It varies in different parts of the country but basically Ruff Grouse are easy to hunt/shoot in a bar ditch or setting in a tree but not so easy when flushing in thick cover. They're actually the hardest upland bird I've hunted in the latter scenario. That's certainly not because they're smart though, it's because of the nano-second you have to shoot before they're behind something.
Blue or Spruce Grouse aren't much of a challenge either way. Least the ones I've hunted in a few different western states weren't.
If you notice.....Piddler seems to be shooting mostly Blue's which isn't much of a challenge no matter how much you pay for a scatter gun.
You haven't hunted our blues, it appears. They are masters of flushing out the other side of the trees and wild when on the ground feeding.
Ask weaslesRus...he guides in NV blue grouse territory.
