Northern Nevada Chukar / Huns (Elkoish)

[Semiwrecker]

So I am headed to northern Nevada (in the round about areas of Elko) for my very first Chucker / Hun hunt. I’ll be solo with my GSP, dispersed camping so I won’t be tied down to any one area. I’am not looking for spots pins or coordinates of where to hunt, but I was curious about the terrain, habitat, vegetation, snakes, and elevation. I’ve read everything I could find online including the Nevada 24-25 Chukar forecast, even reaching out the the local biologist up there with no success (multiple phone calls and voicemail) Never been to the area and was looking for pointers on what to look for and what to look out for. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I don’t necessarily need to shoot a limit. I’m more just looking to get my dog on some new birds with a change of scenery. Thank you in advance.

 

[RockAndSage]

I'm new to chukar, but have been scouting quite a bit the last month or two. Look for guzzlers and springs. I keep finding them fairly close to water, within half a mile or so.

 

[Semiwrecker]

I'm new to chukar, but have been scouting quite a bit the last month or two. Look for guzzlers and springs. I keep finding them fairly close to water, within half a mile or so.

Ok very cool! Thank you. Did you happen to notice any flora or geographical features such as rocky ridges, canyons, or sage / cheat grass in combination with the water to produce more or less numbers in your experience? Thank you again.

 

[Ucsdryder]

I haven’t hunted chukar in a long time but I’d rather give up my best elk spot than a mediocre chukar spot. Talk about hard earned! Miles and miles and miles and miles of boot leather.

 

[CorbLand]

I went chukar hunting once. Chased those things from the bottom of the mountain all the way to the top, where they jumped up and flew to the bottom. Yep, went chukar hunting ONCE.

 

[mikkel318]

PM Sent. We saw them by the water sources with a mix of willow/sage/bitterbrush.

 

[LostWapiti]

Adding you need to have water sources nearby. They are usually near ridge tops between draws. Get out early in the AM and you will find them in the open as well. If you spook them they usually won’t go too far and then you can watch where they land and get back on them.

I have found lots this year deer hunting but was just out on a deer hunt this weekend in a new area and didn’t see a single one. There are also no guzzlers in that area so that could be related.

The areas that have them have been thick so you should have a great time. Good luck.

 

[Ucsdryder]

I went chukar hunting once. Chased those things from the bottom of the mountain all the way to the top, where they jumped up and flew to the bottom. Yep, went chukar hunting ONCE.

Sounds about right. I’ve done that a few times. Then once in the snow I found their tracks…heading back to the top.

 

[Sierra Hunter]

Time of the year means a lot, if you’re going before the snow then just go from water source to water source. I tend to find them on the hills, rim rocks, and lounging on benches. I think you’ll have a good time

 

[RockAndSage]

Sounds about right. I’ve done that a few times. Then once in the snow I found their tracks…heading back to the top.

I think they entertain themselves by running the humans up hill, then flying downhill.

 

[RockAndSage]

Ok very cool! Thank you. Did you happen to notice any flora or geological features such as rocky ridges, canyons, or sage / cheat grass in combination with the water to produce more or less numbers in your experience? Thank you again.

Other guys here have said something similar, but as birds I suspect they like to have something of a roost to see from, so look in places above the water sources, near rocky outcroppings.

 

[Semiwrecker]

Awesome I appreciate all the replies and PMs. I think I’ve got enough info now to kind of illustrate what I’ll need to be looking out for with boots on the ground and on OnX. Would it be appropriate to report back on my experience on this thread? ( I am new here )

 

[RockAndSage]

Awesome I appreciate all the replies and PMs. I think I’ve got enough info now to kind of illustrate what I’ll need to be looking out for with boots on the ground and on OnX. Would it be appropriate to report back on my experience on this thread? ( I am new here )

Yes, definitely. Let us know how you do, and good luck!

 

[MarkOrtiz]

pretty much like everyone else has said, I see them close to water most of the time.

 

[Sierra Hunter]

How’d it go?

 

[Semiwrecker]

How’d it go?

