[Richard Flanders]

Today was a gorgeous spring day here in Interior Alaska and I just had to go out to my favorite ptarmigan hole for some snowshoe hunting with my 28ga Repro. What a lot of work. The birds cooperated though.

I've added a picture of ptarmigan claws to show how long they are compared to other 'grouse'. Must be they use them to claw through snow and such for food, though I've never seen them eat anything but leaves and buds. You can see the feathers that make up their 'winter shoes' for walking on snow also.