Ruffed Grouse Color Phases....

[whitetail Junkie]

Been talking to a few members on here lately about the different colors you can find on Ruffed grouse....most I’ve ever seen have had grey tails with black rings and black neck ruffs.seen a few with orange tails and black rings/necks however never have seen one that had the rusty or cinnamon color neck and the cinnamon color tail ring yet....

Last fall after I tagged out on my whitetail buck I had a whole week to hunt grouse.I probly saw about 30 birds in that week and I ended up only taking one of them which was a prime mature specimen with an orange tail with the black ring and neck.

I had a lot of pheasant and other upland in the freezer already from October down south,so I was only going to shoot one worthy for the wall and at Art of taxidermy it is.

If anyone else has any good pictures of ruffed grouse they have shot in Alberta especially the cinnamon ones I’d love too see them...for some reason I don’t got the itch to hunt deer yet but I’m ready to start Trophy hunting Grouse with my 410.

[huntinstuff]

https://www.facebook.com/AlbertaCons...4228468112462/

I took part in this study by sending Ashley a bunch of wings from WMU 526. She did her thesis on the results she gathered. It must be on line somewhere.

[Bushrat]

Saw a nice red phase red banded red ruffed like that at the taxidermist, with the deep red tail band and neck ruff and thought if I ever shot one I would get it stuffed. Few years later saw a grouse and shot it with the 22, perfect headshot, pretty much blew its head to smithereens. When I walked up to it I realized it was a beautiful mature cock bird dark cherry red tail band and neck ruff I had ever seen. Shot lots of the regular red phase with black tail band and black ruff which are quite common. Still kickin my arse.

[whitetail Junkie]

Originally Posted by Bushrat

Saw a nice red phase red banded red ruffed like that at the taxidermist, with the deep red tail band and neck ruff and thought if I ever shot one I would get it stuffed. Few years later saw a grouse and shot it with the 22, perfect headshot, pretty much blew its head to smithereens. When I walked up to it I realized it was a beautiful mature cock bird dark cherry red tail band and neck ruff I had ever seen. Shot lots of the regular red phase with black tail band and black ruff which are quite common. Still kickin my arse.

Ouch....I’m beginning to realize that they are around but not very common...the ones I was hunting last year I was glassing hard with my bino’s And To kind of relate to your story the one I did shoot I actually walked further away from it and blasted it in the back for the very reason of not wrecking it to bad with my little 410.

Eitherway I’d say 90% of the ones I see are Grey with black rings/necks the rest are red with black...however lots of juveniles out there which don’t make pristine mounts.I have a feeling If I find perfect grey and black male this fall I might get him done up too then all that’s left is the red unicorn...lol

[whitetail Junkie]

Originally Posted by huntinstuff

https://www.facebook.com/AlbertaCons...4228468112462/

I took part in this study by sending Ashley a bunch of wings from WMU 526. She did her thesis on the results she gathered. It must be on line somewhere.

Interesting...I’ll try to look for it!

[deadeye]

Here one from elk island

[Bushmaster]

A couple pics I have taken...

[CBintheNorth]

This article has some good info and pictures of the different colour phases.
https://ruffedgrousesociety.org/blog...-need-to-know/

Here's a picture of an intermediate phase (what I think you're describing) that I got 2 years ago. I was looking for one with exactly these colours for many years. I finally found one on the very first chicken hunt I took my 2 boys and wife on. I always said that I would get one mounted if I got one and having them with me made it that much better.

[whitetail Junkie]

Originally Posted by CBintheNorth

This article has some good info and pictures of the different colour phases.
https://ruffedgrousesociety.org/blog...-need-to-know/

Here's a picture of an intermediate phase (what I think you're describing) that I got 2 years ago. I was looking for one with exactly these colours for many years. I finally found one on the very first chicken hunt I took my 2 boys and wife on. I always said that I would get one mounted if I got one and having them with me made it that much better.

Yes that’s the one and colors...just like the live one posted above from elk island park...Thanks for the link too....

I’ve never in my life seen any like this or I wasn’t looking close enough,however the hunt is on for them this November when they are prime.

[whitetail Junkie]

Was lucky to tag out fairly early @ deer camp this fall which meant bad news for the grouse....finally I got the gem I’d been after for awhile...this one is a red phase with the bronze/cinnamon tail band/neck ruff...straight to Art of taxidermy he went for the wall.

[dfrobert]

Shot a lot of grouse and wish I sent my red phase to the taxidermist. Great job!

[Captainkip]

I was lucky to get the copper ruff and terminal band last weekend. Best part was it came on a perfect point, walk up flush and one shot. Minimal to no damage from the shot and retrieve.

The tail could be more copper but it’s still going straight to the taxidermist.

P.s. love my Small Munsterlander for the great dog work.

[SuperCub]

I used to see red grouse in Northern Ont when I was younger at our family moose camp.

I've only ever seen one red grouse here in NB and the birds here are smaller.

[whitetail Junkie]

Originally Posted by Captainkip

I was lucky to get the copper ruff and terminal band last weekend. Best part was it came on a perfect point, walk up flush and one shot. Minimal to no damage from the shot and retrieve.

The tail could be more copper but it’s still going straight to the taxidermist.

P.s. love my Small Munsterlander for the great dog work.

