How to find chukars

[daradke]

I've been wanting to try chuckars.  But no idea what type of terrain or habitat to look for? Any ideas or suggestions as to what type of place chuckar hang out? Not looking for specific locations just what type of terrain and what not.

[fluentvoo]

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,57836.0.html

[DOUBLELUNG]

Lower elevations, steep and open with lots of rock outcrops.  In your county I'd be looking up the Okanogan drainage, though there are birds in the lower Methow too.

[JLS]

I've been wanting to try chuckars.  But no idea what type of terrain or habitat to look for? Any ideas or suggestions as to what type of place chuckar hang out? Not looking for specific locations just what type of terrain and what not.

Find the steepest, rockiest cliffs you can find that grow cheat grass.  Walk up said cliffs, then slip and slide your way back down. 

Repeat as necessary until you find birds.

[JLS]

Lower elevations, steep and open with lots of rock outcrops. 

I've found chukars all the up at the timber in the Swakane.  Same in the Blue Mountains.

[BiggLuke]

An easy way to locate chuckars, as in wether they are in area or not, is to scout around at high noon at the highest point you can get. They will allways post sentry duty. You can spot them suckers sitting at the top of a rock out in the middle of a wheat field.

Plus, yes, they are runners, and love the high country step lands... I.E. steepest you can find. Like the Columbia river gorge.

[Chukar]

Steep hills
Cheat grass
Water source "nearby". Nearby being a general vicinity.
Can't stress enough of the steep hill part. If you not broken after your first day...you did it wrong.

[DOUBLELUNG]

Three pieces of advice for a new chukar hunter.

1.  Hunt chukars the first time for fun.  You'll hunt them the rest of your life for revenge.

2.  Run like a rabbit, die like a rabbit.

3.  There are illegal ways to kill chukars, we don't condone that.  However, there are no unethical, legal ways to kill a chukar.

[BiggLuke]

You can always wait till it snows deep. Then try a red balloon. Serious.... it works. Look it up online.

[BIGINNER]

You can always wait till it snows deep. Then try a red balloon. Serious.... it works. Look it up online.

[boneaddict]

Solid legs, good boots, ankles and lungs. 

[boneaddict]

......and maybe take up swearing

[quadrafire]

And don't take a real fancy shotgun that can't stand a few dings.

[Curly]

Spelling the bird correctly may be the first step in finding them............




just sayin'
 

[Buckmark]

When you do locate them they will fly up uphill further, then when you get up the hill to them they will fly down hill, repeat as needed.... They are not called the heart attack bird for nothing...

[fluentvoo]

When you do locate them they will fly up uphill further, then when you get up the hill to them they will fly down hill, repeat as needed.... They are not called the heart attack bird for nothing...

I have never had them fly up hill on me. They always run up the hillside, and always fly downhill. Best case scenario for me is to be working a draw uphill, and have them bust and have to go vertical and fly over me to get downhill.

I think thee most important thing in locating chukar is knowing what their poop looks like. The landscape all looks very similar in chukar country. I have hunted one side of a river hard and found no poo. Cross the river and there are coveys every few hundred yards.

That is a photo from somewhere online, while the poop is a little older and brown, chukar poop looks EXACTLY like that, just a bit greener. The poop almost always has a white tip, and is about the size of a quarter, or slightly bigger. If you are walking and walking and not seeing any birds, and aren't seeing poop on the ground, chances are that's not a good area.

[nwwanderer]

Great advice, one more, listen first and last light, they talk a lot.

[Curly]

Great advice, one more, listen first and last light, they talk a lot.

They aren't talking so much as actually laughing at hunters.......

[JLS]

Great advice, one more, listen first and last light, they talk a lot.

They aren't talking so much as actually laughing at hunters.......

They are calling you something that rhymes with chukar, or trucker, or........

You get the point

[nwwanderer]

Laughing it is, do they make a thousand yard .17 target rifle?

[boneaddict]

These aren't chuks but to me they are the same devils

[boneaddict]

[BIGINNER]

These aren't chuks but to me they are the same devils

honestly, for me thee devils are easier

[quadrafire]

Here is one dropping a bomb!

[njdmb]

Find the steepest rockiest no good nastiest country you can that has water and feed. Start walking, watch them fly to the bottom, walk to the bottom, chase them as they run back to the top. Once on top watch them fly back to bottom, repeat, repeat, repeat and so on. At the end of the day be happy if you shot a few and prepare to spend all eternity seeking revenge on the little guys. All kidding aside they are challenging, but rewarding to chase, as well as addicting. Good luck to you!!!

[Skyvalhunter]

YFC

[merkelman]

Those photos look familiar!

[coachcw]

naches , ive seen a bunch of chucks just up the hill and to the west of your phots 

[coachcw]

you better have a ride back up that's a ways down . The spine between the canyon to the west is good but a bit snakey . drop straight over from the lil water spot on the hillside

[coachcw]

do you park a bike at the bottom ?

[coachcw]

I usually hike up that way the truck is down!

[JLS]

I usually hike up that way the truck is down!

That is my preferred method of attack on Senor Redlegs.

[troyspinetar]

Steep hills
Cheat grass
Water source "nearby". Nearby being a general vicinity.
Can't stress enough of the steep hill part. If you not broken after your first day...you did it wrong.

  especially the broken part! 
Sure is a blast though

[bracer40]

Any of you guys game to hook up with someone new? I've been having a good time hunting (and killing) pheasant and quail with my Brittany and I'm looking forward to try our hand at chasing the devil birds. Neither of us have a problem with the terrain. He's got a great nose and is steady to wing (still working on steady to shot in the field.............fine in hunt tests, but different with wild birds).

My problem is some of the  guys I hunt with don't want to climb, scramble and work their *ss off going after Chukar.
BTW: I'm a westsider so I'm a weekender guy for these hunts.
Anyhow, if game, shoot me a pm.

[DOUBLELUNG]

After these birds have made you thoroughly twisted, you can take up killing the sentinel with a buddy.  The sentinel is the #$^& lookout that watches from atop a rock for danger while the rest of the covey feed below.  This is the one that calls loudly from far out of range to let all the others know you are there. 

Once he calls, you stand still and let your partner back off out of sight.  You take a slow step every couple of minutes to keep him calling, your buddy circles back and comes in from behind/above.  If done successfully, you will see the sentinel swatted off the rock in a puff of feathers as the rest of the covey flies away - then, you will hear the shot.  Next sentinel, you and your buddy switch places.  Good times!

[Fishnfowler]

There are a lot of fun replies to this thread, but in all seriousness, start shooting heroin instead.  You will probably live longer and save money to boot. 



AHHH, now that I've gotten that out of my system, you really are better off with Meth.



Ok, I was just joking... sort of. 



Chukar are a life-long sort of thing.  I'd recommend getting a divorce, living in a single wide somewhere near Chelan Butte, and devoting the rest of your life to misery.  Along the way you should collect a bunch of expensive guns, throw them off cliffs, quickly diving after them, and spending stupid amounts of money on boots that still give you blisters. 



Once in a while you will shoot the living he!! out of those birds, stringing you along until the next fix.  Best of luck. 



P.S.  Buy some life insurance along with E-load tires.

 

[bracer40]

Fishnfowler, great post! I can see you're pretty strung out for sure! Suprised to see your dog. A chessie? Nearly everything I've read has guys running behind pointers.
From your pics it looks like he's been a birdfinding machine!