Ptarmigan hunting
I am planning on a ptarmigan hunt but am concerned about the bird's late reproduction cycle this year. I saw ptarmigan in Inyo and Tulare counties during ice-out, always without young. I am guessing that the unusually large amount of snow delayed reproduction, and I don't want to shoot big chicks or adults still tending their young. Anyone seen ptarmigan in Mono or Alpine county during the last few weeks? If so, chicks mature?
Thanks!
man thats a short period to hunt them only 9 days Ill go with you If I still have money left over this weekend
DFG is taking hunter survey on Ptarmagin. They would like to know if you hunt them or even have seen them. I would love to get one! I want to get one of each bird/small game that we can legaly hunt. Check it out on the DFG site.
The ptarmagrin original release was behind twin lakes out of bridgeport. that is the area in which I would look for them.
People who hug trees shouldn't live in wooden houses!
Solus,
Thanks, will keep this in mind, not sure if we are going at this point.
527varmint,
You are correct. Though those rascals have moved considerably from their dropoff point. Few passes well north have bird, but they start to move from the easy-to-find breeding areas now, down into the trees. I think that they will be tough to locate. I've never hunted them but have developed an interest after years of watching them underfoot when I fish. Seems like a nice trip before it snows, and there is always the illusive arctic hare to distract me.
I sent an email to the DFG staff member who is doing the ptarmigan research (while back) but never got a response. I wish that they would expand the hunt area so that I could fish for some golden trout on the same day.
527 Varmint has got me all interested in these birds. I searched them and came upon this post. Did you guys have any success last year? I will the dfg guy tomorrow.
Summer had reduced the river's flow to a sluggish current. It was well within the banks carved by spring melts, the shallow water running crystal clear. But it was water- life-giving, life-sustaining water. This Calder Range by Janet Dailye
Are these the same as Sooty Grouse ?
no
I've never seen one. Pretty awesome to know they are actually out there.
I did see grouse twice last year.
People who hug trees shouldn't live in wooden houses!
Sooty grouse is another bird. And don't expect DFG to help AT ALL.
This thread came back to life. Did not go last year, maybe this year. DFG will not be a help, tried that. Hard to get info. on hunting this bird. I hope the few who have it wired are smiling right now.
Reddevil
I spoke to a dft biologist today. He did say the that topic has been dead for the past couple of years. But is becoming alive again. I am hoping to be able to do some volunteer work for dfg. If I get more info, I will let you know.
Why is it all the real upland enthusiasts here are from Southern Cal? I guess Sacramento has got easier hunts available that no one wants to mess the the tough challenge of chasing birds in the mountains.
Understandable.
Summer had reduced the river's flow to a sluggish current. It was well within the banks carved by spring melts, the shallow water running crystal clear. But it was water- life-giving, life-sustaining water. This Calder Range by Janet Dailye
Sean,
Thanks much. I did back into the gray literature, but some advice from a person who has been in the field is worth a lot more than some ologist writing toward tenure. We have a mutual friend in Pierpont. If you meander south this season feel free to accompany us on a chukar hunt, gotta spot that you will enjoy.
Ptarmigan used to be a draw, hope that the pressure stays low to avoid that.
I am saving all the easy hunting for when my body says "no more" to endurance-style hunting.
Given any thought to a snow cock/chukar hunt? Chukar would be like bycatch when into snow cock.
Cheers!
I got a call from a friend yesterday asking me to go hiking with them.
He is not a hunter. Far from it. Now this is where he is going hiking today and I was wondering if anyone knows anything about it.
He said they are going to go to Lake Tahoe and they are going to hike from there to Twin Lakes in two hours. Now the Twin Lakes I have been to is closer to Bridgeport and is about 50 miles south of tahoe. (Thanks to Google earth) He said they take a road off of 50 and it takes them to 5000 elevation. From there, they hike to 7000 elevation.
I couldnt go but he is going to bring more detailed info today when they get back. Could this be the place where I read they have released these birds? I am going to go there soon and check it out and scout for upland birds once I have the info from him. I am going to be doing some serious hiking around this summer. I hope.
Summer had reduced the river's flow to a sluggish current. It was well within the banks carved by spring melts, the shallow water running crystal clear. But it was water- life-giving, life-sustaining water. This Calder Range by Janet Dailye
Originally Posted by sean english
No, this is not the same lake. This is not where they were released. This twin lakes is right by lake tahoe and departs from just off 50. The gps coordinates of the twin lakes near tahoe are:
N38 52 08.6
W120 11 32.4
The twin lakes where the birds got released was the ones out of bridgeport.
