Friendly grouse

3 weeks ago I helped my son put up his portable tree stand for the bow hunt. This is in 89B. While we were doing this a ruff grouse was hanging around in very close proximity. Within 10 ft many times.
Couple of days ago when my son was taking the dark walk in the morning to the stand, 2 grouse followed him to the blind. Again very close. While he was in the stand one bird hopped up onto his ladder. Then flew up higher to perch on a branch within 5 ft of him. I know the northern birds can be somewhat oblivious to hunter presence at times but I have not seen that in this southern region.
I wonder if these grouse feel safe from coyotes, birds of prey etc when in the company of people.

Sounds to me these birds are very used to people, perhaps being fed by someone. Or there just numbskulls.

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Originally Posted by IceFanADDICT

Or there just numbskulls.

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They aren't exactly known for their brilliance :)

Probably born this spring and never seen people before and likely curious.

probably feeding them, like deer or other animals they would learn to tolerate human presence and make them easy prey for hunters

I know of two individuals who had "pet" grouse - and I saw one of them - the other had his picture with the grouse in a local newspaper. They didn't feed them - the grouse would just hang around with them and follow them around when they went out to the bush.

We had one last season during the rifle hunt that on 3 different days for 2 separate hunters would sit on a branch about 10 yards directly across from the treestand. It would sit there for hours at a time. Was very small too.

I also had one land on a branch right above my head for several minutes while in a different stand.

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Originally Posted by Hunter John

Probably born this spring and never seen people before and likely curious.

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that's pretty much my thinking. I have seen several young of the year this year and they have acted dumb, dumb, dumb.

older birds, even in the north where I am, do not generally act that dumb.

Enjoy the encounters when they occur. They are one thing that most non-hunters will ever experience or understand. It's part of the lure of hunting to many of us.

There is a grouse at my bush that has been following me for about the last 3 years. I think it was attracted by my 4 wheeler sitting idleing. Now it appears if I am in the area . I was checking my game cam this morning and it was right there with me. I have thrown grain or apples to it , doesn't seem to be interested. This is right where I sight in my rifles, even that doesn't bother it, when I go to check the target it will follow along. I would like to have a video of it , no camera , or Iphone. Just hope nobody shoots it, I don't plan to. old243

It's a far more common occurrence in the spring. Grouse will get territorial at times and come to check you out. I have a picture of my father sitting on a pile of logs with a grouse on his knee. All was well and good until he stuck his hand out. Then he got the beak lol.

I had one that I literally had to take a kick at in order to put up my ladder stand. As soon as the grouse would hear me walking in it would be right there beside my stand. I'm sure it's being fed by a human with a bird feeder nearby. Can they imprint early in their life like baby ducks or geese do? Just a thought?
Dan O.

The dumb one's still taste as good........

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Originally Posted by awbringl

The dumb one's still taste as good........

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That's what i was thinking

Are Northern grouse really stupid?
Or perhaps there are so few hunters up here that we get too see a lot of younger "stupid ones"

There are plenty of northern birds that fly hard and fast when they are far out of gun range.
Makes me think that southern grouse juveniles get shot quickly and with so many more hunters in southern Ontario, most people see only the wary season adults that are hard to approach.

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Originally Posted by johny

Are Northern grouse really stupid?
Or perhaps there are so few hunters up here that we get too see a lot of younger "stupid ones"

There are plenty of northern birds that fly hard and fast when they are far out of gun range.
Makes me think that southern grouse juveniles get shot quickly and with so many more hunters in southern Ontario, most people see only the wary season adults that are hard to approach.

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Spruce grouse are also called "fool hens" for a reason.

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Originally Posted by johny

Are Northern grouse really stupid?
Or perhaps there are so few hunters up here that we get too see a lot of younger "stupid ones"

There are plenty of northern birds that fly hard and fast when they are far out of gun range.
Makes me think that southern grouse juveniles get shot quickly and with so many more hunters in southern Ontario, most people see only the wary season adults that are hard to approach.

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They are hunted heavily up here as well. Could be less predators up here though.

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Originally Posted by 35wailin

Enjoy the encounters when they occur. They are one thing that most non-hunters will ever experience or understand. It's part of the lure of hunting to many of us.

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x2 definetaly part of the fun