Chukar hunting in E. Oregon

[DC]

Just came back from the annual chukar hunting trip to eastern Oregon. As usual the past few years, it was poor. We hunted Brownlie Resivor area above the Snake R., the Owyee R. area below the dam, and the Juntura area towards Riverside. All three areas only revealed one or two coveys per day per day after 8 hours per day. Sure not like the old days in the same areas. I would like to know where ODFW comes up with their population predicitons. My feeling are they are more likely wild guesses. Anyone else have the same or different results?

[Flying Roast Beef]

My brother used to call chukars something else...errr...nevermind. You catch them down low they are a blast, in the cliffs...forget it. I doubt our dry year did them any good at all. I haven't looked for them yet this year.