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My Dad had a copy of this which I read as kid growing up in eastern Washington and thought it was really interesting. One of my Dad's friend's remembered hunting before chukars were introduced which to me at the time seemed like ancient times shocked

https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/r...introduction-life-history-and-management

One thing that's interesting is you always hear that pen raised birds won't make it but the book states they were instrumental. I'm guessing predator control was a lot more active back then.

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[Linked Image from lh3.googleusercontent.com]



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There was aggressive predator control in the 1950's in NV, and the chukar populations were enormous in 1957 and 1958. I remember driving up Leadville Canyon and seeing so many birds the hillsides looked like they were lice infested. The limit was 7/day then, and several times I stood in one spot with my SXS 20ga and shot a limit, as our dogs worked the birds and retrieved.

The 40 year drought cycle we're in, West Nile, Mining, and ATV/UTV proliferation have knocked all that back about 80-90%.


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Interesting reading. I give 'em a pass, just not many of 'em here on the east side of the state. A few around Eureka in the Diamonds, nothing like 20 yrs ago.


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Growing up in Humboldt County NV back in the 60-70 s I remember bunches as large as 80-100 birds!! Especially late season when snow moved them down.

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Why do you guys think the chukar numbers have declined so much over the years?



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Numbers are still pretty good in E Oregon, SW Idaho and central Washington. Never chukar hunted NV though.

There are a lot more hawks now it seems. Would have loved to have hunted them 50 years ago

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Originally Posted by Whiptail

Why do you guys think the chukar numbers have declined so much over the years?




"The 40 year drought cycle we're in, West Nile, Mining, and ATV/UTV proliferation have knocked all that back about 80-90%."


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Originally Posted by Basco
Growing up in Humboldt County NV back in the 60-70 s I remember bunches as large as 80-100 birds!! Especially late season when snow moved them down.


We used to drive up Grand Trunk back then and shoot plenty of birds just outside of Winnemucca, then came mining, new people, 4 wheel drive vehicle proliferation, mining, and lots of new people, and did I say mining?


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And Game Depts continuing to lengthen seasons. You can have quality or quantity when it comes to number of hunting days ( Depts prefer to call it ‘hunting opportunity’)

Personally I d rather have few days and better bird numbers than thin numbers but lots of days!! Birds and BG get too much pressure for too long each season IMO. ( we all know long seasons sell more licenses and tags; say Money)

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Basco is right . Oregon season always ended in last of December but the director wanted the upland season for chukars to carry in to Jan of the next year . To get the next year licenses bought early . My friend one of the bios was at that meeting and said he did not think it was a good idea to have hunters chasing the birds in winter conditions and was told it did not mater because that was what the director wanted . In Oregon we always had up and down on numbers with winter die off or to wet springs etc , The big die off with the bird flue about 10 years ago was what really put the hurt on our birds . Some areas that I hunt are just now starting to get a few birds back that used to have plenty before .

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Originally Posted by weaselsRus
Interesting reading. I give 'em a pass, just not many of 'em here on the east side of the state. A few around Eureka in the Diamonds, nothing like 20 yrs ago.

We still have a bunch here where I grew up. Hear and see plenty. Plan on hunting the hell out of them again too...
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]


Originally Posted by raybass
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style.
Originally Posted by Pharmseller
You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole.

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I'm 85 now but through the years I chased them in California and Nevada and Idaho until my legs gave out. When I first started after them I was six feet two inches tall. They wore me down to five foot ten inches but it was fun while it lasted

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The western winter of '95 didn't make a lot of headlines because it only killed 28 people, but it broke a lot of snow records and then froze hard for weeks. Places in Northern Nev and E. Oregon had to feed cattle with dozers in big circles, and mule deer would come in the circles with the cattle to feed. Their trails were easy to see, because they were bloody from ice crust cuts on their legs...sickening. I don't think many birds survived that. And that was about the time that license and tag funds were shifted away from game management to studying lizards, bugs, and rare mice, so chukar planting numbers crashed.
Windridge mentioned Leadville canyon, I used to drive that a lot, working on a rock crusher outfit, back when ATV's got popular and cheap. The 'sportsmen' used to patrol the county road in herds, along the creek like it was the Berlin Wall, keeping the birds from water. Never saw a game warden.


Well this is a fine pickle we're in, should'a listened to Joe McCarthy and George Orwell I guess.
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I’m a pretty avid upland hunter and I’ve often thought I was born 50 years late. I don’t believe I’ll ever see the upland numbers some of you gentlemen have.

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I was at the range the other day and 2 chukar walked across the range at about 50 yards away. Before I saw them, I heard them so I knew they were really close. First I saw one pop up over the dirt berm on the right hand side, then it started walking down and onto the range, then the other one came along. I stopped shooting and they walked right by, not even paying attention to me sitting at the bench:
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

It was cool seeing them that close.


Originally Posted by raybass
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style.
Originally Posted by Pharmseller
You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole.

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Originally Posted by bsa1917hunter
Originally Posted by weaselsRus
Interesting reading. I give 'em a pass, just not many of 'em here on the east side of the state. A few around Eureka in the Diamonds, nothing like 20 yrs ago.

We still have a bunch here where I grew up. Hear and see plenty. Plan on hunting the hell out of them again too...
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]


Looks familiar, where did you grow up? We're in Ely.


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Originally Posted by weaselsRus
Originally Posted by bsa1917hunter
Originally Posted by weaselsRus
Interesting reading. I give 'em a pass, just not many of 'em here on the east side of the state. A few around Eureka in the Diamonds, nothing like 20 yrs ago.

We still have a bunch here where I grew up. Hear and see plenty. Plan on hunting the hell out of them again too...
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]


Looks familiar, where did you grow up? We're in Ely.

Winnemucca.


Originally Posted by raybass
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style.
Originally Posted by Pharmseller
You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole.

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Some years back they were running field trials right down the hill from me. On consecutive days I had a chukar and a pheasant walk right past the house... Too bad they did not make it long term!


Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.
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Alive and well. Today's trip to the range. Dumb birds!!
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

This ugly thing, not so much:
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

As I was leaving the range:
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
I like to see them around here. I used to hunt the heck out of them when I was younger.


Originally Posted by raybass
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style.
Originally Posted by Pharmseller
You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole.

BSA MAGA

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