Chukars are one of the most difficult upland birds to hunt. There is a saying that the first time you hunt Chukars is for fun and every time after that is for revenge.
The Chukar is a game bird native to Asia and they were first introduced to Idaho in 1933. This bird calls the Great Basin its home and they live in steep grassy terrain near rock outcroppings in areas of high elevation.
"You have to work hard to get to them, it is a pretty physically demanding upland game experience," said Scott Kragerud. "It probably makes the reward for finding them that much sweeter."
We joined Kragerud and his one-and-a-half-year-old German Shorthaired Pointer 'Belle' for a chukar hunt on BLM land on the western edge of Idaho as they searched for coveys in a remote landscape.
"She is the definition of bird crazy," said Scott. "She tries to use the wind to catch the scent of birds, then turns and moves closer to identify that the birds are there. The more confident she gets, the more likely she is to stop. And that will give us a point."
Scott has been training Belle since she was a puppy and she's already won some prestigious competitions including the Hungarian Partridge Open Derby earlier this fall and a pair of derby wins in the American Kennel Club.
However, the conditions weren't ideal during our hunt. The wind didn't cooperate and a lack of cover gave the birds a chance to take off before Belle could point and before Scott could get a clean shot. The lack of cover was due to cattle grazing on this BLM land which is another use of this public land.
“It is hard for us to sneak up on them. As sneaky as we were, and as good as the dogs may be, the birds still see them and they flush," said Scott.
I had a fun time following these two around for hours as we climbed over hills on uneven terrain. Scott provided us with some video from a week earlier when Belle and he got some Chukars.
If you are interested in getting into this recreational activity, Scott is the Vice President of the German Shorthaired Pointer Club of Idaho.
"We have several club competitions and AKC competitions throughout the year and training throughout the summer," said Scott. "We put on a significant amount of training for our membership base as well as the public
Chukar season lasts until the final day of January and here is a link to the rules and regulations for upland birds in Idaho.
