Huntin' Huns

[BuckeyeMan]

Hi all, new to here, been reading for while then decided to join the fun

question is above.  is looking for the Hungarian partridge worthwhile?  Never did it, but am interested and don't know much about them.  any advice is welcome

[Birdguy]

Welcome to posting on the board  . Huns are a great little bird that when found are a blast to shoot. We have found them a couple times over the years and i love shooting at them  . I have hit a couple not not near as many as I have shot at. They are a tasty meal as well. I would say they are worth the effort to look, we usually just go upland hunting and shoot what the dogs put up, a mixed bag so to speak. Good luck, and keep posting now that you have started.

[ribka]

Huns are around. I have about 20 by the house. I usually run into them when I am chasing Chukars. Typically find them about 1/2 way down the tops of hills in the grass and rocks. When I clean them always find grasshoppers in their crops.  Good eating and neat birds.

[high country]

find old farm implements in pheasant type habitat and you stand a good shot at huns. something about the crap in a field draws them. tough little suckers too, I see them burrow into the snow when there is cover to hide in.

[fethrduster]

Huns are my favorite bird to hunt, right after chukars.  They flush in large flocks like chukars, but almost always side hill, hardly ever straight away.   They hold point well, and they are easy to bring down.  A fast load of 8's or 7.5's is perfect for huns, out of a light, quick, ic/mod choked gun (a 16 or 20ga is perfect).  I too find them when chasing chukars, usually on top in tall grass or wheat stubble, while chukars are usually just below the lip to about half way down.   Look for rolling terrain with knee high grass or stubble with little draws and ravines mixed in.  Lots of times they'll be in the bushes, much like quail, next to the stubble fields.  They make a loud chirpy cackle when they flush too.  Very cool birds, and beautiful too. 

[bobcat]

In my experience Huns aren't as abundant as quail and chukar. As others have said, I have only got into Huns when hunting either chukar or pheasant. I've never specifically targeted Huns. But when you do get into them they're definitely one of the most fun game birds to shoot.

[BuckeyeMan]

Wow, thanks for all the info guys.  I didn't realize that Huns and Chukar occupy the same types of areas.  Still new to the this sport, but completely addicted.  I'll have to look for better territory in which to find them.

[teal101]

I've about hit huns on 3 different occasions so far this September.  One covey was about 200 yds from my work

The huns tend to be out in the wheat and rolling grass hills over the rocky slopes.  The Chukar will be on the fringes of the rocks and up in them.

If theres wheat, theres generally huns.

[jackelope]

Lots of huns in wheat country and CRP country. We see a lot of them in the Southeast. Multiple coveys per day usually(20-30 birds maybe per day). Usually in totally different terrain than chukars where we see them.

 

[shedcrazy]

Was just up deer scouting and we ran into a few nice size coveys, in the wheat stubble. Come on Oct. 2

[MtnMuley]

Toughest bird in my opinion to put into your vest.  Knocking them down isn't the problem, but the things can really run and are very tough.  A lot of my bird hunting was done without dogs, and let me tell you, I've been on some crazy wounded hun chases!  Very fun bird to hunt and best of luck this year getting after it.

[fethrduster]

Mtn. Muley, not to sound like a know it all, but I've found huns to be easy to bring down.  Much easier than chukars.  Perhaps the reason you are getting cripples is you are shooting too large a shot size and lack pattern density for a clean kill?  7.5's out of an i/c choke are about perfect for huns. No need to shoot magnums or anything like that.  Good luck this fall!

[MtnMuley]

No offense taken, fethrduster.  I said knocking them down wasn't the problem, but the problem was keeping themn from running.  I agree, chuckars are a lot more hard to drop out of the air, but I've had far fewer runners with chucks than huns.  I haven't hunted upland in several years, but grew up mainly upland hunting.  I always used a mod or an IC choke, and we'd reload our own 7 1/2 shells.  We had a load for clays, quail, and doves, and also we had a "hot" load for the chuckar and huns.  Chuckar were plentiful back then.........the good ole days.

[BuckeyeMan]

Guess I need to get out the map and the gas card, I have not done much hunting in the southeast of the state.  I keep hearing it's good, but I do a lot of day trips in search of quail around Yakima and Royal City.  need to go the extra mile.     Not that my little Brittany cares, there's nothing she loves more than a good day in the field.

[teal101]

Guess I need to get out the map and the gas card, I have not done much hunting in the southeast of the state.  I keep hearing it's good, but I do a lot of day trips in search of quail around Yakima and Royal City.  need to go the extra mile.     Not that my little Brittany cares, there's nothing she loves more than a good day in the field.

There are huns in and around Royal City.  Join the Royal City Booster club, gets you lots of access to private fields out there and always check in on the Feel free to hunt and WDFW land around wheat stubble.  I used to belong to the Royal Booster club and took quite a few huns out of that area.