Spruce Grouse - Grouse Hunting - Upland Hunting
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Description
The Spruce Grouse is a (Falcipennis Canadensis) bird species which inhabits the northern United States. Unusually tame, sitting motionless while unbeknownst passers-by come within mere inches. Spruce Grouse are solitary birds during the summer but gather in flocks towards winter. They tend to perch themselves in trees, and mainly feed there during winter. However, do most of their foraging on the forest floor in summer.
Egg Laying
Female Spruce Grouse lay between 4 to 10 eggs, with an incubation period of 20-24 days. Before leaving their nest, the female will partially cover her eggs with dry leaves and pine needles. The downy young wander from the nest within minutes of hatching. Females will tend to their young, brooding the hatchlings at night and during cold weather. Young Grouse take flight around 6 to 8 days old, considered full-grown by 10-11 weeks old. By this time they can find their own food and become totally independent about 10 to 15 weeks.
Eating Habits
Adult Spruce Grouse are mainly vegetarians, feeding on conifer, spruce, and pine needles. This is especially so in the late fall and winter. Whereas, during warmer seasons they eat plant leaves, green shoots, flowers, berries, snails, fungi, and insects. Younger birds prefer eating insects over any other food source.
Nesting Habits
Both male and female Spruce Grouse defend their nests and surrounding territories during the breeding season. Males put on a display by beating their wings, creating a pronounced thumping noise only audible at close range. During courtship, the male Grouse raises his tail and spreads it out, fluffing his feathers for the female to see. A single male Grouse can mate with several females during the mating season. Their nesting site is directly on the ground beneath dense forest coverage. Females build their nests in a shallow depression covered with leaves and pine needles.
Spruce Grouse Conservation Status
Northern Spruce Grouse populations vary in numbers. Whereas, southern states have a noticeable decline.
Natural Habitat
Spruce Grouse prefer areas with conifer and pine forests but are also known to inhabit muskeg formations. Their primary habitat includes burnt forest vegetation with regrowth and spruce forests. They can also be found among the dense undergrowth of hemlocks, jack & lodgepole pines, and subalpine firs. In the spring Spruce Grouse is known to inhabit blueberry barrens and during fall can be found near deciduous woodlands.
The Spruce Grouse is an official upland hunting game bird found in most northern states. They live in the northern lowlands, including among tamarack swamps, and black spruce. Depending on the particular state, some places offer numerous hunting units at certain times of the year with specific bagging limits. This is in order to keep track of the Grouse population and may vary according to the hunting area. For instance, Montana has a 5 bird bag limit with an open season from September 1 through January 1. Whereas, Alaskas limit is birds and their hunting season is from August 1 until May 15.
