Took Rowdy out for a chukar hunt on Thursday.  Got into a few coveys but they were wild flushing far out of gun range.  Typical late-season birds.  Very spooky and on alert.  I doctored up some scrapes on his feet, as needed, with some Bag Balm, epsom salt and New Skin.  We went again on Saturday, since his feet seemed to be holding up okay after a day of rest.  We got into a lot of coveys of birds, although most of them wild flushed before I could get in gun range.  The birds were typically about 20 - 40 yards in front of Rowdy and I was sometimes 50 yards from him.  Once these birds see a person coming they tend to wild flush immediately.  We did run into two coveys of chukar that held pretty good for the points.  The first covey held until I was about 20 yards away.  I shot a double out of this covey.  The second covey was  just a few birds and they held until I was within 30 yards or so.  Managed to shoot one out of this covey as well.  Rowdy retrieved only one of the birds that he saw fall.  He didn't get the second bird out of the double until I took him downwind of it and let him catch its scent, where he picked it up and I took it from him.  The other bird that he didn't retrieve went down alive and was flapping.  He just started pulling feathers from it, so I went over and took it from him.  It was about this time that I noticed a trail of blood everywhere Rowdy had been walking, so I checked his feet.  Sure enough the frozen, rocky ground has shredded a few pads on 3 of his feet.  Back to the car we headed after an hour-and-a-half of hunting.  I think I may have pushed him a little too hard and should have given him more rest, but he seemed to be having fun.  He's probably out of commission for a week though.  Looking at boots for him to wear when chukar hunting, until he builds up tough pads.

Huge, mature chukar:

 Yeah usually about 2 - 4 times per week.  I'm fortunate in the fact that I work from home and am able to make my own hours, practically.

I am real interested in that Recipe (having just shot a Chuckar this weekend).  Post it here?

 Absolutely.  You guys have chukar in Illinois?  Here's the recipe.  Enjoy, as it is perfectly suited to chukar.

Chukar breasts

Flour (for coating breasts)

Salt (mix with flour)

Pepper (mix with flour)

6 tbsp. butter

5 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon (Meyer lemons work best)

4 tbsp. capers

1/2 cup chicken stock

1 tbsp. flour

Preheat the oven to warm (200 degrees or less) and place a covered oven safe dish in it.  Lightly pound chukar breasts with a mallet.  Then lightly season chukar breasts flour/salt/pepper mixture.  Get out a large skillet and place over medium heat (300 degrees is ideal).  Combine 4 tbsp. butter and all olive oil in the skillet or electric frying pan.  Add chukar breasts once butter/oil is simmering and cook about 2 - 3 minutes per side (this will vary depending on thickness of breasts and if you slice them in half).  Flip and cook another 2 - 3 minutes on the other side.  Place in the pan to keep warm i the oven while you make the sauce.  

In the same pan, add the lemon juice, chicken stock and capers.  Bring to a rolling simmer/boil, continuously scraping the pan with a spatula.  Continue to boil for 3 minutes.  Put 2 tbsp. butter and 1 tbsp. flour in microwave and melt to make a roux.  Add this roux to the simmering mixture in the pan, stirring it in immediately to thicken the sauce.  Pour this sauce over the warming chukar breasts.  Enjoy.      

Well, kinda.  Depends on if I purchase them in advance and have them placed in the fields (Hunt Club provides) .  Also, if they are placed for another group and move to an area on the club where we hunt...  Like last week when I got one!

Thanks alot for the recipe!  I will give it a try!