Hunting Washington Forum

Other Hunting => Upland Birds => Topic started by: KP-Skagit on November 06, 2023, 02:53:27 PM

Title: Chukar Numbers
Post by: KP-Skagit on November 06, 2023, 02:53:27 PM: Curious to hear what others are seeing for chukar numbers this year. I got out this past weekend and hit my number 1 and number 2 spot. These spots are reliable and usually the only thing between me and a limit is snow, my fitness level or my shooting. The first day I managed one bird and only put up two coveys of around 5 birds, both coveys jumped way wide. The next day I didn't see or hear a bird and the dog never smelled one.

I hunted high up, and down low and everywhere in between. Covered a combined 15 miles and a couple thousand vertical each day.

This is in north central WA.

Usually these areas are very loud with bird activity. I hunt a flushing dog so typically I listen for them talking, hone in on a general area and then follow the dog in there. I did not hear a single chukar talk all weekend. I can't help but wonder if the avian flu that's been going around cleaned out my spots.
Title: Re: Chukar Numbers
Post by: RobinHoodlum on November 06, 2023, 09:37:15 PM: I've only hunted one day for chukar so far. Similar to you, a place where we normally move several coveys around - except we never shoot limits.

Anyhow, only located 3 coveys, which seemed to be on the smaller side. 1 covey was on the run when located and another flushed wild. Planning for another 'workout' this upcoming weekend.
Title: Re: Chukar Numbers
Post by: Klickitatsteelie on November 07, 2023, 05:57:07 AM: Saw a bunch deer hunting modern season. Big coveys with lots of young birds in them. Maybe some areas they did better than others. Definitely looked like a up year from what we saw.
Title: Re: Chukar Numbers
Post by: metlhead on November 07, 2023, 06:36:35 AM: My #1 spot completely burned this past summer. I've no idea what the numbers are this year. Gonna stick with quail and ducks.
Title: Re: Chukar Numbers
Post by: nwwanderer on November 07, 2023, 06:55:26 AM: Might check out a late hunt on that burn, new growth makes for happy chukars
Title: Re: Chukar Numbers
Post by: KP-Skagit on November 07, 2023, 08:42:53 AM: Interesting comments, does seem that maybe numbers are down, at least in certain areas. Of course I didn't expect the whole state to be the same. Pretty unreal to go from seeing 100 to 200 birds in a day to seeing 0 to 10...

Sounds like I need to branch out if I want to get into them. Unfortunate, as I have a place to stay about 45 minutes from the spots I have been hunting. My old spots are hotel rooms or travel trailer kind of hunts.
Title: Re: Chukar Numbers
Post by: metlhead on November 07, 2023, 11:15:30 AM: Burns from the past 2 summers that are adjacent are still wastelands void of anything. Finger burns are great but these carpet bombings take time to recover.
Title: Re: Chukar Numbers
Post by: Emptyvest on November 08, 2023, 06:27:04 AM: I’ve hunted chukar every weekend with my brother and our dogs. We’ve seen equal to or better numbers this year everywhere we’ve hunted. There are lots of young birds, so that’s been a good sign. It sounds like that isn’t the case statewide.