Chuckar Hunt

[BigSlapper]

Such a diverse province we live in ... where in the morning one can be calling in moose, and in the afternoon, roaming the cactus and sage dotted sidehills for chukar. This weekend I took the opportunity to do just this. For those chukar fanatics, you know how much work can go into these wily birds - the past few days was no different. Up, down, across ... picking cactus out of the seat of my pants ... into another ravine, up on to the next ridge and back down into another ravine ...trying to keep pace with my Drahthaar Gunnar, who is certainly not thinking about the 240lbs his master is carrying! 3 evening hunts produced 4 coveys, the smallest being 4 birds and the largest a dozen or more. We managed to put 4 on the ground (should have had more but DAMN they are quick). Enough for a good feed, and I have to say ... chucker, IMHO, has to be one of the finest eating birds I've had. And yes, Gunnar shared in the cooked spoils :) ... and BTW - no luck on the morning moose hunts damnit!
I have attached a few pictures below:

Gunnar, booted up and ready to go
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/w475/Tunkwa/InTheSage_zpse8c79f6a.jpg (http://s1077.photobucket.com/user/Tunkwa/media/InTheSage_zpse8c79f6a.jpg.html)

Taking a breather at the fenceline
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/w475/Tunkwa/FencelineChukars_zps97b2e6ed.jpg (http://s1077.photobucket.com/user/Tunkwa/media/FencelineChukars_zps97b2e6ed.jpg.html)

Senior Browning and the first bird down
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/w475/Tunkwa/SeniorBrowningampKamloopsChuckar_zpsa75e78a1.jpg (http://s1077.photobucket.com/user/Tunkwa/media/SeniorBrowningampKamloopsChuckar_zpsa75e78a1.jpg.h tml)

[BigSlapper]

Gunnar was sensational with 3 classic retrieves and an amazing blind retrieve off a double
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/w475/Tunkwa/ThePupChuckarampSeniorBrowning_zps85c03060.jpg (http://s1077.photobucket.com/user/Tunkwa/media/ThePupChuckarampSeniorBrowning_zps85c03060.jpg.htm l)

The Browning B25 FN ...where its meant to be :)
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/w475/Tunkwa/SeniorBrowningampKamloopsChuckar02_zpsa1034fb2.jpg (http://s1077.photobucket.com/user/Tunkwa/media/SeniorBrowningampKamloopsChuckar02_zpsa1034fb2.jpg .html)

One tired pup !
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/w475/Tunkwa/TiredPupAfterGoodChukarFetch_zps75528a90.jpg (http://s1077.photobucket.com/user/Tunkwa/media/TiredPupAfterGoodChukarFetch_zps75528a90.jpg.html)

[ru rancher]

thats awesome iv always wanted to try hunting for chukar just not sure how

[BigSlapper]

... and to The King, go the spoils ....
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/w475/Tunkwa/ChukarInThePan_zps2635a0ce.jpg (http://s1077.photobucket.com/user/Tunkwa/media/ChukarInThePan_zps2635a0ce.jpg.html)

[gutpile]

I'd love to hunt chuckers, how do you prevent snake bites to yourself and your dog ?

[BigSlapper]

I'd love to hunt chuckers, how do you prevent snake bites to yourself and your dog ?

I'm no expert One Horn ... still learning on the job. We've not come across any snakes YET, but I suppose it's just a matter of time. I suspect my Draht will rely on his instincts (although methodical, he is quite cantankerous in the field, so he could get surprised). He does wear a vest for the most part so that may be of some help. As for me ... I wear the Meindl Upland boots (high fit/10" tops) and usually filson chaps or upland pants (jeans) with the burr protection sewed in. May offer some relief? .... the obvious though, is to stay the hell away from the snakes!

[Brez]

I'd love to hunt chuckers, how do you prevent snake bites to yourself and your dog ?
With the cold weather, they should be in hiding.
BigSlapper, how does your dog like the boots and what kind are they? I've been going over there the last few years and my dogs get full of cacti so I haven't been trying for chukars. Did Gunnar take a while to get used to them?.

