I've had two up close and personal experiences with Grouse.. Both in the area I hunt in northern PA. I have had a Grouse fly at me while I was motoring on my ATV and I've also had What I assume was the same bird (because it was the same location 4 months later) follow me pied piper style while walking in the spring.
I was also once able to pick up a grouse and introduce it to my first Gordon Setter "Eli". The Grouse was in the road and refused to yield it's space to me in my truck. I stopped and walked to the bird, picked it up and put it inside the breast of my coat. I then introduced it to Eli when he was about 8 mos old. I then placed the Grouse on the steep bank next to the road, where it proceeded to attempt to walk up the bank. It stumbled 2 times as if drunk - I believe it was as there was a bumper crop of fox grapes and I could smell their pungent aroma. I believe the grouse had had a good dose of the fermenting grapes? Don't know for sure. I suppose the bird could have been dazed from being hit but there were no feathers amiss? It's a couple of situations I'll never forget. Kind of like feeding Chickadees from my hand.
Last edited by Harry Sanders; 02/23/09 10:37 PM.
