pretty big and we don't have many down here. It sounds like you and your dog have them figured out. Congratulations!

 

[Ithaca 37]

I use 12 gauge Rem. nitro 27s. 7 1/2 shot.

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 10-14-2002 16:17: Message edited by: Ithaca 37 ]</font>

 

[1_pointer]

Congrats and thanks for a great story. I'm gonna have to try this bird hunting thing someday.

 

[Ithaca 37]

Walked about 400 yards today and Scout threw a great point. I got real close and a covey of Hungarian Partridge flushed. Surprised me so much I only got off one shot and got one Hun. Heard some chukars way up at the top of the hill so went after them. All the cover had been grazed off and they wouldn't hold. Nothin' but wild flushes all the rest of the day and only could get off a couple of long shots. Didn't hit them. Ended up walking for three hours in real steep terrain, all for nothin' but the exercize! But we had a great time, as usual. Scout's layin' by my feet as I type this---snoring like Rip Van Winkle!

I'm heading to CA tomorrow for some business meetings for a few days.

Weather conditions will be better by the next time I hunt in about a week and from now on the hunting should be a lot better. Better scenting conditions and easier on me and Scout when it's not so darn hot!

 

[Kraven]

Great looking dog Ithaca.That first day out for ya sounded great glad ya had a good time with Scout.I cant wait to get a dog and start doing some upland bird hunting.Congrats on some good days spent with Scout.

 

[BuzzH]

Ithaca, sounds like a great time was had by both you and Scout. Congrats on the success!

 

[Idaho Ron]

Sounds like you are finding them, congrats. The only chukar hunting I have done was the day I shot that deer, and I only walked a couple of miles without seeing a thing.
The area I hunt is dependent on rain or snow to green up the grass and bring them up out of the bottom of the canyons. AND MAN IS IT COWED OUT!
While I am willing to go down after them the canyon won't let me. I think this moisture we are getting will help in a week or two.
Have you went hunting with Glen lately?
I need a good day of bird hunting. In september I hunted a bunch of blue grouse. Man did we do well on them. Oct came on, and I have only been thinking about deer. Man I got to go get some chukar. Thanks for the story. Ron

 

[Ithaca 37]

Ron, Nothing like a bunch of cows to ruin the hunting, even if they're long gone. Tried a place a week ago that's usually real good. Overgrazed as hell this year. Lots of birds but no cover to hold them so it was a frustrating day.

My own observation over the years is that taking the cattle out of an area for even two years not only at least doubles the chukar and hun population, but the birds hold so much better it's usually great hunting with a dog.

I'm sure a big part of the population increase is because of better cover for the young birds to hide in. That's the same thing they find about fawn mule deer and antelope survival every time they do a study on the effects of grazing. Give the young birds and animals some cover to hide in and the predators aren't nearly as effective. In fact, I'm starting to believe that's one of the major problems causing the drop in mule deer populations everywhere.

Haven't seen or talked to Glen in a year. Great guy , but it's just too inconvenient trying to hook up with somebody as far away as he is for frequent hunting.

 

[Calif. Hunter]

Great stories, Ithaca. They sure make me miss my dog. I just wish I had the time to start over with a pup - maybe in a few years when I retire. It's a lot of work, in a fun way of course, to get a dog trained. I'm glad I "found" NAVHDA - the advice, access to birds and training material made a huge difference!

It all pays off in those golden moments like when Scout pointed the chukar with one in her mouth. My Auli once pointed 2 pheasants on the way back to the truck after sprayed on the cheek by a skunk. I have no idea how she smelled them past the stink, but she did.

Treasure your time together.

 

[wiggysIROC]

Great stories and I do like how you take kids hunting! I am only 36, do I qualify if I am a kid at heart? Beautiful dog too! I have a wonderful Black Lab, but he is 3 and has very little patience, I am working on that.

Mark from Mt. Home

 

[Ithaca 37]

I've talked to Moosie about a hunt. Maybe we can hook up. Flushing dogs and pointers don't mix, though.

 

[T Bone]

I agree flushing and pointing dogs are like oil and water.

I was a kid hunting sagehens up near Spencer with my black lab and teamed up with another guy and his "mangy looking" wirehair. His wirehair was locked up solid and my lab goes tail wagging in and flushes 3 birds. The wirehair then proceeded to give my lab a serious thrashing.

Both get the job done well, but go about in completly different manners. Similar to rifle and bow hunting. Bait fishing and dry fly fishing.

Someone stop me. I'm at the end of my graveyard shift....and not thinking clearly. OK bye.