what is the ultimate dog for chukars?

Moonshine Ike · Post by **Moonshine Ike** » Mon Sep 26, 2016 12:46 pm

I'm curious. I hope some serious chasers of the chukars chimes in but, for entertainment purposes, all internet Holiday Inn experts are also invited to submit their $00.02

Gordon Guy · Post by **Gordon Guy** » Mon Sep 26, 2016 1:00 pm

It's personal preference really.

With that said I'll wade into the waters, I would like a dog to have these characteristics

Really tough feet, points their birds from a good distance, independent, but still wants to hunt in the same direction that you're going, not a water hog, lots of stamina (Conditioning helps with this), good hearing (the hills play havoc with sound), and a good sense of direction. There aren't many burrs in the chukar "hills" and Cheat isn't really a problem during bird season, so long or short hair isn't much of an issue.

Range is a personal preference, for me it's a dog that will range out 300 or 400 yards +/- . And trained so that they are steady to flush and will point and stay on point with birds running in plain sight. A dog that will retrieve is very helpful.

Vision · Post by **Vision** » Mon Sep 26, 2016 1:25 pm

viewtopic.php?f=81&t=48465

reba · Post by **reba** » Mon Sep 26, 2016 1:37 pm

I can't add much to what Gordon Guy has to say.

Best to buy a chukar dog from a breeder that hunts chukar and is located in chukar country.

With that said, my male GSP is built like a tank and a tuff as they come and he is from the mid-west:-)=

My female GSP is from Idaho and I never questioned what she has become.

P&PGunsmith · Post by **P&PGunsmith** » Mon Sep 26, 2016 2:41 pm

One with good feet

Gertie · Post by **Gertie** » Mon Sep 26, 2016 4:10 pm

I second the good feet call as well as purchasing a chukar dog from a breeder who hunts in chukar country. I have setters so obviously that is my preference. That said, the first dog I ever hunted chukar behind was a vizsla and I still hunt with friends who have GSPs, wirehairs, E. pointers, and Brits and they all do a great job and are fun to hunt behind. As with most things, I think it comes down to personal preference and what you find aesthetically pleasing.

That said, some of the advantages of hunting chukar hunting with field trial bred setters that I like to hunt behind are that they tend to have a bit bigger range (they cover the ground so I don't have to) and I like having a white dog with a long tail. My reason is that most of the time when you're in chukar country everything out there is brown with black volcanic rock and there tends to be a lot of 2' tall brush that covers a dog on point really well. The white tends to stands out better than the dark colored dogs, particularly if the dog is on point a good distance away, and sometimes that tail sticking up over the brush is all you can see. Arguably, an English pointer could provide the same advantage but, again, it comes down to aesthetics and personal preference. Of course when there's a bunch of snow on the ground that advantage is neutralized a great deal anyway

fishvik · Post by **fishvik** » Mon Sep 26, 2016 4:49 pm

I agree with most of what was said and would like to add that the dog needs to heel and quit hunting when commanded to, and they must be a retriever. Chasing a dog around in chukar country after you feel the hunt is over is no fun and a dog that will not go downhill for a dead or wounded chukar makes for a long day for a hunter, especially when the hunter is getting long in the tooth. I personally favor a short haired breed because I've never seen a chukar dog get cold when it hunts but I've seen lots that over heat early in the season.

QuillGordon · Post by **QuillGordon** » Mon Sep 26, 2016 7:58 pm

An extremely rare breed

Garrison · Post by **Garrison** » Mon Sep 26, 2016 8:17 pm

The one that comes home with you after the hunt.

Garrison · Post by **Garrison** » Mon Sep 26, 2016 9:13 pm

QuillGordon wrote:An extremely rare breed

Quill, that is a good looking animal.

tweetergspgwp · Post by **tweetergspgwp** » Mon Sep 26, 2016 11:40 pm

I don't really have $0.02 to add to this as all have made a valid point and or all agreed on the main thing being buying from a breeder the hunts chukars and hunts them. As for my dogs, each is stronger on certain things. 2 out of my 3 male gsp came from Colorado and a great all around birddogs, 1 came from Georgia and is a better backer then lead point, and my 2 female gsp are both great pheasant dogs. 1 came from Kansas, and the other came from Idaho, and is by far the best out of all when it comes to chukars. My male Weimaraner would rather mess with bigger game, and when first started training him had a habit of trying to and chasing deer, antelope, and of course rabbits. But again I agree with and believe that the best way for you to get a great chukar dog is to buy from a breeder that hunts them, and lives in the area where chukars are.

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tweetergspgwp · Post by **tweetergspgwp** » Mon Sep 26, 2016 11:47 pm

Moonshine Ike wrote:I'm curious. I hope some serious chasers of the chukars chimes in but, for entertainment purposes, all internet Holiday Inn experts are also invited to submit their $00.02

I can put you in contact with a breeder that I know, have bought from and hunts them as well as quail and pheasant the ladder 2 being the main thing they hunt and if they don't have what your looking for they might know of some one.

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greg jacobs · Post by **greg jacobs** » Tue Sep 27, 2016 5:44 am

My dogs are fine till I get up in the lava rock. Really tears up their pads. Are there dogs that have feet that handle lava? Garrison are those the rubber boots or the intertube boots.

Garrison · Post by **Garrison** » Tue Sep 27, 2016 8:55 am

greg jacobs wrote:My dogs are fine till I get up in the lava rock. Really tears up their pads. Are there dogs that have feet that handle lava? Garrison are those the rubber boots or the intertube boots.

Vet wrap and dirt bike inner tube, he usually doesn't need anything but that day it rained and a cold front moved in and crusted over the snow, made it really sharp and was chewing up his legs and the tops of his feet really bad.

