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Sunday, January 1, 2017

I lied

I got a few requests as to why I was stopping my blog for the month and was going to answer them after the hunting season. But when I got home from an Oregon hunt and found a couple of messages on my computer I felt compelled to say something more. First off, for those interested there are still birds over there but you'd better be ready to hump it. I wasn't. I made a one hour try and decided the mountain and birds were bigger than me. I did drive the road almost to Richland and saw two other vehicles that looked to be chukar hunters that were tougher than me. I did run into one other older gentleman hunting the road with his lab. He was stopping at some of the bigger draws and walking in as far as he could looking for quail and chukar. So far he had got a couple of quail. I got a good picture of him and his dog plowing through the snow and although it's not my way of hunting I felt good that this guy had an opportunity to be out with his dog and hoped he would find some more shooting along the way.

I'm not very computer savvy  so I don't know how I even came up with these messages. I'm hoping that there aren't more in here that I don't know about.

Message #1. From Drew Tim Whalin.      You're a horses ass. Little man complex?
Message #2. From Drew Tim Whalin.       Boy you've had a stellar career. Accomplished nothing in life. Need to be real proud of that. Wife is the same size as you and almost as wide as tall.

Both messages were sent last Friday. Maybe he sent these in response to our discussion in his Idaho Chukar Foundation blog when I posted he was a Professional chukar hunter, a Professional golfer, a Professional photographer, a Professional water chukar catcher, and professional many other things. I wasn't calling him names, just quoting what he has said in his the Idaho Chukar Foundation blog several times. He has never even seen my wife and I'd love to see the conversation between him and her if I showed her this. As far as accomplishing nothing in my life, he knows nothing about me except how I feel about chukar hunting.

Anyhow, this is why I've decided to try and ignore the computer for a while except to follow up on messages and phone calls from you. Jeff, I got your message and I appreciate it. I will call you back. This blog was started for the love of the hunt and my great dogs. I know that most hunter's aren't like Drew but it disappoints me that those are usually the kind of guys that like to step forward and represent us. Yes, we have some strong differences and maybe I come on a little too strong at times, but as a leader of an organization you have to be a little more diplomatic and respond to the nay sayers as you do the people that agree with you.

Hopefully this will explain my short departure as well as inform you of our Idaho Chukar Foundation leader. I encourage you to go to his forum and read from the beginning his posts. Read as an Idaho chukar hunter and form your own opinion.

To end. I'm not a person to turn the other cheek, as my lovely wife puts it, so although it may seem that I am giving in, I'll be back. Drew and I will have our talk and maybe after we settle our differences we can come to a head on what is best for chukars and chukar hunting.

18 comments:

The Noisy Plume said...

Larry-

My wife and I (the Noisy Plume) have been reading your blog for years. We love your stories. I particularly, appreciate that you unabashedly love chukar hunting.

Thanks for being an advocate for chukar hunting "opportunity"

Know that your writing, photos, stories, and opinions are greatly enjoyed and appreciated by Jillian and I. We understand your need for a break but anticipate your return to the online realm when and if that time comes again.

Thanks Again for all you have done and shared over the years

Robert and Jillian

* Side note-- the last three days I have hunted the Bennet Hills and south of Twin Falls. The Bennet Hills have only an average amount of snow and south of Twin has NO snow. The chukar I shot were fat and doing just fine-

larry szurgot said...

Thanks Robert and Jillian. Glad to hear you're getting some action over that way and am looking forward to getting some dirt under my feet.

Hanson said...

The internet has a way of becoming toxic quickly, even though we seek out bloggers and others that we share things in common with. I have seen many a blog or forum become personal and either the forum or one of those involved goes away. If someone attacks your wife and kids, then they might need therapy.

Regarding the matter at hand, closing the season today would be mostly a feel-good move. It would do very little on how many birds or deer survive to nest next spring. I hunted today on the Salmon drainage and it wasn't something that many hunters are going to do more than once.The snow was too deep for a 40 lb dog and the hill was too steep for snowshoes. I never fired a shot and don't feel that I put the birds through any added hardship as they simply flew from one feeding knob to the next.

Keep on hunting and keep on writing Larry. We are all going to be one year older next year. Who knows, we might not be able to hunt next fall and the birds we are "saving" right now, might not be here either. I care about the birds just as much as the guy that preaches to photograph more and kill less. Realistically, Mother Nature is in charge right now.

larry szurgot said...

Thank you Hanson. Mother Nature is not only in charge of the animals, she was in charge of me yesterday. I had the same experience as you on the hill.

Mooretitan said...

Keep writing. Some of need to live through others. Your blog got me up to Idaho this year for the 1st time and it was a great trip and something I hope to do again

Unknown said...

I hope you will not let one bad apple keep you from posting on your blog. I am amazed at your passion for chukar hunting. Have been following you for years and would be bummed if it was to end. We have alot of snow here in Washington making it hard to get on the hills but the birds always seem able to survive these tough winters.

