Hot Chukar Hunt

[Ithaca 37]

The weatherman said it would be 90 degrees today so I left early and at dawn Scout and I were walking up the chukar hill. Didn't find the chukars 'til about 8am and by then it musta been 75 degrees and I was soaked with sweat. Shot one bird outta the first covey and it was only about half sized. Must have been a real late hatch for that brood. Decided to let that covey grow a little more before I hunt them again, so went looking for another bunch. Scout found them and I was looking them over real close as they flushed. Another bunch of babies, so I didn't shoot any outta that crowd and by then the sun was really blazin' so I said the hell with it. Huntin' chukars is hard enough without dealing with the kinda heat we had today. Hot and dry, lotsa dust and pollen clogging up Scout's nose, no breeze and young birds without much scent yet made for tough hunting conditions. Actually, it would have been fairly easy to get a limit of those young birds because I'm probably the first human they've ever seen, but I'd rather let them grow up. These birds today were all late hatches, maybe even second hatches. Big coveys, and they'll be good hunting in about another month. I think I'll try a different spot next weekend (as long as it's below 70 degrees) and see if I can find some bigger birds.

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 09-28-2003 16:04: Message edited by: Ithaca 37 ]</font>

 

[1_pointer]

Sounds like a good time, even if it was hot! I kinda like the young chicks!!!

 

[Nut]

Thanks for sharing about the hunt!

 

[ELKCHSR]

That sounded like a good day, even if the heat was a little stifling...

 

[Oak]

Sounds like the chukars may have had a good year in your area. Ninety degree weather IS too hot to be hunting those uphill sprinters, though.

Oak