Gordon Guy · Post by **Gordon Guy** » Tue Sep 27, 2016 9:19 am

greg jacobs wrote:My dogs are fine till I get up in the lava rock. Really tears up their pads. Are there dogs that have feet that handle lava?

I don't think it's a particular breed or breeds of dogs that handle lava rock better. What I think makes a difference is the way the foot is put together, conditioning and color of skin. It seems like black or dark color feet hold up better. I have a few chukar hunting friends, (yes, it's hard to believe that I have friends

) that make sure that when they buy a pup that the pups pads are black for this very reason.

I've not had a problem with my dogs feet and I hunt in basalt (lava rock) every time out. Gordon's have black feet. Crusted snow will cut pads pretty regularly.

mask · Post by **mask** » Tue Sep 27, 2016 9:47 am

Good feet and game to their very core.

P&PGunsmith · Post by **P&PGunsmith** » Tue Sep 27, 2016 12:48 pm

Tough with lots of hunt, i like gsp's although almost too tough for some people depending on the breeding.

for tight feet, look at the parents and how there feet are put together. i also agree with the lighter colored feet. some dogs feet are a little more splayed and then are not as light on there feet as others. These tend to get cut. again you need to see the parents or make sure your breeder out of state understands what you are looking for.

color- my solid liver gsp was difficult to see when hunting unless you were hunting in snow only (no rocks poking through) . funny thing is that my white patched and ticked shorthairs are not as difficut in snow with rocks showing as i thought. The solid liver was more difficult to see even in snow conditions

meridiandave · Post by **meridiandave** » Tue Sep 27, 2016 10:29 pm

Gordon Guy wrote:
greg jacobs wrote:My dogs are fine till I get up in the lava rock. Really tears up their pads. Are there dogs that have feet that handle lava?
I have a few chukar hunting friends, (yes, it's hard to believe that I have friends ) that make sure that when they buy a pup that the pups pads are black for this very reason.

I've not had a problem with my dogs feet and I hunt in basalt (lava rock) every time out. Gordon's have black feet. Crusted snow will cut pads pretty regularly.

I know that guy. I really do.

In all seriousness, like you, I have no problem with my dogs feet on rocks. I have had her on some of the nastiest scree possible and nothing. Crusted snow does cut them though.

I hope your getting some hunting in the new backyard.

As for the the original question, decide what you want in a dog. I like my dog to range 100 to 275 yards. After that I have a hard time keeping track of her. When they are out of sight, it is hard to know if the dog is bumping birds. Plus I am a bigger guy and walking 500 yards to a pointer in chukaa country could be a brutal walk. If your dog is a big runner, it better hold birds. If the dog is a big runner it better be rock solid on birds.

On the flip side, the two guys I know who kill the most chukars hunt closer working dogs. One has a gap that he keeps close around 100 yard. He has a young pudelpointer that I have not seen hunt. The other guy hunts WPG.

Elkhunter · Post by **Elkhunter** » Tue Sep 27, 2016 11:23 pm

I may have hunted chukars a time or two!

I prefer a big going dog, especially in down years. A dog 100 yards in front of me literally breaks my heart....

I hunt a pointer and two GSP's. I like the GSP's cause they retrieve and my EP does not. All three dogs are 300-400 + yard dogs on average. Bigger if birds are scarce.

A chukar dog that needs boots is not a chukar dog IMO. I have never booted a dog a day in Chukar country and hunt 60-70+ days a year.

I feel the most determining factor in a successful chukar hunter, is the hunter himself. Its brutal country, tough hiking and can be some super steep mtns. Most hunters give up long before their hounds do.

Gordon Guy · Post by **Gordon Guy** » Wed Sep 28, 2016 8:45 am

meridiandave wrote:[I hope your getting some hunting in the new backyard.

Took my 6 month old pup out after dinner Sunday evening and found 2 coveys of quail, a covey of Huns and a covey of chukar, all within sight of my house. It's a great backyard. No gun just running the pup on the home coveys.

QuillGordon · Post by **QuillGordon** » Fri Sep 30, 2016 7:38 am

Quill, that is a good looking animal.

Thank you

DGFavor · Post by **DGFavor** » Fri Sep 30, 2016 7:57 am

My dogs tend to be tender-footed boot polishers and avoid the rocky areas - pansies:

http://www.vimeo.com/157395104

Quick outing after work yesterday:
http://www.vimeo.com/184957726

gonehuntin' · Post by **gonehuntin'** » Fri Sep 30, 2016 8:31 am

DGFavor wrote:My dogs tend to be tender-footed boot polishers and avoid the rocky areas - pansies:

http://www.vimeo.com/157395104

Quick outing after work yesterday:
http://www.vimeo.com/184957726

Was hoping you'd bless us with more of your pictures!! Always enjoy them.

fishvik · Post by **fishvik** » Fri Sep 30, 2016 8:55 am

DG, That dog blends in with it's background almost perfectly, even the white tip on the tail looks like a patch of snow. Do you breed for that "chukar camo coat"?

reba · Post by **reba** » Fri Sep 30, 2016 4:59 pm

My GSP's run the lava weeks on end and never have problems with their feet.

Be sure the toenails are trimmed short to avoid broken toenails.

Once again without regard to breed you need a TUFF DOG...................................

Some will not agree, but stay away from light colored toe nails and feet/pads.

fishvik · Post by **fishvik** » Sun Oct 16, 2016 5:33 am

I remember in college, over a couple of beers, we came up with the perfect chukar hunting combination :

1.Semi auto 20 ga. with a drum clip, 2. German Shorthair/ Mountain Goat cross and 3. A chairlift.

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