[ODFW-News] **CORRECTION** Reduced opportunities for chukar in Lower Klamath Hills

[ODFW News]

For Immediate Release Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2005

Reduced opportunities for chukar in Lower Klamath Hills

***CORRECTION******CORRECTION******CORRECTION***

KLAMATH FALLS - Oregon wildlife officials today alerted upland game bird
hunters that the Lower Klamath Hills hunt area will be a fine
destination for quail this year, but chukar hunting will be more
challenging than usual. 

A recent wildfire has burned about half of the unit, from the access
point parking lot along Lower Lake Road to the top of the hill. In
addition to the burned habitat, the bird supplier was unable to raise
the usual number of chukars for release. Birds will not be released this
year as they have been in the past. There has been some wild chukar
production recorded.

"With too few birds available for release, there was a good chance many
of them would move off the public land and not be available to hunters,"
said Philip Milburn, Assistant District Wildlife Biologist for ODFW in
the Klamath District. "Opportunities to hunt are there, but hunters will
need to walk further to reach suitable habitat and find birds." 

However, quail populations are doing well and offer great opportunities
to harvest birds. Valley (California) quail also can be found in good
numbers on the lower slopes of Stukle and Bryant Mountains. Valley and
Mountain quail can be found in the Klamath River Canyon. 

The Lower Klamath Hills Regulated Hunt Area consists of 1,400 acres
located just south of Klamath Falls. The hunt is a cooperative effort
between the Oregon Hunters Association, Unlimited Pheasants, ODFW and
the Bureau of Land Management.

The chukar season runs through Jan. 31, 2006. Within the Lower Klamath
Hills Regulated Hunt Area, the daily bag limit is two chukars, with a
possession limit of four. Valley quail season continues through Jan. 31,
2006, with a daily bag limit of ten and a possession limit of 20 birds.
Mountain quail season runs through Dec. 31, 2005 in Klamath County, with
a daily bag limit of two and a possession limit of two. 

Mountain quail season is open in seven eastern Oregon counties including
Klamath, Umatilla, Morrow, Wheeler, Gilliam and Wallowa. 

For more information about this hunt, please contact the ODFW Klamath
District Office at (541) 883-5732.

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