Gray Partridge

Rynnik

Rynnik

CGN Regular
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Location
Outside Hamilton ON
I flushed one of these a while ago during a walk on the farm I moved to fairly recently. I'm sad to say it took me a fair bit of time to identify it properly, as I have just never come across them previous to this. Now that I know they are here I expect to be spending some time specifically targeting them this fall and I am sure they will be as delicious as any other partridge and I have a few fly patterns in mind for that distinct plumage! I've done some upland hunting back in the day (mostly ruffed grouse and pheasant) am I correct to assume that going for huns won't be meaningfully different?

I'd love any stories, setups, pics of successful hunt, or whatever else people feel like sharing. I'm completely new to this species and info or ideas to mull over while fishing through this summer would be a great way to spend my time until hunting season rolls around again.

Cheers.
 
First bird that came to mind was the "Chukar".
I think the ones you are referring to are also called the "Hungarian Partridge"?
Lead lots if they are in full flight windage style.
 
The dog pointed two Hungarian Partridge on our morning run in the city. They are very quick and not nearly as predictable in flight as a pheasant, so they are my favorite bird to hunt. They taste great, but are quite small, so there isn't a whole lot of meat on them.
 
kamlooky said:
I think the ones you are referring to are also called the "Hungarian Partridge"?
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Thats the one.

kamlooky said:
Lead lots if they are in full flight windage style.
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Good tip.

Quackman said:
Hey I'm just down the road with an excellent flushing lab...
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Well I have the property but not the dog so maybe we will have to work something out in the fall.

stubblejumper said:
They are very quick and not nearly as predictable in flight as a pheasant, so they are my favorite bird to hunt.
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This sounds very promising. I'd love to have a real challenge like that in the back yard. Feathers and food are great but a hunt like that could be priceless fun.
 
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These birds are my all time favourite to hunt but I only do so in Alberta. The numbers there are much better with sustainable populations than in Ontario. My understanding is that their numbers in Ontario are quite low and seeing them again would be something special. Maybe their numbers are coming back.
 
Brutus said:
And same birdshot sizes work very well for both IMO.
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Makes sense, I definitely want to get some on the table and that will be the obvious start point.

Rick B said:
These birds are my all time favourite to hunt but I only do so in Alberta. The numbers there are much better with sustainable populations than in Ontario. My understanding is that their numbers in Ontario are quite low and seeing them again would be something special. Maybe their numbers are coming back.
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Interesting. With a daily 5 possession 15 limit they better have sustainability here in Ontario or it would really bring into question what MNR is doing.

Anyone here in Ontario who has anecdotal experience with how many are around?
 
I enjoy hunting them with my 28g SxS using #7-1/2 shot, over my pointer. And once birds flush and you shoot, reload quickly, because they may not all flush at once.
 
Rynnik said:
Makes sense, I definitely want to get some on the table and that will be the obvious start point.



Interesting. With a daily 5 possession 15 limit they better have sustainability here in Ontario or it would really bring into question what MNR is doing.

Anyone here in Ontario who has anecdotal experience with how many are around?
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I found in the last few years I have not seen many in the Sudbury area. I think this is because everyone hunts there, and if people come from the south to hunt, it is their primary "northern" destination.

Just south of Timmins I have had great luck and have seen many more birds, but it's about a 9-10 hour drive from where I live.

Cannon
 
Brutus said:
Huns are superbly tasty, equally good table fair as ruffies. Maybe a tad bit better too, perhaps a bit leaner. And same birdshot sizes work very well for both IMO.
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"Huns" were very common here in Southern and SW Manitoba when I was a kid. They are covey birds and will flush wildly en-masse from almost point blank range. Huns roost on the ground in weed patches and such. At sunset a covey will flush in all directions confusing a predator...or hunter. They never seemed to fly far as one could then walk up these small groups after the initial flush and do well. I haven't shot a Hun in probably 25 years as they simply disappeared. Probably the result of agricultural land use changes. And yes, huns were excellent table fare...much like pheasant I always thought albeit smaller.
 
Rynnik said:
Makes sense, I definitely want to get some on the table and that will be the obvious start point.



Interesting. With a daily 5 possession 15 limit they better have sustainability here in Ontario or it would really bring into question what MNR is doing.

Anyone here in Ontario who has anecdotal experience with how many are around?
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I don't know how long you have been hunting but regardless of bird numbers or even presence the Ontario MNR has never changed the daily limit or possession limits of upland birds in Ontario as far back as at least the 50's and there is no money in their budget for small game nanagement.
 
the spank said:
I don't know how long you have been hunting but regardless of bird numbers or even presence the Ontario MNR has never changed the daily limit or possession limits of upland birds in Ontario as far back as at least the 50's and there is no money in their budget for small game nanagement.
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I took a 20 year hiatus from hunting while I ran around doing the army thing. Now that I recently retired I'm getting back into the sport since I loved it as a kid and I have the free time for it these days.

I'm far from being an apologist for bureaucracy crap, I've had more than my fill for a lifetime, but what you are saying seems pretty counter intuitive given what I've seen and read recently. Surely if the turkey hunt is being managed the way it is with changes this past year, if they have time to study and remove snapping turtles from small game, MNR must have SOME sort of small game management on the go. I really doubt they would allow that many hungarian partridges if they weren't currently sustainable in Ontario. My perspective seems to be more along them the lines of them insta-banning a hunt if there is the potential for concern and they can't/won't investigate it for budget or whatever reason.
 
When Huns first take off, they sound like a creaking barb wire fence when someone is pushing down on the wire to get across. Great tasting birds. I get to watch a lot of them flying away. :p
 
fun birds to hunt, for sure... and very tasty! Unless you see tons of them around (doubtful in Ontario, but certainly plausible in southern Alberta), an important tip is to NOT overhunt them! They split into pairs in the spring & summer and then flock up again in the fall/winter. They can be pretty local and predictable in their movements and can easily be shot out with too much pressure. Lots of times they will come into rural yards in the winter and farmers will toss them some grain. They do not perch in trees and are susceptible to winter kill with icy crust on the snow. They seem to do better where snow depths are not too deep. good luck - maybe you can encourage the local population to expand a bit
 
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