Grouse

[BCBabe]

Up in my neck of the woods, this bird is rather common.... and stupid. You can literally walk up to one and wring it's neck: no weaponry required.

There isn't a lot of meat on a grouse, only the on the breast, really, but it's good eating.

The only bird dumber might be a ptarmigan.... or a turkey (domestic).

 

[MosseyOakGirl]

LOL BCBabe, that's why they call them fool hens And let me tell ya they say can't stalk a turkey you absolutely can! (the wild ones aren't that smart either.)

 

[BTBoop]

Thanks for sharing this interesting and funny information with us. I wouldn't know a Grouse if it flew up and introduced itself to me. My girls would swear that spelled gross.

 

[BCBabe]

LOL BCBabe, that's why they call them fool hens And let me tell ya they say can't stalk a turkey you absolutely can! (the wild ones aren't that smart either.)

Considering how truly STUPID a turkey can be, it's amazing they've managed to survive as a species: one good rainstorm will result in between 6 and 8 out of 10 dying... the stupid things DROWN.

 

[guns4570]

Pheasant ain't the easiest to hunt but they aren't the brighest bird in the world. In the mid west and I suppose other parts of the country were there heavy snows in the winter farmers fine Pheasant dead in the fields that have suffocated. The Pheasant will turn into the wind and face the snow. The snow will build up and pack there nostrils and they suffocate. Some Grouse are realy dumb. The big blue Grouse are the ones I have had trouble hunting. they are as big as a Pheasant and just about as smart once they figure out you are hunting them.

 

[Grandpa]

If you are hunting blue grouse and come upon a covey in a tree, start shooting them from the bottom of the tree up. They just sit and watch as long as the "action" is below them.

 

[wvbreamfisherman]

Ruffed grouse have gottne pretty scarce here in WV since the forests have gotten close to climax (grouse do best in cut over forest with lots of brush and saplings), but they are hunted hard enough that they are mostly pretty spooky.

Around here, they either flush wild, or wait til you're right on top of them and flush right under your feet (scares Hell out of me every time).

They really don't deserve to be called Fool Hen around here.

 

[Tubby]

Mmmmmm, grouse *drool*. Fried grouse, biscuits, gravy and mashed potatoes is one of my favorite meals. Unfortunately, as wvbream says, they have been hunted almost to extinction here. I would love to find a large covey these days, but what is out there need to be left alone to reproduce.