Chukar populations down in Utah after two-year explosion

Hunters may have to hike a bit farther this year to find the hard-to-get chukar partridge.Chukar populations dropped sharply this year from 2016 — helicopter counts in Tooele and Box Elder counties showed declines from 64 to 73 percent — but state biologists say the lower numbers reflect a return to normal levels. Chukar populations tend to hold steady for eight year stretches and then explode for a year, according to a news release by the Division of Wildlife Resources.This yea