Had a couple good hikes on Wednesday and Thursday (Thanksgiving). I ponied up for the 3-day Oregon non-resident bird hunting license, a transgression caused by the “grass-is-greener” syndrome. In any case, we had a good time. Our vertical accomplishments vastly exceeded my shooting prowess and the coveys-per-hour encountered.
The video below is our little story of getting ready, going, and returning. It features almost no bird action or chest thumping (but plenty of foot-stomping music by Yusef Lateef, one of my favorite tenor players).
Angus and I went again on Thanksgiving. Ironically, we hiked straight to the top since we only found birds there the day before. Nothing (except a bedded elk Angus ran straight into in the tall grass!). Lots of guano up high, but no birds until we got nearly back to the boat. By that time we were beat and had only enough time and energy to chase them four or five ridges, and couldn’t get close enough for a shot because of the lack of cover – they saw us coming and busted 100+ yards away. Chukar hunting.
When I had a boat we use to hunt that Powder river arm with some fairly good success but I sold the boat about ten years ago. I didn’t realize that grass you pointed out was medusa but very seldom do I find birds in it.
Sure looks like perfect country you guys hunted in the video.
I see Angus get’s to ride in style. Jake also rides in the truck with me and sometimes asks for the heated seats to be turned on.
Heated seats?! Wow! Angus has never experienced such luxury, although he does get pampered in many other ways. That Powder River arm is gorgeous, and has tons of great habitat. Massive amounts of chukar poo all the way up, but we never located a covey until almost all the way back down.
Nice vid again! I like the prep shots. If you could teach that cat to retrieve you’d be onto something.
Thanks! Seamus retrieves plenty of varmints for us, none of which we asked for, especially the dismembered voles.