group of ruffies

[SteveP]

The hen ruffie will keep her brood with her until spring. While bowhunting, I've seen them budding in the bigger aspens during the morning, then fly down to roost under, or in, a short evergreen. By evening, they fly out into the alders, and on the colder nights, will huddle together on a couple limbs. Good luck getting a picture of this though. I know I don't have the lense to get a close-up. when they are in the evergreens, usually a fir or jack, They are hard to see, until it's too late.

By the way, has anybody ever looked straight down into a hole in deep snow in ruffie country? That'l muddy your shorts the first time a bird explodes out of it just a couple feet from your face!

[EastonWest]

how do you ruffie hunters go about getting your birds.  i've been trying for 2 years to try and get one (turtle mountains, North Dakota) and have only seen the occassional one cross the highway in front of my pickup or hear them drumming.  i walked a whole bunch of trails winding through prime grouse habitat but didn't see one bird. what am i doing wrong?

[SteveP]

how do you ruffie hunters go about getting your birds.  i've been trying for 2 years to try and get one (turtle mountains, North Dakota) and have only seen the occassional one cross the highway in front of my pickup or hear them drumming.  i walked a whole bunch of trails winding through prime grouse habitat but didn't see one bird. what am i doing wrong?

Walking the trails? Those birds are usually shot up by the atv riders. I don't know about the Turtle Mountains population, but the MN birds are the highest since I've been hunting. You will find most birds in places that leave you no, or little, time to shoot at them. I look for transitional areas, like big woods to field edges, and alder, dogwood, and willow swamp edges. On frosty mornings, the sunny edges of small meadows seem to be good. I usually drive over an hour north or northeast, even though we have a few around here. The old timer, .22 rifle hunters kept an eye on all the trees as well as the ground. While they are usually flushed from the ground, they will sit in any type and size of tree. If they are high enough, they will sometimes just let you walk by. Good luck

[simpleyork]

well i've mounted two ruffs so far on one branch, heading up tomorrow to shoot me some more.
other thought while skinning out one today it looked so yummy that i kept the meat and cooked
it for dinner. can't wait to eat it 


i've been finding my ruffs on the tree line of meadows where the sun hits first!!!

[Jordanlybeck]

I'm heading out after the Ruffs and Blues this weekend. I always find the Ruffs along old logging roads,In the old growth timber,and in the Alder flats along creek beds. I hunt the Blues up in the berry patches,where timber meets meadows,Rocky hillsides and in some semi grown clear cuts. They also like the logging roads too.

[simpleyork]

nothing better than fresh ruff grouse with hot sauce!!!!man it tasted good!!!!!!!!!

[simpleyork]

heres some of the ruffs i've shot only one was mountable, most were missing heads or their whole breat was shot off etc....

[simpleyork]

opps forgot spell check . . . must be the key board.
the top right was the one i mounted today . . and ate