[BigSlapper]

BigSlapper, how does your dog like the boots and what kind are they? I've been going over there the last few years and my dogs get full of cacti so I haven't been trying for chukars. Did Gunnar take a while to get used to them?.[/QUOTE]

Brez, the boots are "Lewis Boots" and the only ones he does not break down. They are tough and ideal for the cactus/sage terrain (they offer vented for the warmer months and non-vented for snowy season). No problems with cacti yet. His adjustment period to them was ... oh .... about 45 seconds. Funny video the first time in boots though! ... damn funny.

[BigSlapper]

thats awesome iv always wanted to try hunting for chukar just not sure how

Read, research, chat ..... and just get out there! I'm learning on the job :)

[Brez]

Thanks a bunch BS (can I say that?). They'll be on Tucker's Christmas list. Congrats on a great day in the field. You are right - it doesn't get any better than this. I have to pinch myself from time to time. I (we - dog and I) was in the Okanagan for pheasant and had a couple of nice 4X4 muleys (with stickers) run along side my truck for a while when I left camp one morning. Didn't have time for a photo but it would have been a good one.

[yamadirt 426]

Nice work Big Slappa. I tried a few weekends ago north of lillooet. No birds. Might have to wait until next year. I am going to order the boots asap though. I ended up just working the old roads through the sage where the cactus hadn't grown.

[bridger]

Cut my shotgunning teeth on chukars. Absolutely my favorite upland bird hunt. Lots of excercise and challenging wingshooting. Shotgunning diesn't get any better.

[BigSlapper]

Cut my shotgunning teeth on chukars. Absolutely my favorite upland bird hunt. Lots of excercise and challenging wingshooting. Shotgunning diesn't get any better.

I think we're on the same page Bridger :) ... doesn't get any better.

[CBH]

Big Slapper - absolutely love the pics of your GWP!! It is amazing to see another GWP with a beautiful face and short hair like a GSP. You and I both lucked out in my opinion. Congrats on the birds, I am sure you worked for them! Did Gunnar point any of the birds? and were the birds holding?Brez - I too have the Lewis boots and they are actually a really good product. They stay on the dog and cactus sont stick to them. Make sure you put a wrap of "vet wrap" on your dogs leg before you duct tape the top of the boots to secure them to the leg. Be careful when you purchase, make sure you measure your dogs paws. I ordered a large and my dog is only 45 lbs and boots fit really snug on the back paws.

[BigSlapper]

Big Slapper - absolutely love the pics of your GWP!! It is amazing to see another GWP with a beautiful face and short hair like a GSP. You and I both lucked out in my opinion. Congrats on the birds, I am sure you worked for them! Did Gunnar point any of the birds? and were the birds holding?Brez - I too have the Lewis boots and they are actually a really good product. They stay on the dog and cactus sont stick to them. Make sure you put a wrap of "vet wrap" on your dogs leg before you duct tape the top of the boots to secure them to the leg. Be careful when you purchase, make sure you measure your dogs paws. I ordered a large and my dog is only 45 lbs and boots fit really snug on the back paws.
Good point CBH ... I have several sets of L and XL boots. Large for his rear paws and XL for his front. And yes, vet wrap prior to taping .... I use the clear stretchy hockey tape first with one wrap of sticky med tape to finish it off. Oh ... and CBH, pup is a Deutsch Drahthaar :)

[BigSlapper]

CBH .... Forgot your two questions. We got on 4 coveys and Gunnar pointed two and bumped two. The points were short lived though as the birds were active quickly - some launching immediately and others running and taking flight a ways out. Damn tough birds to get a bead on as you never can tell what they are going to do! Two of the coveys we had a second shot at as they landed and gathered a few hundred yards away from where we first bumped them - tough though as they ran another 50 yards or so unseen.

[Mutt58]

CBH .... Forgot your two questions. We got on 4 coveys and Gunnar pointed two and bumped two. The points were short lived though as the birds were active quickly - some launching immediately and others running and taking flight a ways out. Damn tough birds to get a bead on as you never can tell what they are going to do! Two of the coveys we had a second shot at as they landed and gathered a few hundred yards away from where we first bumped them - tough though as they ran another 50 yards or so unseen.
Nice Beretta
Mutt

[Mutt58]

Hey on second look with the straight stock and all I think I made a boo boo it must be a Browning.
love O/U s especially how you are using yours:)

[BigSlapper]

Hey on second look with the straight stock and all I think I made a boo boo it must be a Browning.
love O/U s especially how you are using yours:)
Browning B25 FN / stock made by Gernot Walther (Germany)

[Brez]

Thanks guys.

