Let’s talk cold.

Barb and I made a trip down to Jordan Valley, Oregon the past four days to hopefully bring some chukar meat home for dinner. It’s always cold down there but I wasn’t ready for the cold along with the fog.

Day 1 was below 10 degrees when Darin from North Carolina and I got to our hunting location and it was very foggy. I was a little concerned that when he dropped down into the canyon he might get a little disoriented by the fog and was happy when he showed up at the trucks with a limit of chukars and complained that he shot poorly. It was 24 degrees when we left and the sun had finally showed up where we were parked. The fog and heavy frost was still thick below us. It was surely a banner year there.

Day two was a bust. We met Greg Allen at the turn off and drove the 25 miles back to the canyon where it was even colder and foggier than the day before. We decided to drive back until we got out of the fog and try for some huns. It was still cold but the sun helped. Evidently 5000 foot elevation in the high desert isn’t condusive for huns because I saw a total of 8 huns and the others saw none. The best thing about that day was, I met a fellow chukar hunter from Wyoming at our camping sight. He introduced himself as a reader on my blog but I didn’t have much time to visit because I had to get down the road to meet Greg. I would have liked to spend more time with him and swap lies.

Day three found me hunting with Grady by myself. We tried a new location a friend had mentioned and once again it produced a good number of birds. It was still cold but at least the sun was shining and some of the birds cooperated. It wasn’t the steep stuff I’m accustomed to finding chukars in and Grady and I enjoyed the easier hunt.

Barb and I decided to go home and thaw the trailer out in some temperatures that at least reached into the 30’s. But it wasn’t long before we had to get on a mountain closer to home. The temperatures were still below freezing but with the sun shining I got to keep the gloves off. I didn’t pack the camera but got some shots of the boys with my phone which didn’t come out good. They still show the fun we had. Grady was on fire and I was constantly traveling the 200 yards to another point.

As you can see, it’s some of the more forgiving country for chukar hunting.

Jake even got into the action and showed me some of the old stuff even though my phone didn’t do a good job of photographing.

He also beat Grady to the bird and proudly brought it back to me.

The old boy even got in a few backs.

And we brought home some good eating. I’m pretty proud of these two boys.

Day two, back closer to home had Jake hanging back at the house. His old bones just can’t take two days in a row anymore. But Grady made up for his absence with many good finds once again.

Sorry about the poor grainy phone pictures but they still show my boys. I’m proud to show them off. They work hard for me.

I just keep following Grady and he usually produces.

I just can’t get enough of the boys chasing chukars. Even if at the end of the day my shooting wasn’t as good as the dog work.

Today, I have two tired dogs and will be spending some time by the fireplace. But it hurts to stay home. We just got two inches of snow over the night. How I’d love to make the two hour drive to chukar country for our first snow hunt of the year. Maybe tomorrow.

Southwestern Idaho and southeastern Oregon still has plenty of chukar country holding lot’s of chukars to be hunted for those hardy hunters that can handle some fun action.

Good luck.