Ruffed Grouse Mounted
by Reimond Grignon
The Ruffed Grouse is considered the "King of the Upland Game Birds." These beautiful birds are very wary and almost impossible for the average hunter to hit, once they are airborne. It is considered a disgrace to shoot one that is standing on the ground! Yet that is the way most are taken.
Maine is one of the states with a large Ruffed Grouse population.
In the spring and fall of the year, the male grouse "drums" on a log to attract a mate. The booming noise he makes can be heard from over a half a mile away. It is quite loud. He makes the noise by cupping his wings and forcing air downward and onto the log. The noise is NOT made by his wings hitting the log. Long before man ever created a sonic boom with a jet, this little bird has been doing just that for centuries!
Grouse usually have a "favorite" drumming log and will return to the same one over and over again. Many times at approximately the same time each day. Some enterprising photographers have used this to their advantage to get a picture of a drumming grouse, but these birds are so wary it is still almost impossible. Considered the king of upland game birds, the Ruffed Grouse is still one of the most difficult birds to bag and many, many hunters have never taken one.
Flying grouse on a moose antler is a customer favorite!
It's tough to find that moose antler though!
