Feathered Friend

[efishnc]

Ruffed Grouse have been scarce around these parts for years (due to poor forestry practices), but this year I spotted a momma bird with a batch of 6-8 chicks in early summer; the actual number was hard to tell as the little buggers were scooting through the weeds.  As fall was setting in, we had a bird drumming above our pond (which I'm sure was one of the young ones)... this bird eventually became a regular visitor, not just when I was in the woods, but with all outdoor activities.

[alwrenn]

Beautiful....thanks for sharing!

[WALLEYE WACKER]

Great to see that doesn’t happen very often and hope that they stick around and multiply in a bunch of birds for you.

[efishnc]

Great to see that doesn’t happen very often and hope that they stick around and multiply in a bunch of birds for you.

Me too...

And hopefully they won't act as naive when the bobcats and coyotes come prowling around.

[WALLEYE WACKER]

Hope they are able to Survive the weather and predators and give you many years of enjoyment so you have a huge covey in the end.

[ctom]

Grouse are cool birds to have hanging around. I see them while deer hunting occasionally and also see quite a few up in the cabin yard. They're friendly too if you're around them for any time, very trusting birds...or as efishnc has alluded to, naïve.

[basscatlildave]

That neat. Hopefully they will make a comeback.

[olsarge]

That is one brazen little dude.  Hope he is around for awhile.

[Shaunm81]

Nice I  got a Grouse over 20 years ago and had it mounted but they have pretty much vanished here in Ohio.   I hardly see any Pheasant  anymore either sadly.

[DF]

That's awesome efishnc. I have not seen a grouse in my area in years. Turkeys have made a big come back but grouse and pheasants are a rare sight.

[efishnc]

He followed me out of the woods after hunting and decided to hang out on the patio, almost like he wants me to invite him in for Thanksgiving...
maybe somebody told him that I give special birds their fill of croutons and warm them up in the oven   

[Lines]

Cool!

[WALLEYE WACKER]

They are such cool bird’s. When we were on a fly in a few years a go we had some that was around the cabin and we could hear them dumbing in the mornings. Sure hope that yours survive and you have many years of enjoyment with them.

[Les Young]

  That's cool.

[efishnc]

Since my teen years, I have read different accounts similar to mine (in sporting magazines or newspapers) where a grouse bonded with other humans, and I can always remember thinking: "How cool would that be?" 

Well, this little fella has spent hours together with me this fall doing chores and/or hunting, and he's getting ever more comfortable around me (and the wife).  Although he won't let me pet him or feed him (yet), when I go into the woods behind the barn he comes running to me like a puppy and stays by my side (about a foot away) until I go in the house.  I talk to him like a pet (telling him what I am doing out there) and he talks back to me (making cooing noises); obviously these are not Dr Doolittle type communications, but I think this limited communication is what has given him his ever increasing confidence around me.

Les commented with the single word "cool"... Tom and Mike also used "cool" within their posts... and let me say firsthand, this experience is undoubtedly VERY "cool".