Home Forums Birds & Dogs Upland Game Anybody hunt Chachalacas?

While this probably isn't the year to do it due to the drought, I'm thinking I need to make a trip to deep south Texas to hunt Chacalacas. Has anybody shot one or have any tips for finding/shooting one?

I shot several in the forests along the Panama Canal using a .45 ACP. The first time I saw them I didn't know what they were until my First Sergeant (a Panama native) told me, and said they were good eating.

Cool bird..

when I was living down near Puerto Vallarta those things would crack me up up with the racket they would make.

Some of the locals said they do taste pretty good, but they'll eat anything, god bless 'em..

I've killed a few in Guerrero and northern Oaxaca, mostly with a .410. They don't like to fly, so it's pretty much like potting a fool hen. They are good to eat, but then country Mexicans can make ANYTHING good to eat! To them, "mystery meat" is NO mystery--"cook LOOOOONNNNNG and slow, season well, wrap in fresh tortilla." What's not to love?

It depends on the area you choose. But this one is also a good shot.

I have a hunting lodge in Paraguay and Uruguay. I have been hunting Paraguay yearly since 1977. We have 5 specie of perdiz and four specie of martineta. (Quail & Grouse). These have white meat like our USA birds. The chachalaca has dark meat. I have shot and eaten hundreds and hundreds. They are dumb as dirt and I shoot mine with a 22 pistol mainly. Hands down the best eating game bird we have. Outstanding! Makes me hungry thinking about them.

Looks like a brown robin.