Observations from late season Northern Pa Grouse:
If it is really cold they don't like to move around that much and thermal cover takes many forms. A thick stand of Pines can be a gold mine. Thick brushy cover with edges another. Even relatively open ground with lots of fallen logs to huddle under can sometimes hold more than one would believe.
They will eat just about anything that grows or buds. Have even been told they will eat small water creatures such as Salamanders, but have yet to discover it. Small rivulets of water coming out of a hillside that have something growing on the edges always deserve spending some time around. Especially in winter.
If they have not been hunted much in winter, they will often find each other and covey up. Hit the right spot and it can get exciting. Miss it and you will think there are no Birds around.
Days of warming after a cold snap can have them out stretching their legs and looking to fill up an empty crop. Kill a Bird, take the time to open their crop and take a look at what they have been eating can be productive.
Fresh tracks in the snow are an open book.
Research has some thinking our Pa Birds are being infected with some type of Avian virus. Gun your late winter Birds with an eye towards next year. They are survivors.
Last edited by battue; 05/02/15.
