Now that the season is over I did some quick figuring and reflecting.  Six trips were taken for chukar.  I'd planned on at least a dozen trips but yet again life got in the way.  With a whopping 1.5 birds per trip average, I'm not about to invite the neighbors over for a chukar stir fry quite yet.

I feel pretty good about the 45% shootng success - heck, less than a box of shells fired at chukar.  Of course I'm not counting the three coveys of Hungarian partridge I stimulated into flying faster.

I thought about trying to figure out trip costs (gas, breakfasts at the local diner before heading out, lunches, beer, etc.) but then realized that god (aka the Wife) might read this and comment - no doubt with attitude.  Rough estimates indicate that I could have ordered a complete Tur-duc-en diner for four from a specialty shop in Georgia for each chukar shot.

The Beretta 20 gauge semi auto still seems to be the perfect cliff roaming, mile after mile chukar gun I've used to date.  Kinda wish though that the wood was a little stronger as the toe of the shoulder stock broke after one too many contacts with basalt, leaving a half inch chunk lying somewhere north of Dixie Creek.  I've already replaced the forestock once so I guess its only fair to do the same with the back end.

I've also figured that dogs aren't required to hunt chukar - but they come in pretty handy for finding them.  I hiked past the grave of Suzie Q - the best upland Lab I ever hope to have - twice this season.  Chukar droppings were all over her cairn of rocks and birds were calling and shouting from the overhead cliffs.  Funny that while standing there remembering old times with the pot licker I never even thought to fire a shot.  Must have been dust in my eyes causing them to water a little so I probably would have missed anyway.

All in all a pretty good season.  I still hate chukar and I can only hope that I can still hunt them when I'm 90.