doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com weird grouse behavior we are now seeing

We live in the woods in Northeast MN, so there are always grouse around. What is funny is how they have been action for the past 2 weeks. It started with them following the 4 wheeler while we were getting sap (we have over 170 maple trees tapped right now). The grouse would run right up to the 4 wheeler and come to within about 6-6 feet of us. They would then follow the 4 wheeler for hundreds of yeards.

We decided that when we were off the wheeler getting sap out of the buckets, the grouse would mistake the "putting" of the idling engine for a grouse drumming. But now they have started following us when we are on foot just walking in the woods, so there goes that theory.

Has anyone else seen this? It is not uncommon to see grouse, but very weird for them to come look for us and then follow us through the woods. I am hoping this is a good sign that there will be a bumper crop this year.

Marc:

Mayhaps they like maple syrup too. Man, I hope you are boiling it down over a wood fire. There is nothing better than real live wood fired maple syrup! I think it is the ashes and pieces of tree bark and such in the vat that makes the difference. Good Stuff!

I have read of single grouse bonding to a person, but never heard of anything like multiple grouse bonding to multiple persons, or to internal combustion engines. I have been in the wilderness where the grouse were unafraid of people and you could walk right up to them, but NE MN is not that remote.

Then again, grouse do some pretty weird things... I suspect they are not the sharpest crayons in the animal kingdom.

Suddenly I am having visions of sitting down to breakfast on a mid October morning at a table laden with pancakes and real maple syrup and scrambled eggs and fried grouse breasts...

Glenn

I bet they were a brood that hatched out next to your 4 wheeler shed and imprinted on it last spring. They just think Big Momma's finally back...:)
Brent

They sure are interesting birds arent they? I had one this year fly over to the tree I was sitting at while deer hunting. Then two of his buddies flew in to sit up on the limb with him. I have seen about 3 or 4 so far that have flown across the road in front of me, and just as many that have been hit on the side of the road. Hopefully the weather is good this spring, giving the young grouse a better chance of survival. I know that this year the numbers were up in Northeast Michigan. Anyone have a cycle recorded? Maybe we are reaching a high point?

I dunno, Marc, might wanna check the expiration date on your socks .. or something. It could also be a simple case of them just being bird brained. ;-) ;-)

Seriously, do you think it may be insects moving that they associate with someone or some thing moving through the woods? I have had and have Mockingbirds that will come to the lawn mower for just that reason. Sometimes they will watch from a branch and other times they simply sit on the mown lawn sometimes sorta hopping along behind or taking small flights and watching the mower to see what moves. All I have to do to get their attention is to start the mower. There are nesting sites on the place and I get both mature and young birds that will do this. I don't know, but you could almost say that it is passed from generation to generation as its been going on for over thirty years. Just a thot.

The only weird grouse behavior I've seen is that some of them flew directly into my shot patterns last season. Any ideas?

Sam

It's not all that unusual to have ruffed grouse in the spring behave as you have observed. What is unusual is to have multiple birds in the same area doing it.

Chuck

I've had them follow me for a 1/2 mile or so portaging a canoe between lakes. They follow a few feet behind and seem curious as to what you are doing. They do seem to know when hunting season is over.

When I was in school I visited the library often to study , but many times to read and xerox pages from a book entitled THE RUFF GROUSE, Life History,Propagation,Management. It displayed several pictures of grouse following tractors, standing on a log pile watching a chainsaw in use and various other attractions to engine noise. It was a wonderful distraction from my studies and alway available to pacify my hunting urge while in school an unable to hunt.

Personnally I had the experience of hunting hard one morning without a single flush, only to return to my pickup, unload my gun, open the end gate,case the gun and close the gate then have a grouse walk out of the laurel and stand 4 feet away as though to say hello.

Grouse and woodcock are by far my all around favorite birds.

During April the day length triggers a hormonal response in all birds, including grouse. The males get highly terriorial and aggressive, and are probably attracted by the motion of the 4-wheeler, and possible the low frequency motor noise as well (similar to low frequency drumming makes?).

Out West here, blue grouse can become very aggressive, slapping at boots which they might mistake for something about the same size and shape as a grouse, particularly if you also "hoot" by blowing in the top of a pop bottle, which is similar to their call. Expect both species to fight with their reflection in a window if they come across that as well.

Spring has sprung!

Ben