Good for you! Is that the first time you got a copper bird with the red phase tail?...

I honestly want to eventually get one of every color phase for the wall.only thing I wish mine had was a full band and not broken but figured it was and great shape and look to good.the one I shot was a male after doing the rump feather check and measuring the central tail feathers (7”).

[JonC]

I've been collecting tail fans of every colour phase to display in a shadow box. Collection is not complete yet.

On average, how much does it cost to get a grouse mount done?

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[whitetail Junkie]

Originally Posted by JonC

I've been collecting tail fans of every colour phase to display in a shadow box. Collection is not complete yet.

On average, how much does it cost to get a grouse mount done?

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That’s a great idea!...I started saving my tails just this fall...how do you fan out your tails and keep them fanned out?

I’d guess on average a standing grouse would be in the neighbourhood of $500 to get done these days....

[JonC]

Originally Posted by whitetail Junkie

That’s a great idea!...I started saving my tails just this fall...how do you fan out your tails and keep them fanned out?



I’d guess on average a standing grouse would be in the neighbourhood of $500 to get done these days....

I fan them out on a piece of cardboard or styrofoam and pin the feathers into place to keep it uniform. I let it air dry in my garage until the meat at the base hardens up. Remove the pins and all done. Some cover the base with salt or borax to draw the moisture out but I find air drying works for me. Just takes longer. Just remember to cut away as much meat from the base as possible but leave enough so that the feathers don't fall out.

I'm still searching for the colour phase of the grouse in this picture (at the top). Kicking myself for not collecting tails earlier since I haven't seen one like this since I shot this one (about 5 years ago).

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[whitetail Junkie]

Originally Posted by JonC

I fan them out on a piece of cardboard or styrofoam and pin the feathers into place to keep it uniform. I let it air dry in my garage until the meat at the base hardens up. Remove the pins and all done. Some cover the base with salt or borax to draw the moisture out but I find air drying works for me. Just takes longer. Just remember to cut away as much meat from the base as possible but leave enough so that the feathers don't fall out.

I'm still searching for the colour phase of the grouse in this picture (at the top). Kicking myself for not collecting tails earlier since I haven't seen one like this since I shot this one (about 5 years ago).

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That’s a split phase I believe...I don’t even think I’ve ever got one of them however the obsession just started a few years ago...before I never examined them as closely.A brown phase is nice to as it has a yellowish tinge to it...another goal...thanks for the tips on the tails...

[Donkey Oatey]

These three were together last year. The one on the right was pretty brown.

They all tasted the same!

[whitetail Junkie]

Originally Posted by Donkey Oatey

These three were together last year. The one on the right was pretty brown.

Nice! Yaa I think I can see the red and copper/bronze in it...in some places they are really rare coloured grouse...talked to one fellow who said in 4200 flushes in his life he has shot only two grouse that had copper tails...New England states I believe he was from...

[whitetail Junkie]

Here is another little Gem I got going on the wall...the dog stirred up a big flock of Huns and two of them branched off tight together...one shot with the 20 gauge and they both dropped...I think it was a mature mating pair...eitherway decided to get the male done up as I got him late in the season and his feathers/plumage seemed to perfect.

[JonC]

I like the one in the bottom right. Like champagne colour

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[JonC]

Originally Posted by whitetail Junkie

Here is another little Gem I got going on the wall...the dog stirred up a big flock of Huns and two of them branched off tight together...one shot with the 20 gauge and they both dropped...I think it was a mature mating pair...eitherway decided to get the male done up as I got him late in the season and his feathers/plumage seemed to perfect.

Nice colours on those huns

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[whitetail Junkie]

Originally Posted by JonC

I like the one in the bottom right. Like champagne colour

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Yup...that’s the brown phase on the bottom right...I defiantly need one of them...lol

[JonC]

Originally Posted by whitetail Junkie

Nice! Yaa I think I can see the red and copper/bronze in it...in some places they are really rare coloured grouse...talked to one fellow who said in 4200 flushes in his life he has shot only two grouse that had copper tails...New England states I believe he was from...

I seem to get more of the red and copper/bronze in my area as the years go on. Would make for a nice mount but I'm just after tails.

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[whitetail Junkie]

Originally Posted by JonC

I seem to get more of the red and copper/bronze in my area as the years go on. Would make for a nice mount but I'm just after tails.

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Funny because I’ve always seen the red tails but always had black bands/ruffs...until this year.This year saw 3 birds with the copper bands and tail bands...2 I killed and one I passed up on the last day for next year...according to my expert American friend...copper coloured birds are usually bigger in size and brown phase ruffles are always males!

[Captainkip]

[QUOTE=whitetail Junkie;4068170]Good for you! Is that the first time you got a copper bird with the red phase tail?...

Yes first copper with red phase. Not sure I’ve seen one with cooper and grey like the one at elk island.

Probably shot a few when I used to ground ****h them pre dog days but never cared to look close at them. Now they are a new favourite. I love the King of upland birds.

[raised by wolves]

I have seen lots of both the reds and the greys, but the reds always had black ruffs. I have only ever seen and harvested one red phase that had the red ruffs on the neck. Very pretty bird.

[Smoky buck]

I have never put much thought into the colour of ruff grouse but I have probably eaten everyone of these colour phases

[Littlejet]

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