It was a learning experience but I’ll probably be back next month for more. The day of the drive up I ended up at my second pin after seeing a covey of Huns leaving a spring. The first walk out (2 hours) I saw nada, I heard a lot of birds but came back with nothing but a dog with tore up pads (her paws were properly conditioned but some of that rock is like a cheese grater). I decided to take a drive to find some more forgiving terrain when it started raining. The rain turned into snow coming sideways at 30mph, 20 minutes later everything was white so I headed back towards town where conditions were a bit more manageable so I could access the dogs paw pad situation. I doctored the dog up that night and the next morning then drove around to a few more pins periodically checking on the Pup. Halfway through the day I booted her up to see how she would do and she became a different dog and was ready to rock! We started up a hill and got out first ever Chukar and had two other shooting opportunities but apparently I am cross eyed. lol. We set foot out on 2 more walks for nothing then made camp. The next morning we made a move back to the original spot we camped at the first night and immediately was greeted with a covey of Chukar. Parked, booted the dog, then in flew a covey of Huns over our heads. Took a short 45 minute walk with 5 more missed shots : ( took a break back at the truck for about an hour and set back out and about 10 minutes in I could tell my dog had birds running on her as soon as she pointed they flushed! A covey of Huns, I knocked one down! This was already more than I could ask for 1 Chuckar and 1 Hun and the dog got to scent some new birds. All in all it was a great experience I just wish I would have booted the dog from the get go. 90% of the birds I came across were near springs on practically flat terrain in the sagebrush. Was the experience worth the 12 hour drive up and 10.5 hour drive back yes. Like I said I’ll probably be back next month to learn some more. Thank you to everyone who helped out with the advice and tips.

 

[RockAndSage]

It was a learning experience but I’ll probably be back next month for more. The day of the drive up I ended up at my second pin after seeing a covey of Huns leaving a spring. The first walk out (2 hours) I saw nada, I heard a lot of birds but came back with nothing but a dog with tore up pads (her paws were properly conditioned but some of that rock is like a cheese grater). I decided to take a drive to find some more forgiving terrain when it started raining. The rain turned into snow coming sideways at 30mph, 20 minutes later everything was white so I headed back towards town where conditions were a bit more manageable so I could access the dogs paw pad situation. I doctored the dog up that night and the next morning then drove around to a few more pins periodically checking on the Pup. Halfway through the day I booted her up to see how she would do and she became a different dog and was ready to rock! We started up a hill and got out first ever Chukar and had two other shooting opportunities but apparently I am cross eyed. lol. We set foot out on 2 more walks for nothing then made camp. The next morning we made a move back to the original spot we camped at the first night and immediately was greeted with a covey of Chukar. Parked, booted the dog, then in flew a covey of Huns over our heads. Took a short 45 minute walk with 5 more missed shots : ( took a break back at the truck for about an hour and set back out and about 10 minutes in I could tell my dog had birds running on her as soon as she pointed they flushed! A covey of Huns, I knocked one down! This was already more than I could ask for 1 Chuckar and 1 Hun and the dog got to scent some new birds. All in all it was a great experience I just wish I would have booted the dog from the get go. 90% of the birds I came across were near springs on practically flat terrain in the sagebrush. Was the experience worth the 12 hour drive up and 10.5 hour drive back yes. Like I said I’ll probably be back next month to learn some more. Thank you to everyone who helped out with the advice and tips. View attachment 783795

Glad you had a great trip man, thanks for the follow up. The learning is half the joy of the hunting.

 

[Semiwrecker]

Glad you had a great trip man, thanks for the follow up. The learning is half the joy of the hunting.

It really is. It’s one big puzzle and you gotta figure it out. The birds are just a byproduct of the whole experience really. The dog working and the scenery are what do it for me. Another big thing I learned was I brought WAY too much stuff. I used half the amount of water I thought I would use. Ate about a third of the food I brought. Enough toilet paper to last me a couple weeks. About 3x the amount of clothes I thought I needed. Just totally Boyscouted it LOL. I can definitely tighten things up next time. And I WILL immediately put boots on the dog next time. I thought the AZ desert was rough… I was absolutely wrong in my assumptions. Just happy I had the boots to squeeze a couple more days out.

 

[Sierra Hunter]

Congrats on getting out, sounds like a solid first trip out there.

 

[LostWapiti]

Glad you had a great trip. That rock is nasty out here. I had my dog tear his pads up really bad one when mountain biking and now I know when to be really careful.