[I'm with Brandy]

Had a good day grouse hunting today. Two hunters two dogs and over 15 flushes. Take a look at these three grouse. All have different color phase. The one on the left has reddish neck feathers. I wish the one on the left was in better shape I would have it mounted. Not sure if the tail feathers where shot out or if the dog pulled them out while chasing down the bird.

 

[Firemedic]

Thats a sweet pic!

 

[Merimac]

What do the phases mean? I watched a really bright red grouse fly in front of me recently and did not figure out the shot for one reason or another. The grouse that I did manage to land this year were very varied like the birds you showed.

Thanks in advance.

BBMc

 

[midwestfisherman]

Good stuff!

 

[Unregistered4]

Nice looking birds. Congrats.

Brian. (aka - twosetters)

 

[hehibrits]

Nice work!! Those must be some tough grouse if the dog has to chase them down!!!

 

[Shotgun Kennel]

Very nice shot. Were any of the birds taken in the same covert? I wonder if birds from the same clutch can be different color phases. I'd be happy to do taste test research to see if any taste different, if that may help?

As always, willing to help,

Your friend

 

[Paco]

I wish the one on the left was in better shape I would have it mounted. Not sure if the tail feathers where shot out or if the dog pulled them out while chasing down the bird.

[/quote]
My bet is it was the chase,nice pics as always.Sounds like you and the whirlwind are having a good season...............Paco

 

[I'm with Brandy]

Has anyone else ever seen a bird with the coloring like the one on the left? I kept what was left of the tail feathers I may go back to where Brandy got the bird and see if I can gather up the rest of the feathers. It was only 70 yards from where the car was parked.

They could be from the same family group. The birds were flushing 4 or 5 at a time. We had three groups like that and then some smaller groups. All the flushes we had were in Autumn Olive. That's all I am going to tell you about location.

Paco,
I do think that Brandy pulled those feathers out she was on the bird and it tried to fly. Nice thing about having a dog keeps you from loosing an injured bird. We weren't even sure where the bird had glided to, we couldn't see over the cover that far I just sent her in on a dead bird hunt and with in a few minutes she got birdie and started chasing something. She dove under an 8" log and we heard the bird squawk at her. Brandy had to push her self under the log with her back legs. She came out the other side and went head first into the top of tangled tree limbs and came out with the bird.

They were tough birds they were all good size the on left was the smallest. The one on the right has a huge fan which is drying, and the middle one I am going to see if I can get it mounted.

Brandy was going nuts with that many birds flushing at once and you could imagine how excited she got with all that concentrated bird scent on the ground.

That's going to be it for grouse until after dear season

Anyway, time to make another batch of Spicy Grouse Corn Chowder

 

[Tail Feather]

Do you mind sharing the spicy grouse corn chowder recipe?

 

[FieldWalker]

nice work and congrats- what state where you in? We all know there are no grouse in Mich

 

[I'm with Brandy]

Do you mind sharing the spicy grouse corn chowder recipe?

Spicy Grouse Corn Chowder​

​

2 grouse breast, cooked and diced (we dice the grouse first to check for bbs then cook it)
1 lb russet potatoes, cooked and diced
2 cups corn kernels (canned or frozen)
1/8 cup onions, diced
1/8 cup red bell peppers, diced
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons hot sauce ( I use Frank’s Redhot)
1/8 cup fresh parsley

• Bring chicken stock to a boil.
• Add milk, cream, Grouse, potatoes, red peppers, onions, corn and sugar.
• Simmer for 40 minutes.
• Add parsley and hot sauce, simmer for 5 minutes.

I can’t take credit for this recipe. It is a Chicken Corn Chowder recipe from a Disney chef with the substitution of Grouse.

 

[Steelheadfred]

Doug,

I have never shot a bird with a red neck ruff like that. But I have seen a fair amount of pictures of them. Last year on the cover of an RGS magazine was a beautiful drumming grouse with the chestnut colored ruff around the collar.

It is my understanding that a brood of grouse could include all different colors of birds.

This time of the year, birds are grouped up not so much in family groups but rather in the best available cover, food, ect...

 

[I'm with Brandy]

Doug,

I have never shot a bird with a red neck ruff like that. But I have seen a fair amount of pictures of them. Last year on the cover of an RGS magazine was a beautiful drumming grouse with the chestnut colored ruff around the collar.

It is my understanding that a brood of grouse could include all different colors of birds.

This time of the year, birds are grouped up not so much in family groups but rather in the best available cover, food, ect...

Thanks Fritz, I will be back in that area after deer season. Maybe I will get a chance at another one that color. It would make a nice mount.

 

[omega58]

Nice lookin' birds. . .I've shot one red phase with a ruff that was close to matching. My best red phase was a dark ruff.

 

[2ESRGR8]

I don't think I'd call any of those birds pictured a red phase, I'm sure the color is more brilliant in person. Semantics though, I would call the one an intermediate. The ruff color is unique, nice shooting.

My hunting partner shot this bird last week, a red phase tailfan with a chocolate tailband, I've only seen this combo once before.

 

[omega58]

Red/Choc. . . .I hate posting this pic, since I have no idea what happened to that fan?:rant:

 

[Dave Medema]

The bird on the left is an intermediate phase bird that happens to have a chocolate band and ruff. It's about a 1 in a 100 bird for our area. I shot a large female last week with the same coloration. Red phase refers to the overall color of the bird phasing from red to grey and several (5 I think) definitive coloration schemes. This is a sampling of various birds I shot in Michigan a few years ago.

 

[I'm with Brandy]

Dave I like that photo. I did not realize there could be that many color combos. I don't ever remember getting anything other than gray.

Omega58,
It's too bad you lost that tail that is nice.

I actually was back in the area where we got those birds, doing some work and running errands and I thought I would see if I could find the rest of the tail. Brandy remembered where she caught the bird. The feathers were wet, matted and covered in slugs. It's amazing what a steam bath can do for them. I think I got them back in the right order.

 

[Rugergundog]

I have shot the red looking birds; they were in a cedar swamp covert. Same area i shot dark brown ones in pines and ferns....unno if its the food or cover or a genetic thing though. Some darn near tan ones out there too.