Grouse Hunting Guides and Outfitters – Trips and Guided Hunts

The grouse is a type of wild upland game bird that is related to the domestic fowls and normally lives in the Northern Hemisphere. In the United States and Canada there are a number of different species, chief of which is the ruffed grouse, partridge, Greater Prairie Chicken, or pheasant, as it is called according to locality. These are some of the most popular upland game birds for hunting outfitters and guides to offer guided hunts on. In the South, the ruffed grouse is often called a pheasant. New Englanders call it a partridge. The Canada spruce grouse is called the swamp or spruce partridge. In other places, partridges and pheasants are often called grouse. Several types of grouse are called quail.

General Appearance: A grouse has dull feathers, and grows about the size of a large chicken. Like a waterfowl, it has four toes, with the hind one raised above the ground. Feathers hide its nostrils. These upland game birds usually live in fields, meadows, and grassy places. Feathers cover the legs of most species to keep them from freezing. This upland game bird is of a brownish color, with a light-spotted breast, and trim, plum form. On the neck of the male are two large patches of black feathers, which open out, fanlike, at times. These camouflage colors help make the job of a grouse hunting guide or outfitter harder. They are expected to show the hunter the best places for guided hunts and this game bird is very skillful at hiding.

Habits: Grouse usually live on the ground, and they always nest there. During the summer they live in families and confine themselves to forests and partially barren regions, where they feed on berries, buds, leaves and insects, which they often uncover by scratching. In autumn, they may visit grain fields for the seeds, and in winter they live on catkins, leaves, and buds. Their food habits usually do not harm growing things.

In Europe and North America, grouse gradually increase and then grow scarce over 9 to 11 year periods. They are good game birds, because they show intelligence in escaping from hunting guides and outfitters. When hunted, it is their habit to lie hidden until their enemy is almost on them and then fly off rapidly with a great whirring of wings. For this reason it is a good sport to go after on a guided hunting trip.

During mating, the male grouse become fierce in the breeding season, after courting the hens with dancing, drumming, and performing various antics before the hen. They fight viciously, victor mating with the whole flock of hens; as soon as the females begin to sit, the male leaves them alone to take the entire care of their offspring. The hens usually lay 10 to 15 eggs of buff color with brown dots. The young are very sprightly and leave the nest almost as soon as they are hatched. When danger threatens, the mother gives a sharp call that warns the chicks, and on the least alarm they hide themselves skillfully. A flock of grouse is called a covey.

Some grouse, including the Canada spruce grouse, are called fool hens by hunters. These upland game birds are very curious. It is not unheard of for them to become so interested that they stand around watching the hunters and be shot very easily.

The ruffed grouse are considered among the finest American game birds. Most of the states limit to a few months the period during which they may be hunted. The prairie chicken, another grouse, once was exceedingly common throughout the Central States, but it has been cut in numbers dramatically. The sound the prairie chicken makes is a loud, hollow booming that is almost as peculiar as are a number of different species of the grouse in Europe, where they are favorites with sportsmen on hunting trips offered by guides and outfitters.

Scientific Classification: Grouse belong to the family Tetraonidae. The ruffed grouse is genus Bonasa, species B. umbellus.

Tips for Grouse Hunting