Scott Hines

larry szurgot said...

I too hope that the readers read the ICFI FB page.

Drew, by the time I finally saw your phone number to contact you, too many stones had been thrown. It would have done no good except to throw more stones. Besides, the issue of closing the chukar season isn't about you and me. That's what I find as a problem, the ICFI isn't about you. There was no "MALICIUOS INTENT" in anything I did. I did not attack the foundation but I did attack you.

You did tell me "the limit could go to two as far as you were concerned because that was all you shot anyhow", but that is only hear say by me.

I never said anything about "revising" the season. You never said anything on your FB page about possible impact or anything like that. You said Oregon and Idaho need to close their season and that was your recommendation. That's why I would like everyone to read your page. Maybe I'm crazy, but that's the way I read it. I think maybe realizing that chukar hunters do care about other animals and posting something a little more chukar hunter friendly would have been more appropriate. How about just posting something like "upland hunters need to be aware of the fragile conditions of big game herds and avoid distressing them". That way maybe if this weather ever clears up and we have some dirt to walk on we may still have a few days to hunt. Or maybe those over in the Twin area where the snow is not as deep, they still have a season.

larry szurgot said...

Part 2. I pushed the wrong button again. I did not attack the ICFI leadership role. I attacked your leadership role. It's more like a dictatorship. You alone made the decision to ask the F&G to close the decision. I have heard of no other contact with chukar hunters trying to be made.

I attack you because of what you portray on your page at times. Because you are professional at so many different things does not give you any more right to chukar hunting decisions than the weekend hunter. Because you work hard with the esteemed so and so on a guzzler does not make your opinion any more important than the chukar hunter who doesn't have the time or even doesn't care to do it. Just because some ones picture isn't on a FB page planting bitterbrush or helping with other outdoor projects doesn't mean they haven't done their share to help wildlife. Some do it because they just want to help. You ask me for my documentation on conservation representation. You are right, I ignore it. I'm not on this earth to impress anybody or prove anything. Now if I were to say I spent 50k and countless hours focusing on upland bird populations, maybe I should make some documentations as to where the benefit is. I'm sure there is, but as a Idaho chukar hunter I'd like to see the results.

Idaho Chukar Foundation said...

You didn't read the Post! I ask that the F&G take a look at what was developing. Figures with someone of your "limited" education. Typical cowardly way of avoiding the issue. I look forward to running into you to get a face-to-face conversation going. I am available anytime.

larry szurgot said...

Part 3. Wrong button again.

As to my "rap" of bragging on how many birds I get each season, I'd like to see one place where I ever mention how many birds I got in a year. Yes, I do post pictures of limits and brag about my dog but I'm not going to be sorry for posting something I'm proud of. I've never gone hunting saying it's a 2 bird limit day but have often gotten only two birds or less. My original plan was 8. Yes, I take lot's of pictures also. I doubt there are too many people that have more pictures of dogs pointing wild birds than I do. OOPS! I'm bragging. I do have a journal for each of the last 20 years that will show you how many birds I really did get as well as how many shots fired, weather conditions, location, elevation, hours, and other notes of the hunt, if you're interested in looking at them. Although I use them to keep as much data on the seasons as possible and make my own determinations as to what makes good and bad seasons some may say it's bragging.

Drew, my email address is szurgot@frontiernet.net. Hope you can get some of that info to me.

To the readers. With the new snow today, we have about 18 inches on the ground up here. If you do decide to go chukar hunting be careful out there and as has been recommended remember to be aware of all the game animals needs right now.

I'll continue to answer any comments on this post but promise to keep it more fun when I return.

larry szurgot said...

Thanks again, Drew. My limited education read it this way. I suggested the notion that the season need to be closed. They didn't teach reading at Boise State.

Idaho Chukar Foundation said...

I can see that.

Quill Gordon said...

Maybe you two bitches need to take this offline. Both of ya sound like douche bags

larry szurgot said...

Quill, you are right and I apologize.

James T said...

Larry I've been hunting chuckar for the last 15 years and have tried to figure out there breading habits according the weather and other conditions. Last winter and Spring were perfect should have produced a great hatch even the biologist at NDOW thought so. We were all wrong it didn't happen. You know how unpredictable everything Chuckar's do is. About 30 years ago when I started running Pointing dogs I got involved with some conservation groups PF QU it only took a few years and I was done to many personalities especially the Knowitall. Think how creasy it is to think you will have some impact on these birds by closing the season regardless of the conditions. Don't waste your time and energy have fun enjoy your sport and those great times with the Grandson and the dogs.

Mr. McMichael said...

Larry, I just posted a defense of your place in this on ICF's Facebook page.

larry szurgot said...

Thanks James and Bob. Mother Nature is taking care of us hunters. Very few people can even get to their hunting grounds.

Anonymous said...

Drew Whalin sounds like quite the asshole.