Opening Weekend

[Richard Flanders]

I have discovered that there are ruffed grouse around the mine I'm working at! There's lots of spruce grouse but I'm sure that no one, the RGS or fish and game knows that they're here.... they do now that I've sent pics to F&G and to Trigg to forward to RGS. If they're here they have to be in a LOT of country between here and Anchorage and Fairbanks.

There was one little fellah struttin his stuff around this female that had so few feathers that he looked like someone had tossed him into a plucking machine for a few seconds then let him loose. Didn't stop him from displaying what he had and getting into the game. Pretty funny to watch.

Here's Jr. struttin his stuff... He likely can barely even fly he has so few feathers!

[Roundsworth]

Spruce grouse are uncommon here. I have taken 3 in the past 30 years! All 3 just sat while I waited to see if they would move so I could identify them. They looked like odd shaped tree stumps! Most people here discard them once they realize what they have shot. I actually like the unique taste of them.