LATE IS GREAT TO BAG BIRDS.

Byline: Jim Niemiec Special to the Daily News

Scatter gunners have several options when it comes to planning late season bird hunts in Southern California.

Upland game bird shooters can hunt quail and chukar through Jan. 26, duck season continues through Jan. 30, goose season runs to Feb. 6 in the Imperial Valley and the DFG youth hunting days are Feb. 5 and 6 in all areas of the southern flyway.

It has been an exceptional year for chukar hunting in the High Desert regions of the Mojave and up the White Mountains east of Big Pine. Coveys of native chukar are just starting to disperse, but there are covey sizes numbering to 75 birds within some of the higher ranges of mountains southwest of Barstow. A hunt in late December with outfitter Harold Horner of High Desert Guide Service based in Victorville, produced good gunning for a group of seven who endured a full day on a rugged mountain with six-bird limit opportunities for most shooters.

Chukar do not have to move too far for water or food as the early rains really greened up the desert. Chukar will begin to break up in preparation for pairing up for the spring hatch, which should be a good one and provide a lot of new chicks on the ground for next season. Nesting conditions should be prime to bring back chukar hunting for the 2005 season just as it was in the days during the last El Nino.

Valley quail have been a little more difficult to hunt this winter because cover is high and birds have moved into high chaparral and thorn-covered thicket. Hunters with dogs are doing OK on hunts around Jawbone Canyon, east of State Hwy 14, and up into the Tehachapi Mountains, while hunters going after mountain quail are finding some nice birds along the snow line at higher elevations.

Northern flights of ducks are being pushed down by cold weather and strong winds and hunting has improved substantially at refuges and clubs during the past few weeks. Mature sprig, widgeon, gadwall, shovelers, greenwing teal and fat orange-footed mallards are making up the bulk of the ducks harvested, along with a pretty high bird count on redheads and other diving ducks.

Prado basin has been a consistent producer for puddle ducks. And the Kern National Wildlife Refuge, located on the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley, has been the place to enjoy near-limit shooting.

Duck hunting season ends Jan. 30 for the Southern California flyway and good shooting is expected until closing day now that the Pacific Northwest is freezing nightly and ducks are looking for warmer spots with available feed to rest up during their migration.

Raahauge's Duck Club and the Splatter S Duck Club, located in Prado Basin, offer limited public hunting for unattached hunters.