The last week has been unbelievable here in Northern Nevada. We needed rain in a bad way, and rain is what we got with some areas of the state have received over an inch. Anyone who knows upland bird hunting in Nevada knows that Chukar is our main bird, and anyone who knows Chukar knows that precipitation is what keeps them alive, like all desert animals. Precipitation gives them green up which is crucial leading into the nesting season, it produces more bugs which are crucial for the growing chicks, it gives them more water sources which are important for obvious reasons, and it grows taller cheat grass which ultimately provides great protection form predation as well as being a food source. So, because of this rain I believe the outlook for bird hunting this fall to be much better. For me that doesn’t mean more days hunting because I will hunt as much as possible regardless, but it will mean more birds and for the sake of my dogs that makes me happy.
This last weekend I did something that I hadn’t done since I moved down here from Oregon, and that was fish for Brook Trout. In Oregon I fished the small streams for Brook’s a lot. Part of the reason for this is that it often took me to places where I could also scout for deer and elk, and part of the reason is that I really enjoy that different kind of fishing. Belly crawling up to the edge of a hole, sneaking your fishing rod over the edge, and getting your line in the water without spooking the fish in these small creeks is a lot of fun for me. I kind of feel like I am hunting as much as fishing, and lets be honest, anytime that you are belly crawling in the woods you are having a good time.
I also went out one morning and spent a few hours looking for sheds. Really all that meant is that my dogs got a good long run, my legs got a little tired, and we basically found nothing to brag about. A couple forked horns is all I found, but I have a feeling that someone beat me to the hill that I hiked, as I really believe that there should have been more sheds in the area than the two sorry excuses for antler that I found. Oh well, it was still fun for me, and a great time for the dogs.