Not just for the birds

Tag: chukar hunting

  • Booty

    Booty

    New rear wheels

    After Peat’s pad debacle, and the post that generated more comments than any other post on this blog, along with a boatload of very helpful recommendations and suggestions, I’m writing to report on a successful first try of one of the recommended products (thanks, Jeff): 1000 Cordura booties from dogbooties.com.

    He’s okay with them…

    At only $3 each (yes, they’re sold individually), we thought we’d give them a shot. We bought four size small blaze orange booties with the Velstretch fastener. Dogbooties is in Anchorage, Alaska, and makes thousands of these things for sled dogs, so the booties are effective in snow and ice. Shipping for two pairs cost about $8, and they came Priority Mail in three or four days. (We just ordered 4 more X-Small since these had a wee bit too much breathing room; hopefully they’ll fit better.)

    Undeterred (Clint Eastwood’s new film about a Brittany bird dog with pad probs)

    Yesterday we went on a short hunt (2 hours, 3.5 miles). The terrain was moderately abrasive, and Peat ran 10.5 miles. I was able to “install” the booties on both his rear feet (even though only his right foot had the messed up pad; we were advised by Jeff and our vet to go bilateral, which makes sense) in about two or three minutes before letting him out of the truck, including adding a couple wraps of duct tape over the Velstretch fastener. He hopped out of the truck and comically tried to propel himself exclusively with his front legs for about 30 seconds, before apparently saying, “Screw it, I need those rear wheels!” In less than two minutes, he was sprinting around like his normal bat-out-of-hell self whenever beginning a hunt.

    Check-in and hydration station

    The rest of the hunt I monitored the booties, which were easy to see since they’re blaze orange, somewhat worried they’d come undone. They never did, and he never slowed down. I’d have to say he didn’t let them impede him in any way. It was actually sort of funny since I could hear him coming with the fwapping of his booties, so I could tell which dog was coming up on me from behind just from the sound.

    Post-hunt snorkle

    Another thing I worried about a little bit was whether the foreign objects on his hind feet would mess with his mind, which must play a part in his prey drive and pointing instincts. He pointed coveys, and backed Angus’s points, like normal.

    Minimal wear-and-tear

    After the hunt, I removed the booties (which only took a second, even with the duct tape, which I’d “tabbed” by folding a diagonal at the end so I could easily grab it to remove afterward). I kind of expected them to be thrashed. There was a little wear on them, but I’d say we could get another three to four hunts out of them, as long as they don’t come off. See the photo above to judge for yourself.

    The “A-Team”

    So, after just one outing, I’ll go out on a limb and say these things are worth a shot if your dog is suffering from abraded and abused pads. We mobilized to make the DIY motorcycle tube booties (cool videos; thanks for several commenters for references to this!), and actually bought all the stuff for it but managed to get a motorcycle tube that was too small for Peat’s tiny rear feet (I got a 2.25″ tube, but couldn’t get it over his foot). I’m going to pass on going back to this idea since the snow should start falling, and (thanks again, Jeff) the rubber bootie option in the snow doesn’t seem like the best solution given the potential for slippage.

    Peat’s pad healing is still a work in progress. We took him to the vet earlier this week, and he put some antibiotic ointment on it and wrapped it, saying Peat would be able to hunt by the weekend with some kind of booty. So we kept it wrapped for a few days and kept it moist. Yesterday, some Pad Kote (thanks, Ron) came in the mail, and I applied it last night while Peat was sleeping. I couldn’t believe he didn’t wake up because the turpentine/smoky smell was overpowering. I put the dogbootie on it to keep the purple die from staining everything it touched. He pulled the booty off in the middle of the night, but by that time his pad was dry. Today, it’s still the color purple (apologies to Alice Walker), and it’s got a sheen to it like a kind of coating. I’m not sure I’ll continue putting this stuff on his cracked pad since it makes more sense to me to keep it moist instead of drying it out, but that could change. Anyway, I’m glad we seem to have found a sort-of solution, for now. He’s not limping, he’s getting exercise, and all is well-ish.

