Chukar on The East Side

McKenzie River · 10-03-2007, 01:19 PM

For those of you that hunted on The "East" side in chukar country,what does it look like for Saturday. I heard the birds are none existent to average.What do ypu think.

Teton · 10-03-2007, 02:32 PM

I will have a first-hand report this weekend from the Snake River area in E. Oregon, but that may be too late.

Last Saturday, I saw a covey or two hunting deer near the same area, but didn't have time to do a lot of scouting for birds.

Some of the local reports were just so-so.

duckboy · 10-03-2007, 04:43 PM

If it is anything like the grouse, it will be a complete bust.

BaseCamp · 10-03-2007, 05:04 PM

Birds in Eastern Oregon are very low in numbers. Up to a 70% reduction from last year. Especially in the Steens, Trout Creeks, and Owyhee country. The Snake did not fare much better. The Malheur country is only fair. North Central fared much better with some good nesting success in the lower Deschutes and John Day basins, hunting there should be fair to good.

Crappie Chaser · 10-03-2007, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McKenzie River

For those of you that hunted on The "East" side in chukar country,what does it look like for Saturday. I heard the birds are none existent to average.What do ypu think.

Looks to me like much less than average in Baker County. Not much of a spring hatch.

Doc_Rhen · 10-04-2007, 09:10 AM

I saw a fair number out in the whitehorse unit while sage grouse hunting.

raptorschild · 10-04-2007, 01:06 PM

I posted about this before.....but we talked with a Idaho Biologist, and they said their helicopter counts on brownlee reservoir last year yielded 186 birds per square mile, and this year................67 birds per square mile.

Bio said there was little to no hatch this year in that area.

Sounds like the guys with some honey holes can get into em, but everyone else its gonna be slow slow slow.

Anadramous Junkie · 10-05-2007, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BaseCamp

Birds in Eastern Oregon are very low in numbers. Up to a 70% reduction from last year. Especially in the Steens, Trout Creeks, and Owyhee country. The Snake did not fare much better. The Malheur country is only fair. North Central fared much better with some good nesting success in the lower Deschutes and John Day basins, hunting there should be fair to good.

I talked to Walt Vandyke out of the Ontario office this week and he said the same thing. Sucks! I guess this year will be spent exploring new country. As bad as I hate that Tick infested Deschutes river, it may become an option!

AJ

Thehunter · 10-05-2007, 10:23 AM

I've been out a few times this year and have found good numbers of birds. I would expect this year to be as good as last year. You just have to know where to hunt them. But I will know a lot more in about 24 hours.

raptorschild · 10-05-2007, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thehunter

I've been out a few times this year and have found good numbers of birds. I would expect this year to be as good as last year. You just have to know where to hunt them. But I will know a lot more in about 24 hours.

You just have to know where to hunt them???........You mean....they are where you find em????

I hear yeah, i've got some honey holes, and we'll get some birds, but in general, Chukar numbers are down this year, and thats a fact. I'm sure there's some exceptions, but i doubt my dad and i will get to 300 chukars this year.