Upland game birds , a Thanksgiving tradition
GROUSE HUNTING TIPS
JORDAN DUROCHER
COLOURFUL fall leaves , frosty mornings , the sights , sounds and smells of fall . It ’ s the heart of hunting season , an opportunity to leave day-to-day life behind and interact with Mother Nature .
Hunters spend Thanksgiving with the camaraderie of likeminded people in pursuit of the majestic moose or calling in migrating geeseto a freshly cut corn field . Though I ’ m not a moose hunter and don ’ t hunt much for geese , I have my own satisfying traditions .
My Thanksgiving is spent in pursuit of ruffed grouse , also called partridge or bush chicken in my neck of the woods . This kind of upland game hunting has shaped my life and nurtured my interest in chasing other game too .
There ’ s lots of rain in the fall , but it shouldn ’ t hinder your enjoyment afield , though I do welcome a cold sunny morning with the ground white with frost , a good time to take to old logging or bush roads . Birds sun themselves to keep warm in such areas and like to pick gravel for digestion . Thickets can be equally rewarding , somewhere to shoulder a shotgun for a blast of number 6 pellets at an eruption of feathers that ignites the adrenaline .
As I hunt the Thanksgiving weekend , I scout for future hunts . I note grouse seen , asking myself why that bird was there ? Grouse choose areas for food and cover from predators such as fisher , fox , hawks and owls .
If the weather closes in , a storm can benefit grouse hunters . These birds seem to have a builtin barometer and will roost to wait out a storm ,
before searching for food – a good time to hunt . A long storm means birds may get hung up on the roost . Hunting after a storm works too , when they ’ re out to re-fuel .
A flushed bird gets you flustered ? Watch where it lands , then carefully and quietly approach the area . Crouch to scan the forest floor for a grouse silhouette . Most often the bird will stay motionless , and a spooked grouse normally won ’ t allow you to get close the second time around .
Also , listen for the grouse ’ s peeping sound , whether it ’ s on the ground or in a tree . That sound means the bird is going to flush and fly , and a wing shot is the most likely kind of opportunity .
Pushing too hard may result in a flush without a chance to pullthe trigger , especially if leaves are still on the trees , blocking a clear shot .
After I harvest a bird , I routinely examine its crop , that thin membrane on top of the breast for storing food until digestion . It demonstrates the grouse ’ s menu , and knowing what they eat is another clue for a successful hunt .
The lean , plump breast meat of a grouse tastes like chicken and can be cooked many ways , my favourite being pan-fried . It makes a hunter thankful for and harvest and spurs anyone on to push to the limits .
Jordan ’ s Durocher ’ s family hunt camp in West Quebec .
www . fishhuntandride . ca FISH , HUNT RIDE | 05