Sometimes I get a little hunting done with my own dogs. Wild birds are few and far between but we do have a good Chukar population in Utah. The terrain that they prefer is steep and rocky and you better have some good hiking boots. One of the things I like about Chukar hunting terrain is that it really can’t be done from a truck or ATV. This helps to keep the sport fairly pure as the “limit hunters” feel its too much work for a full bag of chukars. If you run into any fellow chukar hunters in Utah they usually have some nice pointing dogs along side.

Chukar hunting is also nice to stretch your dogs range a bit. The objectives are not so obvious as a ditch bank or fence row as when pheasant hunting for example. The terrain all looks the same in chukar territory. Rocks and rock slides, lots of sage brush and some assorted grasses. The lack of objectives forces your dog to use their nose more than their brain at times. It is really a joy to watch supposed close-working dogs stretch out and run big to cover the terrain. Lizzy is pictured above checking in.

The daunting thing about chukar hunting is that you often find the covey at the top of a steep hillside or outcrop. Typically you only get one or two shots when they flush and fly fast to the very bottom of the hill you just painstakingly climbed. You are left with no other choice but to follow and hike back to the bottom for another chance to shoot. This process seems to be repeated over and over. Up and down, up and down until your feet are blistered and/or you finally give up until the next time. That is Utah chukar hunting.