Can anyone point me to a location to begin looking for quail and chucker in Malhuer County, Oregon?

I'm thinking about staying in an RV park in Vale and branching out from there.

SBT: You'll find quail near water, and that usually means along the Malheur or on irrigated pastures, so you'll have to get permission.
Chukars can be darned near anywhere in the hills and canyons around Vale, especially to the southwest. Get BLM maps of the area, get off the main highway toward Burns and stop and listen every couple of miles. The chukars don't talk to each other as much as they used to, but they still sound off, and when you hear them, plan your climb. A lot of folks take the road to Riverside and Venator that goes south at Juntura.
I have many great memories of chasing chukars in that country when I was 30 years younger.
I did my best work on them with a light Citori in 20 gauge, choked IC and M, shooting Remington 3-inch magnums with 1 1/4 ounces of No. 7 1/2 shot.
Take good boots with lots of ankle support, and be prepared for snakes.
It's been said you hunt chukars the first time for sport and the next time for revenge, and that's pretty true. The cunning little bastards seem to know when you are winded and off balance, and that's when they make their break back down the slope you so laboriously climbed.

Many thanks Bill. My dogs are not "snake broke". About when do they hibernate?

SBT: You'll have to watch the temps. The snakes tend to den up once it gets nippy, but weather is different each year. I've seen some big buzztails in early October, and a friend lost a lovely Brit to snakebite while chukar hunting on the Malheur in mid October.

Thanks Bill, it is a major concern of mine.

I always wait until November and there have been some hard freezes.

I had a Britt get too close to a snake at our Sage Grouse camp in south east Oregon near the Malheur River in September 2009. That little incident cost me $1200, but I didn't loose my dog.

The vet that treated my dog recommended that we have ours vaccinated. He claims he hasn't lost a dog that has had the vaccine. The vaccine is not the anti-venom that vets administer after the bite, but is a true vaccine. Unfortunately I don't remember the name of the vaccine. Dogs may survive the initial bite, but die months later due to organ damage. The anti-venom helps limit or prevent organ damage after the bite. The vaccine apparently builds anti-bodies to resist the venom.

If I were still hunting chuckars with my dogs, I'd have them vaccinated.

Elk Hunter: Thanks for that vaccine info. If I ever take a dog chukar hunting again, I'll be sure he or she is vaccinated.

Bill,

The last name of the vet that treated my dog is "Bean", sorry I don't remember his first. He is in Homedale, Idaho and he will talk with your vet if your vet has any questions about the vaccine. He has treated many dogs for snake bite.

The vaccine is cheap insurance compared to $600.00 for the anti-venom shot, or worse yet losing a dog.

I saw quite a few birds in the leslie gulch area while fishing. If you had a boat you'd do well.

the area gets hammered openning day though.
caldwell vets have the snake vacine

quote:

Originally posted by SBT:
Can anyone point me to a location to begin looking for quail and chucker in Malhuer County, Oregon?

I'm thinking about staying in an RV park in Vale and branching out from there.

Just outside the city limits west of Vale there are a lot of "row crop" farms. They are virtually alive with Cottontail rabbits, California Valley Quail and Ring-necked (Chinese) Pheasant. There are lots of water canals through the fields, and the birds tend to cluster fairly close to them.

I have never been turned down when asking permission to hunt over those row crops, so long as I assured the farmers I would be walking through the fields, not driving into them.

The rural farm road (NOT the highway) that goes west from the south side of town borders some rough small hills with sage-brush, patchy wild grass, and lots of uncomfortable stone surfaces. I've seen plenty of chukar there, but never tried to hunt them. Playing "Goat-toting-a-shotgun" isn't my game of choice...causes my blood-sugar level to dive and that's a no-no.

Anyway, if you're gonna be in Vale, just about any motel or RV park owner can tell you who owns what, and who to ask for hunting permission. So can the main downtown hardware store, ODFW (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife), the Chamber of Commerce, and the folk out at the rod & gun club.

Good luck. It's still a fairly small city, with lots of bird game in the area.

P.S.: When asking, you might offer a slip of paper with your name, home address and telephone number. It will probably also help if you point out you're from Wyoming, so they know you aren't some yo-yo from one of the California big cities. THOSE folk aren't too popular with many Oregonians, whether rightfully or wrongfully viewed that way.

Alberta Canuck,
That is a ton of help. Thank you very much!

My nephew and I are running about a hundred head of mamma cows and calves in that area. Try not to shoot any of them...