  • I’ve Been Cast

    I’ve Been Cast

    Surprised this week by the good folks at Project Upland: they asked if I’d be willing to be interviewed for their podcast series. I was happy to oblige, and really enjoyed talking with the host Nick Larson. This was the second interview I’ve granted in my short life; the first was in 1978, when a cute sophomore interviewed me for The Brush & Palette (the Laguna Beach High School newspaper; our mascot was “The Artist,” a mustachioed chap sporting a beret and holding a paintbrush, striking fear into the hearts of all paint-by-numbers fans). The topic then: my stratospheric career as drum major of our marching band, the highlight of which was my explanation of why I was chosen to be drum major: “Because I was sort of tall and thin and could walk straight.”

    Laguna Beach High School mascot: Terrifying (they changed their mascot to the “Breakers” recently, or at least after I graduated)
    Walking slightly straight

     

    The topic of my second interview: chukar hunting. What else? It’s long, but I appreciated being asked about lots of things I like about this pursuit, including dogs, gear, and what I think about my wife taking up the gun. Enjoy!

    Click on the photo to go to the podcast page. You can also download it on iTunes (Project Upland Podcast Episode 9)
  • Leslie Bags Her First Chukar

    Leslie Bags Her First Chukar

    She did it

    They said it couldn’t be done. They said it was impossible. They said, well, they said lots of things I can’t repeat. But the one thing they didn’t say was, “She’ll never give up because she’s as stubborn as an Appalachian mule.” So today, Leslie proved them all right and wrong and bagged her first chukar. Two months into her first season, at age 55 and never having shot a gun until August, any chukar hunter will tell you this is an accomplishment-and-a-half.

    Both dogs were birdy, and Leslie was above me. Peat flushed four chukar just in front of Leslie, who – because she has learned to decipher the degrees of birdiness in our dogs – was expectant. I saw the birds go at the same time I heard the shot, but didn’t see it fall. It took Leslie a few moments to say to me, “I think I got one.” It was almost as if she couldn’t believe it. Then Angus made a beeline down the slope and lifted his head with a mouthful of feathers. Initially he headed to me, but Leslie called him and he changed course and brought it right to her hand. What made me feel even better than the pride I felt for Leslie was seeing her smile, like a curse had been lifted. She looked at the bird, which she’d killed instantly with her 20-gauge, 1 oz., 7-1/2 shot load, and thanked it for its life, something I’ve gotten away from doing, regrettably.

    Chukar Country Trifecta

    We continued on for another 2 hours or so, and she got off a couple more shots but didn’t connect. I managed a Hun and a Dusky grouse, so a three-species day in mid-November on a year that was supposed to be meager from last winter’s massive snowfall ain’t bad. Yesterday was a good day, too, in another spot where we saw lots and lots of chukar and bagged a couple. So there you have it!

  • Checking In

    Checking In

    It’s been a while since I posted, so I thought I’d check in and say that we’re still hitting it hard. We’ve tried lots of new places this season, and revisited some old ones, with mixed results. Last week I hunted four days in a row for the first time ever. Angus had to sit out two of those, but he distinguished himself on his two hunts, one of which far exceeded the most climbing we’ve ever done. The briefest of those four, probably my last after-school hunt of the season, was perhaps the most interesting, with Peat pointing four times in the first 20 minutes, and me ending up with a ruffed grouse, two Huns, and a huge 4-point mule deer shed in classic chukar country.

    My brother, who recently enjoyed an epic dog-less chukar experience on the Main Salmon, visited for a couple hunts — one of which (the heavy climbing one) featured lots of birds sighted but few bagged, and the other in some spectacular country apparently barren of birds. We had a sad encounter with a bird hunter who flagged us down to tell us to be on the lookout for his 13-year-old GSP, “Gopher,” who he’d lost the previous evening and presumed was dead. Makes you think.

    Yesterday, after a nasty head cold week, and still not feeling well, I went out with the two dogs for an easy walk with the gun, mainly to alleviate Peat’s stircraziness. I have no idea why, but it turned into my longest hike of the year (8.25 miles), with way more climbing than I would have liked. I fired once and missed a single pointed chukar, and saw two small-ish coveys that busted wild. Old Warrior Angus ran 20 miles, eclipsing Peat on this hunt by 2 miles, which is weird; it’s been the opposite all season, but might be because Peat has a little cut in one of his pads.

