28 GKOTJSE AND WILD TURKEYS OF UNITED STATES. 



The ruffed grouse affords grand sport; indeed, with not a few 

 sportsmen it holds higher place even than bobwhite. In flight it is 

 one of the swiftest of upland game birds, and considerable skill, a 

 quick eye, and a steady hand are needed to shoot it on the wing. 

 Most shots must be made in cover, and the bird's habit of putting 

 a tree between itself and the sportsman as it flies away adds to 

 the difficulty. As a rule it does not lie nearly so close to a dog as bob- 

 white, but before a well-trained, cautious animal it lies fairly well. 

 When brought to bag the grouse is a noble prize. From six to nine 

 birds may be called a good day's bag, worth more than several times 

 as many bobwhites. The excellence of this grouse as a table delicacy 

 causes the market supply generally to fall far short of the demand, 

 and the price is always high. If the bii;d could be successfully bred 

 in captivity, it would furnish a most valuable food. 



PRESERVATION AND PROPAGATION. 



The ruffed grouse has a number of potent enemies. Most dan- 

 gerous of all is probably that destructive biped, man. Writing from 

 Minnesota, Dr. P. L. Hatch says : <» 



Nowhere was the ruffed grouse more abundant than in all the deciduous 

 forests of this State, until mercilessly slaughtered by the pot hunters. * * * 

 But their glorious day is passing away as fast as about 300 dogs and 700 double- 

 barreled breech-loading shotguns can accomplish their annihilation. 



Many market hunters of the grouse use a little cur dbg trained to 

 tree the game and to bark until the gunner approaches within range. 

 Of the numerous natural enemies, hawks, owls, crows, skunks, minks, 

 wild cats, and foxes are very destructive, and in certain localities a 

 species of tick often infests the birds. Among the birds of prey, the 

 Cooper hawk, goshawk, red-shouldered hawk, barred owl, and great 

 horned owl are their worst enemies. At Marshall Hall, Md., the 

 writer found a crow plundering the nest of a grouse. Almost every- 

 body who is personally familiar with the habits of the fox has found 

 it feeding on game birds. At Chocorua the writer came upon the den 

 of a red fox about which were strewn tail feathers of the ruffed 

 grouse. Owners of shooting preserves will do well to destroy sys- 

 tematically all vermin injurious to game. The bird should have 

 better protection also from man. Massachusetts still permits land- 

 owners to snare grouse on their own lands during October and Novem- 

 ber. Such destructive and unsportsmanlike practices should be pre- 

 vented everywhere by well-enforced laws. The abominable practice 

 by summer campers of potting grouse when they have young should 

 also be punished by a strict enforcement of the law. In sections 



«■ Birds of Minnesota, p. 160, 1892. ~ 



