Perfect day for chukars!

[Ithaca 37]

Yesterday was great! Cars and trucks sliding off the road everywhere as we drove to our hunting spot. So bad we actually debated turning around. But there's nothing better than a few inches of fresh snow for bird hunting. That, and a 5 mile an hour breeze made for perfect scenting conditions. Scout was picking up scent of coveys three hundred yards away and pointing them from 75 yards. First time it happened I misjudged where the birds were by 50 yards!

Then I realized what was happening and adjusted for it.

As I was following some five hour old chukar tracks I found where another animal was following them, too. Small tracks almost the size of a small housecat. Had me wondering for a couple of minutes but realized it had to be a kit fox. Here's a picture:

http://kaweahoaks.com/html/kit_fox.htm

http://www.floodlight-findings.com/2redfox/kitfox.html

They usually aren't out in the daylight. He had the chukars pretty jumpy so we had a hard time approaching them but that was OK. It was a thrill knowing a kit fox was around!

For you other chukar hunters---we were finding the birds two hundred yards from the rims out in the sagebrush flats.

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 12-22-2002 09:49: Message edited by: Ithaca 37 ]</font>

 

[Washington Hunter]

How many did you kill?

 

[T Bone]

Good to hear you got some snow. Southern Idaho needs lots more. Chukar hunting in the conditions described are almost as good as it gets...Although my previous GSP did better in wet conditions. Like everything else when wet, chukar smell.

Here in Reno we received A LOT of snow this week. I can't even get into my local chukar hill. I may try again tomorrow.

 

[Ithaca 37]

When you have that many chukars to work on it's hard not to get a limit of eight. You'd have to miss them on purpose! Scout musta pointed at least twenty five times. She didn't want to quit as we were returning to the truck! She thinks there shouldn't be a limit on any birds. In fact, her ambition is to point every bird in Idaho and Oregon and then retrieve it after I shoot it!

 

[Carnivore]

Sounds like a great hunt. Of course every day out in the fields with your dog is a great time, and Scout sounds like a power house.