Nevada Chukar opener????

Califelkslayer · Oct 15, 2008

What a miserable day. Cold, winds to 30. Dropped 10 and only found 5. This over a dag thats had 1,000+ taken over her. My piss poor shootin was the problem. Knocked down the 10, only 2 dead.

11 1/2 year old dog is still the star. Pup was a disappointment.

Didn't really notice her on the first shot cause the bird was a cripple and the old dog was on it. The next volley she came to my feet and wouldn't leave. Then she laid down and wouldn't come. I came back for her 2 hours later and she hunted with the old dog til I shot again, then @ my feet again. This time she resumed huntin in about 10 minutes. Then we were done. Not givin up, just disappointed. This from a dog that I was shootin a 45 over her when she was 3 1/2 months without even a flinch.

Shummy · Oct 16, 2008

Was the pup properly introduced the the gun and birds, I've seen the two combined destroy a pup before if it wasn't properly introduced. I'm not trying to nock you, far from it, I have some experience on the subject and I'd like to help if you need or want it. The problem can be cured. Take away the gun and get the dog excited about birds again, then SLOWLY from a DISTANCE start introducing the gun again.

Califelkslayer · Oct 16, 2008

LAST EDITED ON Oct-16-08 AT 11:04PM (MST)[p]I'll try that. She was around guns all summer and has so much prey drive I never really introduced her to birds. She's killed 4 skunks, never had a dog do that more than once. She's treed numerous animals, raccoons, feral cats, etc. Guess the shortcut didn't work. She follows the older dog around until the shootin starts.

Oh yea, she's alot more timid with the electronic collar on. Think thats commin off too for awhile. Never used one before and thinkin I should have never bought it. The only other difference with every other bird dog I've ever had is she was raised with 3 other dogs, 2 pups. Kinda slowed her initial desire to please me. She seems to have gotten over that after several weekends alone with me only. Another issue I wished I could have avoided but couldn't.

Shummy · Oct 17, 2008

Dogs need to be properly conditioned to the E-collar as well, Did you just put it on her and go or did you try having the dog wear it around without it on first and then turn it on after the dog becomes used to the collar, this isn't done overnight, with the pup I'm training now I let her wear it for several weeks before I even turned it on. Also you should only use the collar to enfore commands that the dogs already knows. You probably already know most of this.
What kind of dog are we talking about?

Godsten · Oct 17, 2008

The guy i go hunting with use an ecollar, calls it the hearing aid. Anyway in the beginning the dog didn't like that thing but after getting it put on just before hunting a few times he gets super pumped when the ecollar comes out. My buddy rarely uses the zap it only takes a tone and that is very rare now. I guess like all stuff with dogs its about conditioning, since he connected hunting, which he loves, with the ecollar.

Back to the opener. It was wicked cold, we drove out to around elko just to get a change of scenery. Something like low 20's in the morning but it felt colder with the wind and moisture in the air. Miserable conditions and we only got 3 birds, but still it is great to be back out there after those chukar. Went out again on wednesday and it was almost to hot, mid 70's. Gotta love that crazy NV weather.

When we went it was to a familiar place that always produces birds. This time we only saw one covey but it was big like 40+ birds. I was wondering if these coveys tend to break apart as it gets harder to scrape out a living entering winter. If so might wait a bit for that spot head out again when the temps start dropping. Hopefully it will be a good season, can't wait to get out again.

Godsten

Califelkslayer · Oct 17, 2008

I've used the collar evertime I hike with the dog and usually only tone her too. BUT she acts different when it goes on, less aggressive. Gonna lose the collar tomorrow as an experiment. Like Shummy said, once she gets into birds, that will be her primary focus.

Have had bird dogs, at least one, for the last 36 years. only one failure and she just didn't care about birds, no instinct.

20-30 hunts a year and they figure it out pretty quick. This one has the benefit of my "star".

I lost more birds last Saturday than I usually lose in a good (100+) chukar season. THAT was frustrating.

Tomorrow we start @ 8:00 with the Womens local pheasant hunt on the refuge. (Planter birs) If she shoots well we should be chukar huntin by 10:00. Pup's staying in the kennel for the pheasant hunt. Hope the girlfriend likes the chukar/quail hunt. Goin to a place where limits of both are common early in the season.

Godsten · Oct 17, 2008

well good luck man hopefully your get some birds. but i always figure that even with no birds in the bag i love every minute i spend out there hunting those little devils down

Plus the desert has a beauty all its own. Your lucky cause i can't convince the girlfriend to even eat the things let alone hunt them with me. Have a good hunt.