[phearless]

Nice to see other Drahthaars out there. We were out sunday and brought a couple home. GWP is the American name for our breed because they can't pronounce it. Griffin is black/white and full of P & V. Chukar Schnitzel with roasted squash soup and corn bread. Doesn't get much better.

[RebuiltMosin]

Griffin definitely has personality

[phearless]

Hey RebuiltMosin, we may as well tell everyone he is also known as "knob" in an endearing tone of course. He does point, pinned down a chukar sunday before last, I unfortunatley did not do my part. Only bird that held tight all day. They were flushing out in front of Pika and Griffin by 20+ yds. This is my first pointer and I am learning by the seat of my pants. Looks like my dog is capable, now it is up to me. Judging by the tracks, someone else had been there the day before. All in all a great day and two birds made a great dinner for my wife and I.

[BigSlapper]

Hey RebuiltMosin, we may as well tell everyone he is also known as "knob" in an endearing tone of course. He does point, pinned down a chukar sunday before last, I unfortunatley did not do my part. Only bird that held tight all day. They were flushing out in front of Pika and Griffin by 20+ yds. This is my first pointer and I am learning by the seat of my pants. Looks like my dog is capable, now it is up to me. Judging by the tracks, someone else had been there the day before. All in all a great day and two birds made a great dinner for my wife and I.
Chuckar (IMHO) is one of the best damn eating birds there is. Motivating to say the least! The chukar I have been on this season have not held at all. Seems they start to hold more with snow on the ground. .... oh and the nickname for my DD is "knucklehead" or "knuckles" .... in an endearing tone of course :)

[Foxton Gundogs]

Chuckars are a hoot, with my bad ankle I don't hunt them much now but I used to love it. I know they are a pointing dogs meat and potatoes but when they wont hold a flushing dog can beat the crap out of them I remember one of the last shoots we were on, we met a couple of hunters with Shorthairs coming out. They had two birds and were telling us how the birds were frustrating their dogs with the sit and run tactic. We put the Springers down and after about 4 hrs came back with a 2 man limit. This definitely is not the norm and the pointers usually outgun the flushers on covey birds but when it works it works big time. Great eating as well. We like the while breasts in a sweet Thai sauce. MMMMMM

[Lee Root]

Brad, Gunnar's mother and her chukars from today, the last day of our chukar season. She got to go today as Gage went out twice this weekend. Lee


http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa171/vomokanogan/IMG_1709_zpse0105302.jpg

[Lee Root]

Pointing in the frost...

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa171/vomokanogan/IMGP0419_zps5621f8b4.jpg

[BigSlapper]

Terrific Lee !!!
SO GOOD to see "momma" back at it. Any side effects ? I sure wish we had as lengthy a season as you folks do down there. I'm "jonesing" for October already! Been following along on some of your posts ... you boys have been on some birds this year - jealous! .... and Dakota Pheasant! .... isn't fair.
Hope you've been making your "chukar poppers" .... saw the pics and damn they looked tasty! Big Rod and super dog Carlo just got back from Oregon - and had a hell of a good hunt .... get him to fill you in.
.... and if I haven't thanked you recently for one hell of a pup .... thank you AGAIN. What a ride .... belly laughing all the way up and all the way down the friggin mountain with this loveable knucklehead :)

[hotload]

Yupp, I couldn't be happier with my boy Carlo, after a 10 day hunt in Oregon. 2 days in, the lightbulb goes on and he gets the picture and scents and moves in to staunchly point many, Chukars, Huns and Ruffed Grouse. The climbing was intensive and invigorating to say the least and I cannot begin to say how incredible these Drahthaars perform in the diverse terrain that these birds hang out in. Through the intensive competitive testings we have asked these dogs to perform so many different disciplines from forest, field, and water and now we ask them to abandon many of their taught and instinctive urges and concentrate on the immediate task with these skittish Chukars, and they do. It just boggles the mind how these versatile hunting dogs just change gears. Like the "SLAPPER', said, WHAT A RIDE............................

[Lee Root]

Country like this?

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa171/vomokanogan/IMGP0308_zps3f02fea5.jpg

[Lee Root]

And this. hotload glad you had a good trip.