    And the weather has changed. We’re not sure what the balance of the season holds. I’m hoping we get more of a season than last year, when we were done by mid-December because of the weather. Word in the valley is that this winter will look a little heavier than last year. I’m betting we’ll make at least one more trip to lower elevations to look for more populous habitat.

    Leslie’s still in search of her first chukar. And she’s still eager. Stay tuned.

    Late fall “hiking”
  • Random Acts of Chukar

    Random Acts of Chukar

    Hell’s Canyon

    It’s a small world, after all. Leslie and I spent last weekend downstream in Hell’s Canyon. I was excited by the idea there would be loads of chukar there since it’s similar terrain and elevation to the Main Salmon, where we did find loads of birds. Alas, we did not find loads of chukar there, but not for lack of trying. Still, we’re not in this for the bagged bird count, so it was a wonderful experience.

    Steep canyon

    One of the things that made the trip wonderful was the random encounter with two readers of this blog – a first for me. The first arrived with his camper and jet boat on our second night there, and his friend came later; I met him the next morning as he sported a blaze Chukar Culture hat! Even stranger, one of them had worked with my brother (also a fish biologist in a different state) for years. I weaseled my way into my first jet boat ride ever; I loved it, but Peat puked immediately and was glad when we landed and started hiking.

    They hunted on the Oregon side, but dropped me in Idaho and picked me up after I humped it up the slope, vainly searching for birds on the steep, cactus-infested terrain. I finally encountered my first chukar, Peat-pointed, near the bottom of a brushy creek bed, and managed only my second triple ever. Hard-earned birds. I was really touched by the generosity of these two guys in altering their plans to let me come along.

    Cactus cactus everywhere

    One of the negatives about this terrain was the cactus. It was everywhere, and often mostly covered by cheat grass, which made it hard to avoid. Angus and Peat seemed to have figured out how to dodge most of it, but each still has many tiny spines all over their legs. It makes me wonder how Arizona quail hunters deal with this; you can boot your dog, but spines still stick in their legs. Another negative was the rattlesnakes. We only saw two, but one’s more than enough, especially when it’s in the middle of a huge grassy flat your dogs are bounding through. Peat stopped and looked very birdy, and then suddenly recoiled (better than attacking it). I had to walk right up to the snake even to identify it, that’s how camouflaged it was. I would’ve taken its picture, but the thing freaked me out. I don’t like snakes, and feel grateful neither dog got struck.

    Public Land Owner

    So far it’s been an excellent bird season, thanks in part to the proliferation of grouse and the proximity of chukar to grouse habitat. I don’t recall ever seeing as many dusky or blue grouse as I’ve seen this year. Mostly, though, this season has begun with lots of new things that have changed things up for me and my appreciation of chukar hunting: my wife hunting for the first time; shooting a lot more at clays and figuring out how to mount the gun properly (it really does make a difference!); trying new spots farther afield than we’re used to. I showed the video below to some students today, and one of them who’s hunted with me and watched lots of our videos asked, “Are you taking more video yourself these days?” In thinking about his question, I realized that having Leslie hunt with me has made me relax a little more about pressing for birds. When she carried only a camera, chukar hunting was mainly about getting birds on point, hustling to pointing dogs, getting in position, damn the torpedoes! Now I want her to experience success and get her first chukar, so when the dogs go on point I pull out my iPhone and take video of her getting into position. That excites me now as much as doing it myself. I like the result. I like more calmly enjoying my favorite activity (plus, if I get into position myself and don’t hit any birds I’m likely to get angry, which makes the experience much less enjoyable for my wife and dogs).

    So I guess what I’m really enjoying about this season, compared to past ones which have featured higher bird counts, is learning new ways to appreciate chukar hunting. A friend who doesn’t hunt, and doesn’t really approve of it, asked me recently when I’ll have had enough of the killing and begin carrying only a camera. It’s not a question I haven’t asked myself many times before, but the answer always eluded me. I don’t feel I’m making a transition from gun to camera just yet but wouldn’t rule it out, although it’s hard to imagine doing the physical work required by chukar hunting “just” to take photos of dogs pointing birds. But I am spending more time capturing images than I have in the past, thanks to Leslie joining the armed practitioners. So here’s a record of the first month of the season, for what it’s worth. Enjoy!