Califelkslayer · Oct 19, 2008

Frustrating. Dog put 5 roosters up in range, all misses. By the time we got to our chukar area it was 1:30. Several others up the canyon so I stayed lower. 5 Quail, didn't even shoot @ a chukar. Girlfriend's sore today but she hung in there all day.

Shummy · Oct 20, 2008

Where are you guys hunting in Nevada? I'm in Southwest Utah, but I'd sure like to see some new country and check out your pups if you're not to far away.

in2chukar · Oct 20, 2008

My first chukar outing was a bust. One covey in 3 hours. Bad ..Bad.. Bad...... Eastern Oregon....

huntindude · Oct 21, 2008

I spent this weekend hunting in Oregon and managed to limit both days. not easy and I had a little luck but while bird numbers are nothing like they were a few years ago I think they're better than last year. lots of young birds so if we get a mild winter and a good hatch next year could be even better.

Godsten · Oct 21, 2008

I stick mostly to the west side of the state around the Reno area, which is a bit of a drive from utah, but i am always willing to get together with other hunters. If you are looking for a place to go on your own and closer to you in NV, around the elko area, just send a pm.

Godsten

Califelkslayer · Oct 28, 2008

So far my Nevada hunts have been within 10 miles of the kali border. Sat was 7 down, found 5 plus some quail in Kali. Sun was 5 hours of frustration in Nv. Too dry. I hope the forecast for rain Fri comes through.

Shummy · Oct 29, 2008

Hunted Southwest Utah on Saturday and Sunday, saw 100+ birds. Apparently the hatch was good in at least one area! Dogs did good, had several nice points and some good honoring work.

Godsten · Nov 3, 2008

out again on saturday nov. 1 but the rain made it real hard for the dog to zero in on the birds. saw a covey on the other side of a canyon but when we got into position to get after them they had disappeared. This was around the gerlach area.

Shummy · Nov 10, 2008

We hit Southwestern Utah again on Sat. We saw some new county and my 10 month old Engilsh Pointer had her best wild bird point to date, out on a legde with the birds below her at least 30 feet. The wind coming out of the bottom must have been blowing the scent right up over the ledge. I didn't have my camera or I would have forgone the shot for a photo, it would have been one for the magazines.

Califelkslayer · Nov 18, 2008

6 trips. 3 5 bird days, 1 3 bird day and 2 skunks. Gonna get even Sat. By the time I got into birds last weekend we were coming back uphill, wind to our backs and the 11+ year old dog had hunted for 5 hours. Poor shootin didn't save the day either. Went down the wrong ridge in the AM.

A lil revenge in store for em this coming weekend, need to put it all together this year to do well but there are birds out there.

Shummy · Nov 19, 2008

If you guys know anyone who is looking for a bird dog my friend is planning a breeding of some of his English Pointers, it's a repeat breeding and I have a dog from the last litter who has been a dream dog. They have unbeatable bloodlines daddy is #14 in the nation on the NSTRA cicuit.

Califelkslayer · Nov 24, 2008

Lil revenge but no satisfaction!!!! Saw 150 birds, first 2 coveys held tight for the dog. Then 7 coveys in a row jumped wild. Last covey was in range but wind behind us so the dog didn't know they were there.

Funny thing was after an hour drive, an hour quad ride and 40 minutes of huntin, I had 3 birds and 2 coveys scattered. Know what I thought?? Jinxed myself by thinking, "I'm not gonna get enough exercise today." STUPID!!!!!!!!!!

I've never had to say this before but MY SHOOTIN SUCKS THIS YEAR.

Godsten · Nov 25, 2008

Out yesterday, only saw 2 coveys but both jumped well out of range so no shots. And cali I feel you man but my shooting sucks every year so it doesn't suprise me anymore

good luck on the next trip

Califelkslayer · Nov 25, 2008

Doesn't that just motivate you more. REVENGE. I can't hunt chukar this weekend. I am on call @ work every 13th week and this is my week. Gotta be in cell range at all times. Turkey Thurs, Fish Eagle Lake Fri, Ride horses Sat and hunt quail near home Sun but guess what??? I get Fri the 5th off in return so they are gonna pay.

Any of you interested in going out with me this spring and crushing eggs??? Great sport, find the nest by jumping the mother and then destroying the eggs. j/k

in2chukar · Nov 30, 2008

Just got back from Nevada. Saw a few birds and managed to bag 6 in a couple of days. Only hunted for a couple of hours each day. Had to work hard for them but it was a blast.

Numbers are a little better in Nevada compared to Oregon and Idaho in my opinion. Might try the McDermitt/Orovada area next weekend.

