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Who has hunted the chachalaca?
#8975234
12/19/23 04:31 PM
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Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 1,850
Nolanco
OP
Pro Tracker
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OP
Pro Tracker
Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 1,850 |
Be fun to try it once just for the novelty of it. It seems these goofy birds make decent table fare.
https://honest-food.net/hunting-chachalaca/#:~:text=And%20I%20here%20to%20say,a%20ruffed%20grouse%20is%20not.
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Re: Who has hunted the chachalaca?
[Re: Nolanco]
#8975336
12/19/23 08:40 PM
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Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 183
ScrapIron
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 183 |
ive wanted to for years. ive asked every fishing guide and rancher i know in the valley about hunting them, and everyone has given me the exact same response
"no problem! My (mom, aunt, granny, etc etc) has them at her bird feeder every day! just bring some beer and a lawn chair and your pellet gun"
that being said ive never done it, but i might!! id like a pair or 3 mounted
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Re: Who has hunted the chachalaca?
[Re: Nolanco]
#8975404
12/19/23 11:20 PM
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Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 1,850
Nolanco
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OP
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Oh, man, I have both a lawn chair and a good pellet gun, and like Geedubya in the knife forums, "I like beer." ![roflmao roflmao](/forum/images/graemlins/default/roflmao.gif)
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Re: Who has hunted the chachalaca?
[Re: Nolanco]
#8975541
12/20/23 03:53 AM
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,887
texasdude28
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,887 |
I hunted them years ago when I lived in the valley. Not tough to hunt if you are in their preferred area. I shot several on small acreages in north McAllen. Yes, they are tasty.
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Re: Who has hunted the chachalaca?
[Re: Nolanco]
#8975767
12/20/23 04:48 PM
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 124
dbgsig
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 124 |
I watched some youtube videos about hunting them. They made it sound like they were hard to find. Except in town. Maybe a bucket list hunt.
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Re: Who has hunted the chachalaca?
[Re: dbgsig]
#8976002
12/21/23 01:36 AM
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Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 486
Mundo
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 486 |
Slow fliers, good to eat but away from town they mostly are found in dense brush and difficult to recover. If your idea of a fun hunt is an easy shot followed by a long crawl through dense thorny brush too recover your bird, this is the one for you. Most of the chachalacas that make it to the table are bagged with a pellet gun after raiding someone’s garden.
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Re: Who has hunted the chachalaca?
[Re: Nolanco]
#8976118
12/21/23 01:29 PM
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Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 10
chuck richey
Light Foot
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Light Foot
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 10 |
We have many on our lease near Edinburg. Have heard they are good to eat but have not figured out how to hunt them yet. Like Mundo said most are on the edge of thick brush and would be difficult to retrieve.
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Re: Who has hunted the chachalaca?
[Re: Nolanco]
#8978319
12/26/23 03:13 AM
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 19,395
TEXASLEFTY
THF Whiskey Sommelier
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THF Whiskey Sommelier
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 19,395 |
Bucket list hunt for me, unfortunately I’ve never had the opportunity
Never been to a camping world. I prefer Dick's to be honest.
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Re: Who has hunted the chachalaca?
[Re: MClark]
#8983278
01/07/24 02:29 AM
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 6,385
scalebuster
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 6,385 |
When I was a kid I had a barn cat named Killer. We had thousands of sparrows in Odessa. Every day when Killer would hear me shake the BB’s in my gun she would instantly come to heel. I shot at least 30 sparrows a day off of the sucker rod horse pens. She would grab each one and stockpile them in her corner of the barn for her and the other cats to eat. She wouldn’t eat one and let her friends have at them until I was done sparrow killing. She could jump over 6’. The sparrows would get trapped in the chicken pens and I’d throw her in there. She would snatch them out of the air with amazing jumps. I don’t like cats but would love to have another Killer. I’ve never seen a chacalaca but would like to hunt one if my dogs would point them.
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Re: Who has hunted the chachalaca?
[Re: Nolanco]
#8983396
01/07/24 01:10 PM
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Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 1,850
Nolanco
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OP
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Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 1,850 |
MClark, I have been on Paco's forum for many, many years (as Bill in Oregon) and had missed that post completely! Thanks.
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Re: Who has hunted the chachalaca?
[Re: Nolanco]
#8983691
01/08/24 12:56 AM
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Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 183
ScrapIron
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 183 |
if anyone knows of a place to hunt them id be willing to pay.
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Re: Who has hunted the chachalaca?
[Re: scalebuster]
#8984057
01/08/24 07:17 PM
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Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 10,904
DQ Kid
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 10,904 |
When I was a kid I had a barn cat named Killer. We had thousands of sparrows in Odessa. Every day when Killer would hear me shake the BB’s in my gun she would instantly come to heel. I shot at least 30 sparrows a day off of the sucker rod horse pens. She would grab each one and stockpile them in her corner of the barn for her and the other cats to eat. She wouldn’t eat one and let her friends have at them until I was done sparrow killing. She could jump over 6’. The sparrows would get trapped in the chicken pens and I’d throw her in there. She would snatch them out of the air with amazing jumps. I don’t like cats but would love to have another Killer. I’ve never seen a chacalaca but would like to hunt one if my dogs would point them. Lived in Harlingen in mid to late 70s and had them in town; as said they will pick the thickest, thorniest stuff possible to nest, Perch in. Supposedly have a distinctive chirp or call to them. Only seen 1 or 2 back then, think a cross of pheasant and peacock and that pretty much paints the picture for you.
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Re: Who has hunted the chachalaca?
[Re: Nolanco]
#9019268
03/14/24 04:54 PM
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,591
Pointer
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,591 |
DQ Kid wrote"think a cross of pheasant and peacock and that pretty much paints the picture for you."
I'd say, more like a cross between a roadrunner and a chicken.
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Re: Who has hunted the chachalaca?
[Re: Nolanco]
#9034729
04/16/24 03:33 PM
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 839
MClark
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 839 |
Dead Meat season 5 episode 8 Texas Chachalacas
They are trying to hunt one to cook with little success. At a reserve area it was crawling with them.
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