Transfiguration Ceremonies

Transfiguration Sunday and the glory of heaven shines on the hills of golden grass. We ascend the mountains for reasons not quite unlike those of the disciples. Yes, differences there are, but it is our hope too to be witness the glory of God in his creation if not to hear his voice thunder from shimmering clouds. To strengthen our souls and refresh our spirits for the weeks ahead. The last day of Chukar Season will be marked by solemn ritual, the dogs scouring the hills noses to the wind, the incense of cheap cigars wafting in conversation anticipating the joyful song erupting from the swinging pipes of handheld organs. Yes in its own way perhaps, a religious event. If not quite the worship of God found in scripture, it still retains its connotations.
The season started slow, months passing by consumed with office work and conflicting schedules. November came and went with nary a shot fired, a man’s soul grows weary, his spirit anxious. December fell in with weather awry, in-conducive to the hunt, edging out the pastor’s coveted time. But Aquarius smiled on the sportsman’s soul, and the sky cleared a canvass for the wingshooter’s art.
Amidst the limestone cliffs cathedral walls of gray, one could hear nature’s hymn sung, the round of covey choirs calling from balconies above. No worries, the dogs hold them tight suppressing their clucks with nervous anxiety. The tension builds as you push for the flush, cautiously moving, anticipating ambush. Signals of the hand motion for position directing you forward as you step slowly, treading quietly planting firmly each foot, waiting for the eruption of flight. Brush and grass, stone and bush morph to form of partridge silhouettes flying against the sky. Cheek to wood, nature’s hymn finds punctuation as the birds fold in flight, tumbling to the ground.
Four to eight mile hikes broken with intermittent opportunity for sport, sometimes unexpected. The chukar makes a break taking off from the rocks above it howls down the canyon for cover below. The first shot misses, but pulling forward by ten feet the bird begins to fold at thirty five yards where the number fives hit home. Yes life is good, the season a success if you don’t see another bird.
Yes we ascended the mountain for reasons not entirely different than those of the disciples. Perhaps the expectations were not entirely met on this Sunday of the Transfiguration, but what more could a sportsman do with such a beautiful afternoon? The chukar evade detection, but the souls found rest the spirit comfort in the seasons closing ceremony. And we then descend to put the guns up, and pray to enjoy another season next year.

Chukar Hunting, Reason to Stay in Shape.

The old saying is you go chukar hunting the first time for fun, after that it’s for revenge. I’ve had good days hunting chukar, but my thirst for revenge is never satiated. See, every time you go you find new reason to want revenge. These birds are brutal. You need to be in shape or it is miserable. Chukar’s get me up in the morning to go running, or hiking. So now I blame them for my shin splints. Next Sunday they aren’t getting away.
Chukar hunting can be a lot of fun, and quite challenging. Chukar, if you don’t know, are in the partridge family. They are a midsize birds, larger than quail, even Hungarian Partridge, but smaller than a Grouse or Pheasant. They come from the Middle East and as such they like barren hill sides littered with rocks, sage brush and cheatgrass, which is their favorite form of food. This makes for some spectacular shooting if you get into them.
Chukar flush almost as beautifully as they fold. But they are an amazing bird for their ability to blend in, in such surroundings. They are gray, black and white with a little coloring on their eyes. And despite being the size of a small chicken, a little larger than a banty, yet I’ve watched them flush from five feet away on all but bare ground where they were completely concealed, making dogs an almost must if you want to get into them.
I have rarely, actually only once, had success hunting chukar without a dog. That was by pure chance, my friend and I happened to have shotguns, and happened to see chukar flush from the roadside. We were able to circle around them on foot while they were coveying up. We got above them and started down on them as they were clucking at each other. Unfortunately my friend was using 7 shot. I don’t use anything smaller than six anymore, I like fives. If I hit a bird I want it to drop, preferably right where I hit it. I was able to retrieve the one bird I saw because I hit it with fives. The bird with sevens escaped our half an hour search.
But dogs make it a little easier. The chukar still have the advantage. But one or two good pointers is a great boon. You don’t want a flushing dog, you want a pointer. The pointer’s job is to climb up above you seven hundred feet and tell you yes there are birds up here, now run to where I am. And when you get there the birds flush if they haven’t left. A good pointer will readjust and follow the birds, making you climb another couple hundred feet. Then he will make you go down, then up, then down. A good pointer is like a coach. But they find birds you otherwise wouldn’t. And they are beautiful doing it. It is exhilarating to see an English pointer go on point on the ridge line as the sun sets behind him. But then it’s time to run, and run up hill.
No, you don’t actually run, you walk very fast and get there as quick as you can without dropping your gun or yourself. Chukar live in tortuous terrain, and so tripping or otherwise falling is always a problem. This is why chukar hunters run during the week. Hiking the hills is tough business. Straight up, and straight down, it’s cold, it’s wet, its dry and warm, you get tired. Rocks give out under your feet, sage brush gives way. I remember once the sensation of skiing as I descended amidst a small rockslide to get where the dogs were pointing. Staying in shape, helps. The better shape you are in the better your shooting is going to be when you get there too.
I’ve had years when for one reason or another I just was not able to stay in shape for chukar season, knee injuries, or laziness. I once thought I was in shape as I spent hours a day on an elliptical machine. Only to find out in my annual hunt to Hell’s Canyon, chukar hunting Mecca, that elliptical machines are liars. You have a choice when you get to the dogs, catch your breath or shoot. If you are trying to catch your breath when you are shooting, your accuracy is going to be affected. It’s just better to stay in shape.
But the there are those days when everything is perfect, perhaps the last day of hunting in Hell’s canyon last year. The weather was nice, the shotgun loaded with six and five, the dogs go on point amidst a flat piece of terrain overlooking the Snake River. You slowly approach the point, getting into position, and walk in for the flush. The bird’s take off, you find one in the flush of 30, and follow through to fold it with sixes just as you see one a bit closer to take with the next barrel, and watch the fives tumble it to the ground. Two birds in the last flush of the season, and well, it puts you in a good mood, and gives you reason to start running again when you get home.