THE RUFFED GROUSE AND ITS WAYS 



By L. 1!. COOPER 



(Photos by the Author) 



HE ruffed grouse, so 

 continually called the 

 partridge in the north- 

 ern states, and also 

 called the pheasant in 

 several other locali- 

 ties, is perhaps the 

 hardiest and most 

 rugged bird we have. 

 It remains with us throughout the en- 

 tire year. 



During the summer and early fall a 

 brood rarely separates, and when the 

 young need no further care in the au- 

 tumn, the old cock selfishly joins the 

 covey, for all the earlier care and atten- 

 tion of the chicks is done entirely by the 

 hen. 



During the months of October and 



November the time comes, known to 

 hunters as the "mad moon," when the 

 birds seem to be frantic in their flights, 

 as they have been known many times to 

 fly into towns and even cities, where 

 they generally dash themselves against 

 some building or object, usually break- 

 ing their necks in their mad rush for 

 concealment. Whether the restless na- 

 ture shown at this time indicates an in- 

 stinct of the bird wanting to migrate is 

 not fully understood, but there is one 

 fact, however, and that is, it scatters 

 and mixes the broods, so that in-breed- 

 ing to any extent is impossible. At this 

 period of the season the birds will not 

 lie close, so a clog can find them, but 

 flush wildly ahead, before the dog has 

 even had a chance to make game. Quite 



WHERE THE GROUSE WINTERS 

 155 



