December 2023 - 30

Huns flush fast, rarely fly far and tend to return to a spot they like. (Photo by Jack Ballard)
Another factor contributing to the number
of gray partridges in a given year is moisture.
In an ideal scenario, there's good spring moisture,
then it shuts off in June after chicks
hatch, then it rains occasionally later in the
summer.
" If chicks get wet right after they're born,
they're done for, but a gentle rain later in
August, that causes some green-up, helps birds
put on fat for the winter, " Kroger said. " That
said, some years it's as dry as can be, but there's
still birds. I've been hunting Huns for 40 years
and collecting data on them for 25 years, and
I'm still trying to figure it out. "
One thing Kroger knows is gray partridges
are fun to hunt, perhaps because they are one
of the most sporting birds in Wyoming. They
flush fast, and you often find them when you
aren't looking.
" You could see seven coveys in a day and
never be in range, " Kroger said. " It's as much
about watching the dogs and enjoying the
scenery. If you get a bird, that just adds to it. "
I agree. Whenever we stumble upon a covey
of gray partridges, it's a challenge to get one,
but sheer delight when we do.
- An award-winning writer and photographer and a
long-time contributor to Wyoming Wildlife, Lisa Ballard
has hunted upland birds most of her adult life. www.
LisaBallardOutdoors.com
30 | December 2023
Hungarian partridges are not big, but provide a nice challenge for hunters. (Photo by Jack Ballard)

http://www.LisaBallardOutdoors.com

December 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of December 2023

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