People who hug trees shouldn't live in wooden houses!
Hey mr English I hunt in the area every there's lots of ruffed grouse up that way and a few blues. I've got my ruff and my blue up there the past 3 years in a row. As for ptarmigan try up tioga pass I hunted them last year and got two and one the year before
Canyonbandit,
Tioga Pass, nice. Dogs a big help, or are the birds hanging out in their normal late summer habitat? Any elevation advice? What size shot would you recommend? Happy hunting and thanks!
Dogs help for sure. One of my dogs has a weird nose and style of hunting, she does real well in very high winds and starts pointing about 150 to 200 yards before we get to birds. Shes a very big running dog but when she smells birds she stays very close. For this reason I always take her as a posed to the other three. My experience with those birds has been one chance on the covey rise and that's it, so I hunt full chokes on both barrels and no.6 shot. The bids I have got up the pass have been bigger ones in my other spots. I usually hunt the highest peaks around water.
Canyon
I was out of country. Now I am back. If you want to go for some scouting/hiking, let me know. I am available during the week as well.
Summer had reduced the river's flow to a sluggish current. It was well within the banks carved by spring melts, the shallow water running crystal clear. But it was water- life-giving, life-sustaining water. This Calder Range by Janet Dailye
I'm gonna be in Tahoe for two weeks in Aug. I will definitely be scouting around Caples lake for ruffed grouse. I'll message you before I go up
Sounds good. Where do u live?
Summer had reduced the river's flow to a sluggish current. It was well within the banks carved by spring melts, the shallow water running crystal clear. But it was water- life-giving, life-sustaining water. This Calder Range by Janet Dailye
Orange county but during hunting season everywhere but! I go up that way usually for a week to hunt grouse.
Just the dfg site: There is not new regulations for this hunting year. I looked at last year's. Am I right: Ptarmigan starts second sat of Sept. No special license/tag/ permit required. Right?
Summer had reduced the river's flow to a sluggish current. It was well within the banks carved by spring melts, the shallow water running crystal clear. But it was water- life-giving, life-sustaining water. This Calder Range by Janet Dailye
Sean,
Correct, ptarmigan is a go, on the new 2012-13 regs., starts Sep. 8th and runs for 9 days. I am likely going to make it up for the second weekend, hopefully with pierpont. Let me know via a PM if you are planning a hunt during the same time, would be nice to meet and cover more ground.
I looked up Tioga Pass. Its right at the entry of Yosemite. I am assuming you hunted on the east of it. Public land? National Forest? What kind of terrain is it? Is it coniferous forest or more open so you can actually spot the birds with a pair or binos?
Summer had reduced the river's flow to a sluggish current. It was well within the banks carved by spring melts, the shallow water running crystal clear. But it was water- life-giving, life-sustaining water. This Calder Range by Janet Dailye
Sounds like fun, Yes redevil, count me in.
Correct east of the park above tree line. You can find them looking through binos. They'll be crawling all over the rocks. Look for the big rockslide areas with the big white rocks
The way u say they'll be crawling all over the rocks, everyone's gona think it's like a dove hunt.
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Summer had reduced the river's flow to a sluggish current. It was well within the banks carved by spring melts, the shallow water running crystal clear. But it was water- life-giving, life-sustaining water. This Calder Range by Janet Dailye
Starts next week. Anyone going?
Summer had reduced the river's flow to a sluggish current. It was well within the banks carved by spring melts, the shallow water running crystal clear. But it was water- life-giving, life-sustaining water. This Calder Range by Janet Dailye
Wow, not a whole lot of response people just aren't clamoring to hunt birds at high altitude! Yes, I'm gonna go burn a vacation day at work and burn a bunch of gas driving, burn out my legs and lungs in the rarified air, and it will all be worthwhile if I can burn the powder out of a shell or two on some birds.
How about you? Got any hotspots you know of up there?
If u wait we go next week. This weekend I'm going to pick me up a dog.
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Summer had reduced the river's flow to a sluggish current. It was well within the banks carved by spring melts, the shallow water running crystal clear. But it was water- life-giving, life-sustaining water. This Calder Range by Janet Dailye
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