Winter a great time for chukar hunting

By Utah Division of Wildlife Resources

    Snowy, wintery weather is good news for chukar hunters. Once snow starts to fall, chukars—which roam over a large area during the warmer months—concentrate in smaller areas. That means the area you need to search is smaller.
    Chukar partridge also live in some of Utah’s driest country. That’s another reason why they’re a great bird to hunt in the winter.
    “In my opinion,” says Jason Robinson, upland game coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources, “winter is the best time of the year to hunt chukars.”
Good season so far
    The chukar hunt runs until Feb. 15.
General information about chukars in Utah is at www.wildlife.utah.gov/guidebooks.
Find the right spot
    Before hiking up a hill to find chukars, you can save yourself time and energy by getting familiar with the landscape chukars live in. Robinson says chukars need three things: Cliffs for roosting, shrubby cover near the cliffs, and seeds and grasses to eat.
    In Utah, this habitat is usually found just below ridgelines at about 4,000 to 6,000 feet in elevation. As you scout these areas, look for steep slopes because the terrain you’ll find chukars in is steep—very steep.
Focus on food
    During the early part of the season, chukar spend a lot of time hiding from birds of prey. Now that these predators have moved through the state, the birds are free to spend more time finding seeds and grasses to eat.
    Unlike many upland game birds, chukars are not restricted to pockets of habitat. In the winter, though, snow reduces the amount of area in which the birds can find food.
Use the right gear
    To hunt chukars, you have to hike up steep slopes. Make sure to wear good traction boots. Wear clothes in layers.
    During the latter part of the season, shots at chukars often come at fairly long ranges. Robinson suggests using a 12- to 20-gauge shotgun. with a modified choke, shooting shot shells loaded with 5 or 6 shot.
    Bringing a trained hunting dog with you can also be a great idea. Trained dogs will help you locate the chukars. And they can retrieve the birds you shoot.