Hungarian Partridge?

[fishslinger]

Question for are friends on the prairies, how well did the Huns fare this winter? What shape are they in going into the spring nesting season? Herd they had it pretty tough in the past years. Hoping for a turnaround, would be nice to head out there for a hunt in the fall.

 

[Wilbur1005]

Question for are friends on the prairies, how well did the Huns fair this winter? What shape are they in going into the spring nesting season? Herd they had it pretty tough in the past years. Hoping for a turnaround, would be nice to head out there for a hunt in the fall.

I would say they have done well. The winter here has generally been mild in south central Saskatchewan and the numbers were very good last fall. We hunt without dogs and on foot around old abandoned farm yards. The only thing that seems to have changed over the years is the flush distance. The ranges are greater and I find myself using up my last supplies of No 2 lead. Covies averaged 20 birds of about 40 seen and the distance between landing points was about 700 yards so that it was actually possible to get two or three good hunts on the same covey. However, sharp tailed grouse did not fare so well. Last fall the numbers were few and many singletons turned up. Pheasants did well but gone are the days when a foot hunter could take huns, sharp tailed grouse and pheasant from the same yard along with the odd fox. wilbur

 

[saskbooknut]

Winter is a long way from done.
Once winter is done, the next test is hatching success. So...if we have a warm dry spring, and successful nesting, we may see more birds in the fall.
Recovery of Huns has been slow. We found good covey size last year, but many empty farmyards that had always hosted a family of Huns in the past.
Sharptails seemed to bounce back quicker in the areas we hunted.

 

[the spank]

Last winter the few areas I frequent had good numbers going into spring. Birds had a very successful hatch and I was seeing good sized flocks in my travels gopher shooting. I never went after any last fall but saw lots while scouting waterfowl. Coyote numbers soared in my area this year and I can say without hesitation that yotes are hard as hell on huns! I have seen several hunting flocks in my neighbours fields and watching the huns numbers falling off dramatically this winter around my home. Where last winter it was nothing to put up a couple flocks of 25 - 30 on my neighbours fields this winter started out the same and last outing I never even saw tracks in the snow. Where I had been seeing tracks there was always coyote tracks following or a coyote hunting and too many new homes have gone up to allow a safe shot on a yote now. I took out almost two dozen coyotes within a two mile radius of home the past two years but with new housing springing up I have only had a safe shot at a single yote around home this season and it shows! After that first winter the mule deer, huns and rabbits etc. all came back. Now its back to a rare sighting again. As well we have had quite a number of owls aroundvthis winter and they prey heavily on the huns too. With so much after them I give them a free pass or I am sure there would be next to none.

 

[mbogo3]

No worries Huns can stand -50 and still be out feeding in the stubble...a wet spring is what matters RE: nesting......Harold

 

[stubblejumper]

I am seeing plenty this winter, so far, so good. The dog is keeping sharp finding and pointing them.

 

[billdick]

Numbers are still very bad in the southwest of Saskatchewan. I haven't shot one in years, it's rather depressing.

 

[dead meat]

I was seeing good numbers in the fall but not to many now. We had a lot of snowy owls early on and they make a mess of the coveys.

 

[FinnDawg]

I would say they have done well. The winter here has generally been mild in south central Saskatchewan and the numbers were very good last fall. We hunt without dogs and on foot around old abandoned farm yards. The only thing that seems to have changed over the years is the flush distance. The ranges are greater and I find myself using up my last supplies of No 2 lead. Covies averaged 20 birds of about 40 seen and the distance between landing points was about 700 yards so that it was actually possible to get two or three good hunts on the same covey. However, sharp tailed grouse did not fare so well. Last fall the numbers were few and many singletons turned up. Pheasants did well but gone are the days when a foot hunter could take huns, sharp tailed grouse and pheasant from the same yard along with the odd fox. wilbur

Sharp tails seems to be doing good in the area I hunt in Alberta. Saw about 10 of them last time I was out coyote hunting.