WOW!

"Hunting" means chasing, driving, flushing, attracting, pursuing, worrying, following after on the trail of, shooting at, stalking, or lying in wait for, any wildlife whether or not such wildlife is then or subsequently captured, taken, or wounded. such term does not include stalking, attracting, searching for, or lying in wait for, any wildlife by an unarmed person solely for the purpose of watching wildlife or taking pictures thereof.

This is the paragraph J of Idaho title 36, 36-202 that anonymous referenced to in his comment on my Chukar country post. I'll let everyone decide what it reads to them. I'm glad you posted to show your disappointment that I am out while the birds are paired up. I got a feeling this post might show some excitement. Plus it gives me an opportunity to release a few of my feelings also.

I am pretty sure I know who anonymous (B.M.) is and am sorry you feel the way you do but that is what it is. I never did the name calling, your buddy did.

The fish and game has always had my blog site available since one of the members is a good friend of mine. I don't try to disguise what I do and in fact have had a member of the fish and game with me on my spring outings a few times. I doubt that they will contact me because they have much more constructive things to do with their limited time. That being said, I'll let the readers decide whether I'm doing wrong or not.

Now, to a little about my feelings about your feelings. Jake and I do no more harm to these pairing birds than any other creature in the hills. First off, once we point or jump a pair we're off to another part of the hill looking for our next bit of excitement. Those birds are free to fly back at anytime they wish. We pressure them no further. Your next point might be "how do I know they return?" This time of the year I don't know, but as they start nesting they will return. I know this from many cases of having one of my dogs point and then I flush a pair or a single and they don't fly very far. I then take my dog and sit back a hundred yards and watch until they return. Many times it takes an hour or two but usually when they return I find a nest, take a few pictures, and go on my way. Usually that time of the year is late May or early June but never this time of the year. I have even flagged the nest locations and gone back for several weeks so I know the approximate hatch date. Every nest I have ever watched has had a successful hatch but one. A predator had destroyed the eggs. I suggest that maybe you, I and a Fish and Game employee go on one of my hikes and see how much harassment of these birds I create. But as was suggested, I think the employer would have better things to do with his time. I am a very pro fish and game guy and would love their opinion.

If you are the person I think, you also listed several fish and game titles that forbid harassing big game animals on another site. I am all for not harassing big game animals any time whether they are wintering or not. But to shut down the hills to horn hunters or other recreationist is not the answer. Fish and Game does a very good job in advising people where to avoid game animals and problem areas. There is no need for a blanket statement like was provided by another group on closing the chukar season because of stressed animals. There were plenty of places to hunt where big game animals weren't even present. There was also the mention of chukars that were (I can't remember the word used)  starving. Well that definitely wasn't the case across the region. Also mentioned was the amount of road hunters seen when the deep snow came. I have yet to see a person shoot a chukar from the road. Maybe I don't spend enough time on the road. I think when the weather or any other condition arises, most hunters will use common sense in doing the right thing. They don't need it written out in titles and sub sections.

My third problem is about the guzzlers and the lack of help in maintaining them. You mention how chukar hunters benefit from guzzlers but I disagree. I would be glad to help if I really thought it would help the bird numbers but I don't. That doesn't make me any less of a conservationist than the guy maintaining it. I believe there is very little we can do to enhance chukar country. Mother Nature takes care of that. The guzzler you mentioned that got no help from any other organization was pictured on that other site. Look in the background at the lake. It's hard for me to imagine hunting any animals that is too lazy to walk or fly down to the reservoir. I know they provide good benefits in some areas, but I don't know of any area that I hunt that would benefit chukars. Maybe benefit the chukar hunters some. So, quit trying to guilt people into doing what you think is good. Maybe we don't see the same need.

This could even get longer but I don't want to lose everyone. Pretty much what I'm trying to get at is let people make common sense decisions. I know you have already said that my decision is illegal, but I believe my decision to pursue the birds this time of the year is both an ethical and legal decision. I'm not calling names, but if people like you keep finding a reason to keep others out of the hills, we might just as well turn the state into a big national park where you have to get permission to get off the paved path.

We often talk about how the we're losing youth participation in the outdoors. Wonder why? Conner, Jake and I just got back from a two day hike horn hunting and watching Jake traverse the hills. We had a ball and got some great pictures. We found some sheds and Jake was in pointer heaven. You can't find a more enthusiastic 14 year old anywhere about the outdoors. Why, because he gets to get out there and enjoy all the aspects of it without harming any of the future. He also has some common sense and knows when he's pressuring the resource or not. Take this away from him and we have one more couch potato.

Please give me a call and bring the Fish & Game by and will go out on one of my jaunts to see where the verdict lays. I would enjoy your company and maybe when we are through you might put down your law book and start enjoying the outdoors like you used to.