Rich

Rich,
I'll make a special exception for your cows.

quote:

Originally posted by SBT:
That is a ton of help. Thank you very much!

You are very welcome.

I fogot to mention the local BLM (federal Bureau of Land Management) office. If you get turned down by some of the private land owners, there is lots of BLM (public) land in the adjacent area, and the folks over there can certainly give you the good word (and even maps) on chukars on public land...as could anyone at any of the county shops...especially the road-grader drivers. And when I was speaking of motel owners, I meant the small, privately owned ones, not the big chains. Often the big chains hire a front desk person who is a "career" person and quite possibly doesn't know the area as well as you will from just driving around.

Some of them are local farm girls, bvut a lot are just looking forward to their next step up in the big chain, in what they hope will be a more urban setting and paying more money.

But, you are from Wyoming...you know how things are in the rural west and how to talk to the locals and make friends, rather than trying to snow and impress them. And most of Vale is still just small town old-time West.

Hope you have a great time. Wish I was going with you....

Try along the Malhuer at about mile post 200 (give or take) east of Juntura. You will have to wade the river and hunt the north side of the canyon. I have had good luck there most of the time as many people wont wade over there. You can find places where you wont even hardly get your feet wet. Also, its should be dry and or cold so they need to come to the river for a drink other wise they can be too scattered.

Thanks Chuck, that is a great tip!

Canuck has a great tip on giving the guy a paper with your name and number etc, ( I add truck description too) I can tell you it helps to ease the landowners worries as to whether you will take care of their property and not overshoot the birds.

There is a lot of BLM land for sure, but making contacts with farmers is good stuff.

If you head for Juntura, make sure you have plenty of gas.. None there and none till you almost get to burns.

Looks like I'm headed to Vale November 5-12.

For you local guys: Have the snakes gone into hibernation yet?

SBT: Sounds like you are on your hunt. Please report, with photos.
Also, if you see this while still in Vale, try the breaded calf fries at the Golden Pheasant! Great with a mug of ice cold beer.

Just back from a week of bird hunting. We had a great time, but didn't do too well finding the birds. That is until I hooked up with Twoseventy. Tom was kind enough to take my wife and I to hunt some very steep hills above the Snake River and the area was loaded with birds. We shot at quail, huns and chukar. While the hitting wasn't very good, there was plenty of opportunity. The best chukar hunting I've ever had and some new friends made. Thanks Tom!!!

Bill, there wasn't a Golden Pheasant in Vale. There used to be a Golden Slipper years ago, but I was told it went out of business. On the last day there however, we noticed the Starlight (great for breakfast)runs a calf fries special every Friday night. Sorry we missed it.

Thanks to all who provided tips.

SBT: Yup, Golden Slipper. It's been a while and I'm getting old enough to qualify for discount ...

Glad you found someone who could put you on some birds. They're out there, but that country is so huge -- makes a feller feel even smaller when he "don't shoot so good ..."

quote:

Originally posted by SBT:
Just back from a week of bird hunting. We had a great time, but didn't do too well finding the birds. That is until I hooked up with Twoseventy. Tom was kind enough to take my wife and I to hunt some very steep hills above the Snake River and the area was loaded with birds. We shot at quail, huns and chukar. While the hitting wasn't very good, there was plenty of opportunity. The best chukar hunting I've ever had and some new friends made. Thanks Tom!!!

Bill, there wasn't a Golden Pheasant in Vale. There used to be a Golden Slipper years ago, but I was told it went out of business. On the last day there however, we noticed the Starlight (great for breakfast)runs a calf fries special every Friday night. Sorry we missed it.

Thanks to all who provided tips.

SBT, sorry for the late reply-just now noticed the posting. I am going to have to get better about keeping up with the AR site. Glad you had a good time on the hill. You are right, they are steep, but that is where the birds are. The cardio work out was free and is one of the fringe benefits.

Tom

Sadly, The slipper went out of business about 7 years ago or so. Many good times for me in that place. You can get the calf fries at the Sage Brush grille and Barbeque on Main street about a block from where the slipper used to be. The Starlite doesnt serve them.

SBT,
If you coming out to Oregon again to hunt chukar's, focus on Huntington, Richland, Halfway and Bully Creek. It's been the best chukar hunting in the last 10 year's.Remember, chukar hunting is better when it's colder, November is still somewhat warm. Chukar season runs till Jan 31st and pheasant end's Dec 31st. What breed of dog do you have?