Etiquette in Public Land Chukar Hunting

I’m not sure if it was the trendiness of chukar hunting on social media or the fact that 2020 had everyone stuck at home and thinking of new things to try, but it sure seemed like chukar hunter numbers were at an all-time high this season in my neck of the woods. That even includes me, since this was my first season of seriously targeting chukar instead of just going a few times as a change of pace from quail or ducks. If we are truly serious about hunter recruitment and increasing hunter numbers, this growth in interest is great news! Even so, there’s always a sharp pang of disappointment when you arrive at your favorite spot to find another hunter already there…even for the most enthusiastic supporters of R3 efforts.

With the influx of upland bird hunters ought to come an influx of discussions about hunter etiquette while in the field. I make no claims of being an expert, neither in bird hunting nor in consistently good etiquette. I am sure that I have unintentionally done things that have annoyed another hunter or affected their day afield. But along with how-to articles and photos of our time in the mountains, I believe it’s our responsibility to share perspectives on good etiquette to help new (and returning) hunters navigate some of these gray areas.