Califelkslayer · Dec 7, 2008

Fri the 5th was my best day of the year. Where did all the birds come from??? Must have been my birthday present, turned 49 yesterday. And still chasing the lil buggers.

Shummy · Dec 9, 2008

We hunted quail Saturday morning in the Beaver Dam wash area but we got tired of pulling catus out of the dogs, so we headed for chukar country.
We put up three coveys of around twenty birds each, which is good as far as numbers go, but I sure wish it would cool down and the birds would split up, it would make for better dog work and probably a few more downed birds.
My young pointer caught a sent down in a canyon and headed up into the cliffs obviously trailing something. We just let her go to see what would happen, and wouldn't you know it she went on point at nearly the top of a terribly steep and ledgy hill nearly a mile away. We climbed as fast as we could, I had two heart attacks and a stroke, but the birds got nervous and busted before we could get there. When we got to the top we worked down the rigde and was we came around the point my dog again went on point on a single. It jumped and we shot and it was clearly hit, but you know the devil birds, it locked it's wings and headed for the cliffs on the edge and fell dead just over the side clear down below where we had just come from.
Down we went to see about the retrieve. I belly crawled to the edge and peered over to see a sheer drop of 300 feet. So the bird was unretrieveable. All in all we saw 60 birds in three coveys and that one single. Two more points over my young pup.

Califelkslayer · Dec 10, 2008

Sounds like the pup is figuring it out!!

Think your wish for cooler weather is gonna come true. Just checked the 10 day here. Not forecast to get above freezing from this Fri (12/12) through the next Thurs. Possible snow Sat-Tues then single digit lows Tues night-Thurs night.

Gonna try it Sat & Sun. NW winds 20-25 Sat, SW winds 10-20 Sun. That helps me decide which ridge I'm gonna hunt. The one running North from the access on Sat and the one running South on Sun. Kali on Sat, Nevada on Sun.

Califelkslayer · Dec 14, 2008

The Kali spot sucked!!! Used to be my favorite. Even took 11-12 off of that ridge last year on a very down year.

Today was much better, scratched out 6 but my shooting was very poor.

Shummy · Jan 6, 2009

Well, I wish I hadn't asked for colder weather, we now have so much snow I can't get where I need to be. I've tried some other areas and found tracks in the snow, but it such a big area I might be awile finding birds.

Godsten · Jan 7, 2009

was going to try last friday but the wind was to intense. Hopefully tomorrow we will get out there. Have to get some hunting in the season is almost over. Going to try some new spots hopefully will let you know how it goes.

Godsten · Jan 16, 2009

Lots of sign but the weather was bad again. Found fresh sign but only saw one covey, they flew at 150+ yards. Pretty much all that is left for chukar this year is hoping the spring is wet enough to support a couple good hatches. Was tons of fun looking forward to next season already.

Shummy · Jan 16, 2009

Hit it again yesterday in a new spot and found the birds. The pup got several more points and some good experience. Birds are still coveyed up, I thought the cold and snow would break them up but no go.
I'll try again next week, only a few more to go.

Califelkslayer · Jan 18, 2009

Yesterday was a 3 bird day. Figured out what I was doing wrong with my shooting last weekend. Leaning too far forward into the stock so my cheek was over my hand on the but. Couldn't get down on the stock enough. Don't know how I got into that habit but finished that day with 4 hits in my last 6 shots and yesterday I hit all 3 birds I shot at, one twice. 2 more outtings for me. 48 for the year and was hoping for 60 so I better do it right the next 2 weekends.

Shummy · Jan 30, 2009

Hit a spot yesterday that we only hunt once a year, it takes that long to forget what a nasty place it is. The birds where there just like they always are, but it was so cold and windy that it froze up my shotgun. I borrowed my dad's today, it kind of makes me feel like he's still up there with me, but apparently it needed a good cleaning.
My dog did the best she's done all season. She had every one of our finds today, showing up the veteran dogs. The creeping issues that I've been working on didn't show up today!! I was also given the oppurtunity to buy her brother from the same litter. The breeder kept him and used him on his guide string this season, so he had a year of professional training as well. My wife is on her way home with him as I type this.

Califelkslayer · Jan 31, 2009

Got 6 last Sun, 54 for the season. Decided to take this weekend off. Average season as far as I'm concerned.

Shummy · Feb 5, 2009

Well, It's about over, I'll get out again on Saturday and that will probably be it. Here is a pic of the dogs on point yesterday. It was a single that soon met it's demise. The lead dog is "Elbow" and the back dog is my new dog, his registered name is "The Reckoning" we call him Domino.

This is what the country we were hunting looks like. The dog in this pic is Domino