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa171/vomokanogan/IMGP0433_zps8b952c77.jpg

[BigSlapper]

And this. hotload glad you had a good trip.

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa171/vomokanogan/IMGP0433_zps8b952c77.jpg
Now that will get the heart pumping, the legs burning and the cheeks rosie ... sure fire way to lose a few pounds running up and down those hills!

[hotload]

Keep the degree of difficulty, subtract the sage and cactus, add bunch grass,mud,snow,some wind,deer and elk everywhere and you got it right on. Maybe Slapper could throw up the pics I sent him??

[BigSlapper]

Keep the degree of difficulty, subtract the sage and cactus, add bunch grass,mud,snow,some wind,deer and elk everywhere and you got it right on. Maybe Slapper could throw up the pics I sent him??

Happy to post .... Hotload's Excellent Oregon Chukar Adventure ...

http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/w475/Tunkwa/RodCarloandBirdie011_zpsa694a77b.jpg (http://s1077.photobucket.com/user/Tunkwa/media/RodCarloandBirdie011_zpsa694a77b.jpg.html)
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/w475/Tunkwa/Scenic016_zps5cad5c96.jpg (http://s1077.photobucket.com/user/Tunkwa/media/Scenic016_zps5cad5c96.jpg.html)
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/w475/Tunkwa/Carloatdistanceonhill021_zps8c308e79.jpg (http://s1077.photobucket.com/user/Tunkwa/media/Carloatdistanceonhill021_zps8c308e79.jpg.html)

[BigSlapper]

http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/w475/Tunkwa/Elkonhillside064_zpse429b367.jpg (http://s1077.photobucket.com/user/Tunkwa/media/Elkonhillside064_zpse429b367.jpg.html)
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/w475/Tunkwa/Carlowithchukarandgun073_zpsd1e79e19.jpg (http://s1077.photobucket.com/user/Tunkwa/media/Carlowithchukarandgun073_zpsd1e79e19.jpg.html)

[Lee Root]

Nice, he looks good with a chukar in his mouth. What is with the "sissy" sling? Man I need to get one of those...Seriously I thought about it all season long.

[Lee Root]

Here is Gage with a hun.
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa171/vomokanogan/IMGP0303_zpse26bfc62.jpg

[Lee Root]

Speaking of shotguns...both of you need to get out some more so your guns look like this, instead of something just out of the gun library at Cabelas!!!


http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa171/vomokanogan/IMGP0343_zps5ed40d4f.jpg

[hotload]

Lee your a riot as usual, miss ya man. All the gun toting Germans used slings when I was there and the gun I borrowed even had one and I thought I might try a make shift one for this trip and am I ever glad I did. I was slipping and sliding down more than I was going up and I needed both hands, glad I had it. The gun is a Beretta 682 Gold E and believe me it crossed my mind many times how I wished I had a gun that I wouldn't mind bouncing off the rocks. The great hunting partner I was with has hunted these hills for over 50 years, a Chukar junkie, and he looked at my gun and just smiled and I already knew what he was thinking.................

[B-rad]

Anybody do chuckar chasing round kamloops?

[BigSlapper]

Anybody do chuckar chasing round kamloops?

Sure do :)

[Sasquatch]

Nice pics guys. You chukar hunters are a tough breed....too much cactus and steep hills for this guy.

[hotload]

Nice pics guys. You chukar hunters are a tough breed....too much cactus and steep hills for this guy.

The hills were steep and and rocky but the rewards were many. Just the opportunity to watch the dog you worked so hard with come through with the taught and instinctive bird hunting skills was very exciting to see. I was there 10 days and watched his passion and skills to hunt these wary birds get better and better. To the people on here with young pups, hang on brother, what a thrill............................................ ..........

[BigSlapper]

2 months .... the countdown begins !!

[barklee]

Can't wait. Its going to be a great season.

[BigSlapper]

Anyone out there seeing any Chukar?
grouse numbers seem to be good this year so hoping the same for the elusive Chukars?

[luckofthedraw]

I've seen a bunch. New to Kamloops, so not sure what's normal....but looks like it should be fun. And grouse are great.

[RoverHound]

Pretty sure I saw a good size covey in the road from lilleoot to Lytton. Dozen and a half or so.