Game Birds and Game Fishes of the Pacific Coast Part 4

This species can easily be distinguished from any other member of the dove family by the broad patch of white on the wings.

Order, GALLINAE

Family, TETRAONIDAE

Subfamily, TETRAONINAE. (Grouse)

Genus Species Common Names Range -------------------------------------------------------------------------

{umbellus sabini Oregon ruffed {Western Oregon and Was.h.i.+ngton { grouse {and Northwestern California.

{ Bonasa { {Eastern sides of Cascade {umbellus togata Canada ruffed {Mountains in Oregon and { grouse {Was.h.i.+ngton, thence East.

{Northeastern California, Centrocercus urophasia.n.u.s Sage hen {Nevada and the sage lands {of Oregon and Was.h.i.+ngton.

{Western slope of the {franklini Spruce grouse {Cascade Mountains.

{ { {Northeastern Arizona and Dendragapus {obscurus Dusky grouse {Eastern Nevada.

{ { {Coast Range and Sierras from {obscurus Sooty grouse {Southern California to { fuliginosus {British Columbia.

{Eastern Oregon and Was.h.i.+ngton Pediocaetes phasianellus Sharp-tail {and a few in Northeastern columbia.n.u.s grouse {California.

THE GROUSE

Within the territorial scope of this work there are seven species of the grouse family, though only four of these are in any way common. As the wild turkey is confined to the southern extremity of the Pacific Coast hunting grounds, so are the grouse princ.i.p.ally found in the northern sections. I have met with a few dusky grouse (=Dendragapus obscurus=) in the mountains of Arizona, but they are by no means plentiful. There were a few and possibly is yet an occasional sooty grouse (=Dendragapus obscurus fuliginosus=) in the mountains of southern California, but grouse in sufficient numbers to furnish any kind of sport are not found much south of Yosemite valley in the Sierras, or south of Humboldt county in the Coast range. An occasional pair or small flock, however, may be met with considerable south of the points named.

The grouse is a northern bird, extending into far colder regions than any other subfamily of the gallinaceous group. The ptarmigan, of course, are grouse.

[Ill.u.s.tration: SOOTY GROUSE (Dendragapus obscurus fuliginosus)]

THE SOOTY GROUSE

(Dendragapus obscurus fuliginosus)

The sooty grouse, commonly called blue grouse by the sportsmen of California, are reasonably plentiful in the Sierras from the Yosemite north into Oregon, where they are quite plentiful, and from there through Was.h.i.+ngton into Alaska. It is a mountain dweller, being found at alt.i.tudes fully 9000 feet above the sea. In the winter it descends to lower lat.i.tudes, but seldom below 3000 feet. It is naturally a confiding bird where it has not been hunted much, and for this reason has been given the name, "fool hen," in many localities. But like most of the feathered tribe, it soon learns the destructiveness of man, and after gaining this knowledge it is quite able to take care of itself. When flushed it flies with a cackling sound, generally taking refuge in the tall pines, where it is an expert hider. In the nesting season it produces a drumming sound and struts like a turkey. This drumming is produced by inflating an air sack on each side of the neck. Later in the season these sacks dry up and nearly disappear.

It's only migrations are ascending and descending the mountains with the seasons.

According to a published statement of the Section of Biological Survey of the United States Department of Agriculture, the food of the sooty grouse consists of buds, seeds, leaves and insects, of which 68 per cent is leaves, buds and the tender ends of young twigs; 6.73 per cent insects and the balance seeds, berries and the like. The flesh is generally of a fine flavor, though at times it will be found to be tainted a little strongly with the flavor of the pine.

=Color=--Male--Back of head, back of neck and all upper parts, a sooty brown; light streak over the eye and a light throat; breast, a dead or sooty black; the rest of the under parts a slaty gray; tail tipped with gray.

Female--Generally lighter in color but otherwise resembling the male.

=Nest and Eggs=--The nest is usually nothing more than a depression in the ground among dried leaves or gra.s.s, well concealed from view. The eggs, which average about a dozen, are of a cream color, spotted with brown.

=Measurements=--Total length, from 18 to 22 inches; wing, 9 to 9-1/2. The weight will vary from 2-1/2 to 4 pounds.

