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Bucket List Scratch Off #9136407 11/10/24 04:28 PM
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I have always been the type that likes the unusual and uncommon. So when work to me to deep south TX in the Rio Grande Valley it didn't take me long to realize I have a gamebird here that is somewhat unique, the Brown Chachalaca. You can only hunt them in deep south TX and even there they are only legal to hunt in 3 counties, one of which I currently live in.

So as soon as I got here I began researching them and found I had several public hunting areas near me that it was legal to hunt them on. I called the game warden for the area and sort of picked his brain and he recommended I concentrate on one of the unit of the Los Palomas WMA. The season opened on Oct 26 and I went but had no luck. Then I went last weekend and had no luck on birds but did pop a couple of cottontails with a Rossi 410 single shot.
[Linked Image]

But today was a different story. About 30 min after first light I was making my way along an overgrown path and heard some in a couple of big mesquites. These things are really loud and the game warden had told me I would probably hear them before seeing them. He was correct and fortunately I knew from the 2 weeks before that the path I was on would take me next to the mesquites. As I slipped in I saw a chachalaca on a bare limb and it took flight but a load of #7 1/2s stopped that as it crossed the path. About 7 or 8 other birds also took off and I managed to get another shell in the 410 and dropped the last bird in some really thick brush. The first bird was easy to recover since it fell next to the path but I ended up crawling on my belly to get the second bird.

[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]

These things are pretty cool. The back is sort of an olive green with a tan and white breast. Tail feathers are about 10 inches long with most of the feathers having a white tip. I'd guess them to be about half again the size on a big pigeon. I plucked them and will try roasting one and will break the other one down to fry. They had an incredible amount of yellow fat in the cavity and the crops were full of a purple berry. Now I know what food source to concentrate on.

On my way out I came to a big chilipetin bush and picked about 50 chilis to dry for later use. For those that haven't seen them they are very small but incredibly hot and make a great addition to chili or other dishes.
[Linked Image]

So how cool was that morning? It isn't every day you get to scratch one off the bucket list!

Cheers Y'All


Retired Navy Chief
NJROTC Instructor for Los Fresnos High School
Re: Bucket List Scratch Off [Re: QMC SW/EXW] #9136421 11/10/24 05:01 PM
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Cool story and congrats on getting that list a little smaller.

Re: Bucket List Scratch Off [Re: QMC SW/EXW] #9136424 11/10/24 05:05 PM
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Great job, don't know but I'll bet they are real good to eat. up up


ElkOne
Re: Bucket List Scratch Off [Re: QMC SW/EXW] #9136428 11/10/24 05:07 PM
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Great story. Always wondered about those birds, seeing them in the regs, now I know.



Awake - Not Woke!
Re: Bucket List Scratch Off [Re: QMC SW/EXW] #9136430 11/10/24 05:15 PM
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Love the peppers and that’s a bucket list animal for me also!!!


Congrats!


Originally Posted by Chunky Monkey
Never been to a camping world. I prefer Dick's to be honest.
Re: Bucket List Scratch Off [Re: QMC SW/EXW] #9136502 11/10/24 07:50 PM
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Very cool. Interested in hearing how they eat.


To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target.

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Re: Bucket List Scratch Off [Re: QMC SW/EXW] #9136509 11/10/24 08:04 PM
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Bet they're a cross of quail and chicken as far as taste is concerned. Lived in Harlingen as a kid for 2 years, 76-77, saw and heard some in heavy brush near the canal. Believe Harlingen is in one of the legal hunting counties or previously was.

Re: Bucket List Scratch Off [Re: QMC SW/EXW] #9136533 11/10/24 09:07 PM
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This is a true hunting story, congratulations and thanks so much for sharing

Re: Bucket List Scratch Off [Re: QMC SW/EXW] #9136543 11/10/24 09:18 PM
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Great information.


Matt J. Letlow
Re: Bucket List Scratch Off [Re: QMC SW/EXW] #9136681 11/11/24 02:00 AM
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Cool birds

Re: Bucket List Scratch Off [Re: QMC SW/EXW] #9136683 11/11/24 02:06 AM
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Great story and very cool bird!

Re: Bucket List Scratch Off [Re: QMC SW/EXW] #9136694 11/11/24 02:24 AM
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Pretty cool congrats!


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Re: Bucket List Scratch Off [Re: QMC SW/EXW] #9136745 11/11/24 06:26 AM
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Congrate sir. I still have a few bucket list birds I’d like to scratch off the list…


Smokey Bear---Lone Star State.
Re: Bucket List Scratch Off [Re: QMC SW/EXW] #9136817 11/11/24 01:43 PM
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that is really cool. Well done on doing it the right way! I know a lot of taxidermist friends that would just sit out in people's back yards down there and wait for them to pop out to eat, then shoot them. Hunting them like a grouse sounds really cool and challenging.

Re: Bucket List Scratch Off [Re: Biscuit] #9136890 11/11/24 03:50 PM
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Originally Posted by Biscuit
This is a true hunting story, congratulations and thanks so much for sharing


Could not agree more. Thank you!

Re: Bucket List Scratch Off [Re: QMC SW/EXW] #9136975 11/11/24 05:45 PM
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in the early 80's I hunted a ranch in Mexico that had a population of those birds, of course we only had rifles so we never hunted them, but saw them on a regular basis,havent seen any since

Re: Bucket List Scratch Off [Re: QMC SW/EXW] #9137036 11/11/24 07:30 PM
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Those are some of the best pictures ive seen of those birds, thanks for posting. Those pictures look like they where taken in the yucatan.

We have some that live at our farm, i got excited when i first saw them on trail camera. We are about 2 hours north of macallen, so we cant hunt them. I would actually like to get one mounted on a table top display.

Are you going to go out again and try for more?

Re: Bucket List Scratch Off [Re: QMC SW/EXW] #9137286 11/12/24 01:54 AM
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Heck of a story! Thanks for sharing……and with the ole single shot too!

Re: Bucket List Scratch Off [Re: QMC SW/EXW] #9137323 11/12/24 02:48 AM
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congratulations on the list scratch off. salute

Re: Bucket List Scratch Off [Re: QMC SW/EXW] #9137473 11/12/24 02:37 PM
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Congratulations!! Thanks for sharing the story and the pictures.

Big Hutch

Re: Bucket List Scratch Off [Re: QMC SW/EXW] #9138390 11/13/24 08:21 PM
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Great adventure!!!! Living right Sir.


Bottom line, never trust a man whose uncle was eaten by cannibals.-Sen Joni Ernst
Re: Bucket List Scratch Off [Re: QMC SW/EXW] #9138564 11/14/24 12:43 AM
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Great stuff! Let us know how they taste!

Re: Bucket List Scratch Off [Re: QMC SW/EXW] #9138815 11/14/24 03:26 PM
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popcorn cheers Awesome

Got up this morning & kicked the bucket.


scratch it gets tougher & tougher.

flag



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Re: Bucket List Scratch Off [Re: QMC SW/EXW] #9138820 11/14/24 03:33 PM
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I had never contemplated a Chachalaca hunt...but now I have. Thanks for sharing!


http://www.boatloan.com/michael-hunt/

Originally Posted by Nolanco
current federal policy is clearly irrational, scientifically insupportable and ridiculous.
Re: Bucket List Scratch Off [Re: QMC SW/EXW] #9138841 11/14/24 04:01 PM
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That's a very cool story. Thanks for sharing. How will you prepare the rabbit?

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