As a reader of some many hunting and fishing blogs, I always have been honored to share in the experiences of those who burn their stories into a blog and post their common passions for outdoor sports on the web. Each its unique retelling of experiences in the field. These wonderful recounts of hunt trips, campfire stories and life in general did much more than just sharing of experiences. They served to build the interest into the sharing of the outdoors with those that are important to us in this life. Chukar Brotherhood is just this from my perspective. As I attempt to do my part in sharing good hunting stories and photography, ultimately it is the friendships, even kinships, that have been developed over years in the field.
BRRRR!!! On top , I don't know how cold and windy it was but my camera was so cold that I could take very few pictures and it took a week for my ears to stop stinging.
Maximus and Jane were very willing partners in the intense cold and wind. We were about a mile from the water sources and the burned off areas carried no sign at all. These places were the warmest and friendliest places all day(with the exception of the fire.) They just didn't hold birds.
Once we got more into the hillsides that had thicker cover and steeper(and much colder) Max started getting giggy!! He knew something was up and he wanted to know more! Since this is his first season in the field(16 mos.) I'm just getting used to know his birds in the area body language. He was stopping and starting but I noticed his tail was lower.
We were much closer at this point but he wasn't satisfied yet! We headed towards that rocky wind-blown point in foreground.
Just as we got to the ridge in front of the rock point, Max showed much more interest.(noticed his tail, I'm learning him.)
Now he said we were on them! He locked up , crept a bit , then locked up. His tail continued to be on the rise. This was the good news. The bad news as it turned out is that when Max was completely locked up over the steeper edge, my camera froze due to the cold. When the birds got up(30 ish) , I put pellets in one bird and missed the rest. I started shooting an 870 20 ga. that I'm not used too(my excuse.) Max's point was very distinctive completely obvious to the near point of earlier treks.
Lessons learned: 1)The birds seem to be more concerned with avoiding the wind than the cold. They were always tucked away on the steepest and the hillsides with the most cover. 2) Never shoot a gun for the first time on an actual hunt. 3) Keep your camera close to your body on super cold, windy days. 4) Never measure the quality of a hunt by the amount of game bagged. 5) Never forget to enjoy the campfire and the stories at the end of the day!
As we've gotten older we are starting to understand how much we appreciate a good fire, at the end of the day, almost as much as a good hunt! I hope this blog just helps to keep the interest in the sport and mostly the importance of sharing the experiences with friends and family.
Welcome all in the Brotherhood.
Mic
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