[Ill.u.s.tration: OREGON RUFFED GROUSE (Bonasa umbellus sabini)]

THE OREGON RUFFED GROUSE

(Bonasa umbellus sabini)

The Oregon ruffed grouse is the handsomest species of the ruffed grouse genus, and is truly a beautiful bird with its deep, rich browns, orange and black. The eastern species of this genus is wrongly known in the north Atlantic states by the name of partridge, and as wrongly called pheasant in Virginia and some other of the southern states. The Pacific Coast species ranges from northern California along the Coast range through Oregon, Was.h.i.+ngton and far into British Columbia. It is a wary bird, full of cunning and gamy qualities. The male of this genus is, I believe, the only member of the grouse family that drums all the year; all others confining their drumming to the nesting season. This drumming is made with the wings and not by the inflation of an air sack as with other species. The sound, also, is much different, having more of a rolling reverberation. In the spring they will take their position on some rock or dead log and strut back and forth with their heads thrown back and their tails spread out to show the beautiful hues of the feathers and drum for hours to attract the hens or challenge the other males to an almost life and death combat, in which they fight in the same manner as the game c.o.c.k. They live among the pines, usually near some little opening where they are fond of feeding. When startled they take at once to the timber and are quickly lost to view. For this reason dogs are almost useless in hunting them. They are never found in numbers greater than a single brood, even though the brood may be decimated by the gun of the sportsman or the cunning of the vermin to no more than two or three.

The flesh of the ruffed grouse is white and generally tender and of fine flavor, although in the late fall or winter when its food consists almost wholly of fir buds it tastes quite strong of turpentine. Its food generally is about the same as the sooty grouse and in about the same percentages.

=Color=--Head, light chestnut, the feathers on the top being long and capable of erection when excited; a tuft of long, rich brown feathers will be found on each side of the neck; back, reddish chestnut mottled with black; rump and tail-coverts, more of a cinnamon color blotched with dark brown; flanks, lighter and barred with black; tail, rusty brown barred with deep brown and tipped with two bands of gray, separated by a streak of black; under tail-coverts, orange, barred with black and tipped with white; wing feathers, brown with a central stripe of light yellow.

The female is marked the same but somewhat lighter in coloring.

=Nest and Eggs=--The nest, like that of all the gallinaceous birds, is made on the ground and hidden away in some thick cl.u.s.ter of brush or beneath some log. The eggs are of a buff color spotted with dark brown, and number from ten to fifteen.

=Measurements=--Total length from 16 to 19 inches; wing about 7 or 8 inches. Weight about 2 pounds.

THE CANADIAN RUFFED GROUSE

(Bonasa umbellus togata)

The Canadian ruffed grouse ranges through the eastern side of the Cascade mountains of Oregon and Was.h.i.+ngton, but does not pa.s.s over to the Pacific side. It resembles the Oregon ruffed grouse very closely except that it is much lighter in color, and the female either lacks the tufts of feathers on the neck entirely, or where present, they are very small. Like the Oregon species it is a dweller in the heavy timber, and follow the same habits in most all respects. It is of a more confiding nature, however, often sitting unconcerned upon a tree while several of its companions are being shot, making no effort to get away or save itself from the same fate.

=Color=--The color of this species is more of a grayish brown than the Oregon species, and lacking that rich chestnut that adds so much to the beauty of the latter. The brown markings, however, are possibly a little more conspicuous. The upper tail feathers are more of a blue, mottled and barred with a blackish brown. A large tuft of feathers on each side of the neck of a smoky brown, edged with metallic green.

Unlike the Oregon species these feathers are entirely absent or very small on the female.

=Nest and Eggs=--The nest and eggs are the same as the Oregon grouse.

=Measurements=--In size the two species do not vary to any considerable extent.

THE SPRUCE GROUSE

(Dendragapus franklini)

The spruce or Franklin grouse of Oregon and Was.h.i.+ngton is a species of the Canadian spruce grouse, and ranges diagonally through the mountains of eastern Oregon and Was.h.i.+ngton, and thence to the coast of British Columbia. It confines its habitat to the higher mountains, being seldom found below an elevation of four to five thousand feet.

This is another of the grouse family that has been given the name of "fool hen," on account of its naturally tame nature. When sitting on the limb of a tree, but a few feet above the ground, it considers itself safe from all harm and makes little effort to escape, and may often be killed with a stick. There is little sport in shooting this variety. The food of this species, like all other mountain dwelling grouse, is buds, tender shoots and seeds, berries and insects when obtainable.

=Color=--Male--Upper parts gray, the central back and the wings having a brownish hue; the tail-coverts, which are tipped with broad splashes of white is a distinguis.h.i.+ng feature of this species; feathers, on the flanks tipped broadly with white, throat, black, imperfectly edged with white; tail, nearly square at the end and of a brownish color.