Ruby Mountains Himalayan Snowcock Nevada

The ragged realities of himalayan snowcock story and photographs by garhart stephenson.

Ruby mountains himalayan snowcock nevada.

Introduced to the ruby mountains in nevada. Native to the himalayan region of southern asia this huge grouse was introduced as a game bird in the ruby mountains of northern nevada beginning in 1963. Ruby mountains ely nevada 2007 duration. кавказский улар или.

There aren t many birds that can stand up to the rough conditions that high alpine meadows and mountain slopes offer but the himalayan snowcock tetraogallus himalayensis is a champion among them these tenacious birds were introduced to the mountains of northeast nevada in 1963 from their native range in the himalayan mountains the cornell. Other himalayan snowcock pages photos this page is about the elusive ruby mountain himalayan snowcock tetraogallus himalayensis this page contains field notes that i have made through the years audio from actual ruby mountain snowcock and a list of sightings from fellow bird watchers and hikers through the years. Hunting himalayan snowcock is considered the holy grail of upland bird hunting. The himalayan snowcock are native to pakistan and kashmir.

Today we look for himalayan snowcock requiring a 3 00 am start for the 45 minute drive to lamoille canyon in the heart of the ruby mountains. Small flocks of snowcocks often move uphill during the day feeding as they go on roots tubers and seeds and then. Follow this journey above 10 000 feet in the ruby mountains of nevada as a gr. Residing above 10 000 feet in the ruby mountains of nevada these birds seek comfort in the roughest and steepest snow covered peaks.

Snowcock hunting began in 1980 with hunters being allowed only one bird in a 30 day hunting season. By 1987 only 32 birds 4 birds a year were reported as being harvested. T hirty years ago i learned of the himalayan snowcock a large member of the pheasant family that inhabits the highest most forbidding terrain of nevada s ruby mountains. 9 of 14 himalayan snowcock in the ruby mountains.

Muligus recommended for you. The mysterious mountain bird from the himalayas. Himalayan snowcock live in high alpine meadows and cliffs generally between the elevations of 9 000 to 11 000 feet but they are also found in their native ranges as high as. Native pakistan and kashmir.

To a teen hunting them seemed like a distant dream. Going into this fall the upland trip that had me the most worried was heading into the ruby mountains of nevada in search of the extremely elusive himalayan snowcock. Day 3 ruby mountains. Then one year between college semesters i spent six weeks in elko nevada.

There it lives on steep and barren slopes above treeline in remote areas that birders may visit only with a major effort. We ll eat breakfast snacks at the trailhead and along the way.