SHOOTING THE WOODS GROUSE 385 
along the mountain side, make it seem much more a 
bird for sport than the larger sage grouse, which is 
found on the dry, hot, open prairie. 
In these days, when cities, towns, villages and farms 
are scattered all over the range of the dusky grouse, 
there must be a multitude of men who follow this bird 
with dog and gun, and shoot it much as people in the 
Eastern States and the Mississippi Valley shoot the 
ruffed grouse; yet, curiously enough, we hear very little 
of killing this bird in a sportsmanlike manner. 
Shooting the dusky grouse before the broods are 
full grown, and when they are more or less scattered 
out to feed, is but tame sport. The birds lie like stones, 
and fly straight and easily, dropping at a touch of the 
shot. In September and October, when they are full 
grown, it is quite different, however. Then they are 
strong of wing and fairly well able to take care of 
themselves ; all the birds are large, and while they still 
present a fairly easy mark, they fly with great swift- 
ness, and from the situations in which they are often 
found the shooting calls for readiness and care. 
In the old days, when no one in the West thought 
of carrying a shotgun, it was often necessary to kill 
birds for food, and then the young broods of dusky 
grouse often gave one a little practice as they stalked 
ahead of one up the valley or stood on the branches 
of the trees of the mountain side. At a distance of 
twenty or thirty yards, provided one thoroughly knew 
his rifle, it was considered fair shooting to knock the 
heads off four out of five of these young birds. In- 
