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Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Chukar vs. quail

I quite often get asked why I don't hunt quail more? The simple answer is the dog work. All of my dogs have handled quail a lot different than chukar/hun. Although quail will hold well at times they quite often don't vacate the area and create as much flushing as they do pointing. It's hard for a dog to hold point on a bird that is moving through the brush chattering and jumping from limb to limb.

Here is Jake on a pair of huns. Once I flush the birds he makes a short chase hoping I might get one and then is off looking for the next covey. He may make a short check from where the birds flushed from to make sure there are no stragglers but soon is off in the distance.




Jake will also point quail but once they flush he realizes they haven't gone that far and loves pursuing them into the brush or wherever they fly to. In this short clip you'll notice he points a few different times but also flushes birds as much as he points. It is a lot of fun action but just not what I want.


Quail hunting can be a ton of fun and is especially great for introducing young people to bird hunting. There is very little time to get bored. You just have to makes sure you educated them as to where their shooting lanes are. Quail are random flyers and will often fly right at you or close to the dog. While chukar hunting I will often shoot at a pointed quail but won't pursue the covey. Another reason I don't shoot many quail is because I don't carry enough shells. Those little buggers are hard to hit. Every shell spent on a shot at a quail might leave me with too few for chukars.

Lastly, there is no place like those places chukar inhabit. Yes, quail hunting may be easier on the legs but something about the chukar mountain pulls me in like a magnet.

8 comments:

hanson said...

Good explanation.

Maybe we can say quail hunting is like golf; we are saving it for when we get old.

Ben said...

Both videos came up as "unavailable." :(

Tuckers Chukars said...

Thanks Ben,
I just got back in and I can't even find the video's either. Hopefully I can find out why soon.

Tuckers Chukars said...

Ben or anyone, Let me know if you can see the video's now. Thanks in advance.

Dave said...

Viewed videos
Mighty big Idaho quail.
Great as always Larry

larry szurgot said...

Thanks Dave. Yes, I forgot about that guy hiding down there with the quail.

Anonymous said...

Well done on the videos. I haven’t seen a lot of Quail where I went.Jake is having fun even if there is no gun.Thanks for sharing.I’m loving my Astro.Slowly learning all the things it can do.Sure do miss hunting.Alan,Gracie and Mays.

Unknown said...

Given the success you have with chukar I don't blame you for skipping quail. I didn't hunt quail much in Idaho, but had fun with them down south. Lots of opportunities to shoot. Probably hit less than half, but lots of fun! Scaled quail would generally rather run than fly it seems and when they do fly it is often after a 50 yard dash. They don't fly far, but amazingly even a large covey can completely disappear. Tough conditions of heat, dryness and sparse cover contribute to making it hard on the dog. I had to boot Annie for the first several hunts due to thorns and sand burrs, but the boots rubbed giving her sore feet anyway. She seemed to figure out how to deal with all of the challenges and did very well the last week.

thanks for the video's!