Hunting Washington Forum

Community => Photo & Video => Topic started by: Tom Reichner on May 20, 2009, 12:20:46 AM

Title: Blue Grouse Displaying - a "bonus" species!
Post by: Tom Reichner on May 20, 2009, 12:20:46 AM: I made a 2 1/2 day trip to photograph foxes this past weekend. I was fortunate to find not only that the foxes still had their winter fur, but also that a few of the Blue Grouse were already engaged in their mating ritual.

Sunday morning I forgot all about the foxes and went looking for Blue Grouse. I was not disappointed! Three males had hens with them, and were in full display. They stayed in range, and were so caught up in their quest for a mate that they didn't seem to mind my presence at all. In fact, they frequently ran right at me until they were so close that my lens wouldn't focus on them. Then I'd have to go off chasing them again - trying to get in front of them so that the light would be at my back.

In all of the wildlife antics I've seen, this behavior of the Blue Grouse is one of the most fun things to witness. I almost wish I'd had a video camera instead of my SLR. Fortunately, the displaying season for them is just beginning, so we should have opportunities to get out and observe this (or photograph it) for a few more weeks.
Title: Re: Blue Grouse Displaying - a "bonus" species!
Post by: bowhunterforever on May 20, 2009, 12:44:10 AM: Awsome pics! :tup:
Title: Re: Blue Grouse Displaying - a "bonus" species!
Post by: boneaddict on May 20, 2009, 05:55:40 AM: GOrgeous pictures.
Title: Re: Blue Grouse Displaying - a "bonus" species!
Post by: Timber on May 20, 2009, 05:57:54 AM: Very nice Tom, love your photos!
Title: Re: Blue Grouse Displaying - a "bonus" species!
Post by: markts on May 20, 2009, 06:14:33 AM: Those are awesome pics. Thanks Mark
Title: Re: Blue Grouse Displaying - a "bonus" species!
Post by: ICEMAN on May 20, 2009, 06:19:24 AM: Fantastic pics! Wish I was there!

Also, thanks for sizing them small enough for us Dialup modem losers.....
Title: Re: Blue Grouse Displaying - a "bonus" species!
Post by: zackmioli on May 20, 2009, 08:18:07 AM: those are awesome! im jealous of you.
Title: Re: Blue Grouse Displaying - a "bonus" species!
Post by: skybusterbo on May 20, 2009, 08:24:23 AM: Awesome!!!
Title: Re: Blue Grouse Displaying - a "bonus" species!
Post by: Ricochet on May 20, 2009, 08:28:17 AM: Great job, Tom. Thanks for sharing. 8)
Title: Re: Blue Grouse Displaying - a "bonus" species!
Post by: runamuk on May 20, 2009, 08:29:53 AM: WOW..... nice capture.....thanks for sharing
Title: Re: Blue Grouse Displaying - a "bonus" species!
Post by: popeshawnpaul on May 20, 2009, 05:58:14 PM: Dang, and I gave that up for a birthday party and a bum sturgeon trip... :bash:
Title: Re: Blue Grouse Displaying - a "bonus" species!
Post by: saylean on May 20, 2009, 06:09:51 PM: what a gorgeous bird. way to capture it. :P
Title: Re: Blue Grouse Displaying - a "bonus" species!
Post by: hunterbuilder on May 20, 2009, 07:26:33 PM: :o Wow, awesome pics there. I love it!
Title: Re: Blue Grouse Displaying - a "bonus" species!
Post by: Pathfinder101 on May 20, 2009, 08:36:56 PM: those are fatastic Tom. I just showed this thread to my 10 year old huntin' buddy, and he was amazed. great work! :tup: :bow:
Title: Re: Blue Grouse Displaying - a "bonus" species!
Post by: Tom Reichner on May 20, 2009, 08:43:33 PM: Quote from: Pathfinder101 on May 20, 2009, 08:36:56 PM
those are fatastic Tom. I just showed this thread to my 10 year old huntin' buddy, and he was amazed. great work! :tup: :bow:
Yeah, I can't wait to get out and hunt them, come fall. Photographing stuff like this makes me appreciate it more, which in turn makes me want to hunt 'em more. Wouldn't it be great if your 10 year old got to see one while afield?!
Title: Re: Blue Grouse Displaying - a "bonus" species!
Post by: Pathfinder101 on May 20, 2009, 09:07:59 PM: He has shot blues before in the fall. In fact a blue grouse was his first game animal. he and I mounted it for our man-cave.
would love to see them drumming though...
Title: Re: Blue Grouse Displaying - a "bonus" species!
Post by: Tom Reichner on May 20, 2009, 09:13:33 PM: How awesome - to bag a Blue Grouse at that age! In Pennsylvania you can't even hunt until you're 12 years old - and here he's already out there bagging game, years before he's 12!
Title: Re: Blue Grouse Displaying - a "bonus" species!
Post by: Pathfinder101 on May 20, 2009, 09:19:09 PM: Yeah, even here in this state when I was a kid you couldn't take Hunter's Safety until you were 10. Now they dropped the age requirement, so as long as you can read and comprehend the book and the test, you can take the course. He took it when he was 10. Has harvested several grouse and his first deer, a 3 point mulie. I have the "grinning trophy shot" of him with that blue grouse too. I'll have to wait til I am back on my office computer before I can post it. It was a huge bird, almost the size of a pheasant.
Title: Re: Blue Grouse Displaying - a "bonus" species!
Post by: Pathfinder101 on May 20, 2009, 09:22:41 PM: Oops, the boy corrected me. took the course when he was 9...
Title: Re: Blue Grouse Displaying - a "bonus" species!
Post by: Grizzly on May 21, 2009, 09:44:55 AM: Very cool!
Title: Re: Blue Grouse Displaying - a "bonus" species!
Post by: tlbradford on May 21, 2009, 12:53:47 PM: Great set. Thanks for sharing them.
Title: Re: Blue Grouse Displaying - a "bonus" species!
Post by: Hillbilly270 on May 21, 2009, 01:10:29 PM: awesome pix. they taste great too. :tup:
Title: Re: Blue Grouse Displaying - a "bonus" species!
Post by: NWWABOWHNTR on May 21, 2009, 01:13:09 PM: great pics!
Title: Re: Blue Grouse Displaying - a "bonus" species!
Post by: snipekillr on May 22, 2009, 04:22:30 PM: way cool
Title: Re: Blue Grouse Displaying - a "bonus" species!
Post by: mossback91 on May 22, 2009, 04:31:40 PM: Dang I have never saw a blue grouse struttin........I know where they hang but never chase them around when they showin off their stuff!! I might have to do that this weekend