# Not sharptails, but they will do for now!



## kingcanada (Sep 19, 2009)

Here in Wyoming, blue and ruffed grouse season is the first of our grouse seasons to open. They are wonderful birds to hunt, although blues can be a bit stupid if they haven't been pressured before ( not much of a problem where i hunt). Bird numbers close to home are a bit dismal again, but anytime spent afield behind a dog is good. I thought that a few of my Nodak friends would like to see something new, so here are the photos:


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## Duckslayer100 (Apr 7, 2004)

Nothing against sharptails, but I would take one ruffed grouse over 100 sharpies any day of the week. 
That pic makes my mouth water... :beer:


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## kingcanada (Sep 19, 2009)

I haven't gone for ruffed grouse yet, just those blues. A reasonable tip on two coveys will have me looking for the ruffies this weekend, they are a rare treat in these parts.


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## Duckslayer100 (Apr 7, 2004)

Guess I misidentified! I knew one was definitely a spruce, but the other looked like an immature ruff. Oh well, still tastier than sharps!


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## drjongy (Oct 13, 2003)

Sharpies need to be cooked within a couple days, and they need to be cooked medium-rare. They are excellent fresh, but as soon as you freeze them or even overcook them a little they start to taste like liver. Exact same for mallards, really shouldn't cook them past medium-rare. This makes a HUGE difference.


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## Duckslayer100 (Apr 7, 2004)

drjongy said:


> Sharpies need to be cooked within a couple days, and they need to be cooked medium-rare. They are excellent fresh, but as soon as you freeze them or even overcook them a little they start to taste like liver. Exact same for mallards, really shouldn't cook them past medium-rare. This makes a HUGE difference.


Oh no worries there, all my wild game is either medium rare, rare, or slow cooked in a crock pot. I've just never really cared for sharpies. They're like ducks -- dark meat. Lots of marinade and wrapped in bacon, or else made into jerky.


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

Great pics. Send more. Good thing you reminded me to take the camera. Tomorrow, tomorrow, you're only a day away! Got the truck loaded, gear packed, lunch in the cooler, and a pup that just tangled with a skunk. :eyeroll: Nothing is going to stop us now.


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## MikeyLikesIt (Aug 15, 2010)

Kingcanada,
Curious if your finding the blue grouse down low on the mountian or up high? on the ruff grouse ever find them in the conifers or down low in the aspens? Thanks Mike


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## kingcanada (Sep 19, 2009)

I'm finding blues up high, 9500+ feet. We did not get to hunt the ruffies. The forest service saw fit to dig up a culvert in the main road and just closed the road for 10-45 days again rather than put in a temporary so the public can still use the road while the work is done! :******: They seem to forget that they work on the public's money. Sad part is that we were over 40 miles from town and only had a few miles left. Nothing like seeing a " road closed 0 miles ahead sign" :roll: . My cousin got into major coveys of ruffed grouse while hunting elk last weekend. Problem is that it is on the other side of the state and then it is a very long hike in to where you hunt once you get there. Makes for a real long day.
I did go to a great spot for blues yesterday and enjoyed a nice covey rise and some singles work. I took pics and even got some pics of some bighorn sheep. My camera died after that and is not repairable. I hope I can retrieve the pics with a different camera since I do have the memory card. I will post them if the card didn't get scrambled too.


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## kingcanada (Sep 19, 2009)

Success, I think. I was able to retrieve the photos on the memory card using a new camera. Here are a couple: grouse & dog pic and the bighorn sheep (sorry, no ram).


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