Hunting Washington Forum

Other Hunting => Upland Birds => Topic started by: Shoffy on August 11, 2011, 07:46:49 AM

Title: Where can you get into huns?
Post by: Shoffy on August 11, 2011, 07:46:49 AM: I've killed a bunch of chukars and quail last season around yakima, but not a single hun. I've read the numbers posted on fish and games website and they look low. Are there any public grounds that hold huns anymore?
Title: Re: Where can you get into huns?
Post by: Rhinoron247 on August 11, 2011, 08:06:00 AM: Lately I have been seeing Huns in the basin on the flats along the river. I don't intentionally hunt them anymore because I don't like to eat them. The population sure seems to be way down on the nation! Not sure why?
Title: Re: Where can you get into huns?
Post by: CedarPants on August 11, 2011, 08:20:05 AM: :yeah:

I used to always run into them on the public ground I frequent (Escure Ranch, Fishtrap BLM, Crab Creek BLM, Twin Lakes BLM, etc) but over the past several years they seem to be few and far between
Title: Re: Where can you get into huns?
Post by: jackelope on August 11, 2011, 08:24:48 AM: It definitely seems that the population bounces around year to year. I saw a few coveys in the southeast this spring but haven't been back over there yet.
Title: Re: Where can you get into huns?
Post by: boneaddict on August 11, 2011, 08:55:16 AM: Huns are a little thicker up north (Omak, Brewster, etc) they are pretty lean down here in the Yakima as of late.
Title: Re: Where can you get into huns?
Post by: high country on August 11, 2011, 09:23:54 AM: look for old home, implements.....crap in the field. the huns seem to like that stuff......unless it snows. then the goofy things just hunker down in the middle of the most desolate field around.
Title: Re: Where can you get into huns?
Post by: Shoffy on August 11, 2011, 04:04:48 PM: Quote from: high country on August 11, 2011, 09:23:54 AM
look for old home, implements.....crap in the field. the huns seem to like that stuff......unless it snows. then the goofy things just hunker down in the middle of the most desolate field around.

Ya know that's funny you say that. I was over in Pendleton, OR last spring shooting ground squirrels on this ranchers place. He had all sorts of old cars, tractors, appliances, ect laying all over. I saw to small coveys of huns hanging out.
Title: Re: Where can you get into huns?
Post by: Uplandbum on August 11, 2011, 04:37:43 PM: I was lucky enough while pheasant hunting to shoot a few of them in the SE corner last Fall. I didn't see near the numbers up north near Omak as I have in the past though. Hoping its a good Chukar year as it may take the Huns a few dry springs and mild winters to bounce back...
Title: Re: Where can you get into huns?
Post by: Shoffy on August 11, 2011, 07:22:27 PM: Quote from: Uplandbum on August 11, 2011, 04:37:43 PM
I was lucky enough while pheasant hunting to shoot a few of them in the SE corner last Fall. I didn't see near the numbers up north near Omak as I have in the past though. Hoping its a good Chukar year as it may take the Huns a few dry springs and mild winters to bounce back...

How did you do on the roosters in the SE corner??
Title: Re: Where can you get into huns?
Post by: ribka on August 11, 2011, 07:24:44 PM: I run in them around Yakima when hunting quail. Have seen a few this year and numbers seem to be down
Title: Re: Where can you get into huns?
Post by: fethrduster on August 12, 2011, 03:59:22 PM: Hunt the wheatfields and crp on top for huns, edges and canyons for chukars. I targeted huns last year by hunting abandoned homesteads in or near wheatfields and did well too.
Title: Re: Where can you get into huns?
Post by: Sumpnneedskillin on August 12, 2011, 04:09:58 PM: Hate to be Debbie Downer but the rain and cold did a real number on the hatch this year. Personally I've seen less than 2 dozen chicks.......that's everything - quail, pheasant, huns, chuckar and turkey.

I called a couple of new numbers to see if I could get permission to bird hunt and was told not this year because the numbers were down.

Adult numbers are way down too. Not sure why. On the drive to/from work this spring used to see adults all the time. Knew where to look for each species. Now we're lucky if we see 2-3 birds.
Title: Re: Where can you get into huns?
Post by: Sumpnneedskillin on August 12, 2011, 08:01:26 PM: So I need to eat my hat.

On the way home tonite I saw 5 quail chicks (about 1/3 to 1/2 adult size), 2 roosters (both without tails) and a pair of huns with about 8-10 chicks (about feed store chick size). The huns appeared to be recently hatched. I'm not sure but they still appeared to be puff balls and not have any feathers yet.
Title: Re: Where can you get into huns?
Post by: Shoffy on August 12, 2011, 08:45:50 PM: Quote from: Sumpnneedskillin on August 12, 2011, 08:01:26 PM
So I need to eat my hat.

On the way home tonite I saw 5 quail chicks (about 1/3 to 1/2 adult size), 2 roosters (both without tails) and a pair of huns with about 8-10 chicks (about feed store chick size). The huns appeared to be recently hatched. I'm not sure but they still appeared to be puff balls and not have any feathers yet.

You think maybe there was a late second hatch??? I'm hoping and praying.....
Title: Re: Where can you get into huns?
Post by: RadSav on August 12, 2011, 09:56:53 PM: It's the wet springs that really give 'em hell. I expect real poor hatch this year. May take more than a few nice springs to get a good recovery. I agree with allt he areas Cedarpants listed. Used to see hundreds of them above Crab Creek, but very few over the past few years. They seem to like the flats a bit more than the chuckars.