A Stroke of Luck
Chukar partridge (Alectoris chukar), or chukar for short, are a medium-sized game bird that originated from the Middle East. They were first introduced to the United States in 1893 but were not successfully established until the mid-1900’s. Today, chukar are a popular game species in Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
Despite its popularity, chukar hunting can be a physically demanding venture. Chukar hunters have affectionately nicknamed chukar “red-legged devils” in reference to their blood-red legs and propensity to run uphill through scree fields to escape. After my first encounter with chukar, I was quick to adopt this moniker.