Field Dressing a Grouse

[mr user]

I'm going grouse hunting tommorow, and I see that a feathered head must be left attached to the bird carcass.  The only stuff on dressing a grouse I've found involves the step-on-wing method and that removes the head.  Is there a way to do this method without removing the head?

[bobcat]

I usually wait till I get home to do it. If you have a small ice chest with ice, you can keep your birds cool and they'll be fine until you get back home or back to camp.

[Hunterman]

Grouse are excempt from the feathered head requirement..Case in point they are the only bird you can legaly shot with a high powered rifle, and you had better shot it in the head..

Hunterman(Tony)

[wildweeds]

Take it home whole and clean it there............ your forgetting something,if you clean the thing on the hillside or around your truck your potentially leaving clues as to the quality of the spot,and someone may just start hammering away on your "secrect covert".Never clean birds in the field and pick up all casings.

[sirmissalot]

I clean grouse as soon as I kill them for some reason their guts start to stinking and makes it unappetizing to me. I've quit doing the step on the wings and pull on the legs method, I just skin the breasts and pull them out. Never thought about not cleaning them so people don't find my secret spot.

[stickbuck]

Grouse are excempt from the feathered head requirement..Case in point they are the only bird you can legaly shot with a high powered rifle, and you had better shot it in the head..

Hunterman(Tony)

   Step on the wing method for me immediately after shooting leaving wings attached and then into the cooler.

[TikkaT3-270Shortmag]

Yup immediately then they go into my empty beer box.

[Bofire]

cut all the way around the A hole, hold by wings, lift arms slam down on knees, everything shoots out the hole, you have a whole clean bird with feathers and head. I can do it in seconds.
Carl

[TONTO]

 Yep step and pull method, then I useualy push the legs back up through the skin and snap em off at the knee. Not much meat on the legs but what there is is just as tasty.

[BiggLuke]

I'm with the other guys.
Unless you totally gut shot 'em, just clean 'em when you get home.
I've never had a problem with spoilage after only a couple of hours waiting till I got home.... or when you get back to camp, or whatever.
The Ice box idea is also a great idea.

[Ash]

I use the ICEMAN method outlined on this forum. I think it used to be stickied at the top of the forum. With a little creativity you can leave the head attached. I was looking for the the same information a few years ago and was pointed to the link below.

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,33461.0.html

[mr user]

Thanks for the info everyone, hopefully i'll get to use it soon.  Went yesterday and didn't see a thing 

[sebek556]

  used the Iceman method today my self.. now for dinner 

[WildBear]

Typically not many hunters in our spot. So we use the step on wing method, leaving behind our trophies to brag to our buddies! Showing them their to late. 

[Axle]

I clean grouse as soon as I kill them for some reason their guts start to stinking and makes it unappetizing to me.

This is true. That is why some folks will never shoot and eat one. It is because they waited too long to clean it. If you wait - there is a high chance you will get meat that tastes like pine needles with turds in it. Don't know why this happens with grouse but it will.