Ordinary black grouse

Ordinary grouse

Weight of adult male-grouse reaches 1.3 kg. the Plumage is black with a metallic luster. Outer tail feathers (tail) feathers are strongly bent outwards. The feathers of Heath-hens variegated, with a predominance of red and brown colors. Widespread grouse throughout the zone of mixed forests of Europe and Asia. Missing in the Crimea, the Caucasus, Kamchatka, Sakhalin, the Kuril Islands, in the Primorsky Area. Prefers deciduous and mixed forests, especially with glades and clearings. In the taiga strip grouse spread over the land, where they had clear felling of the forest, and burned areas. Dark coniferous taiga avoids. Grouse - resident. However, in some places makes regular seasonal migrations over long distances. The mating season accompanied by a kind of cocks (muttering), games - currents, which are located in forest clearings, forest edge, open swamps, clearings, burned areas, etc. Socket taterka suits on earth, digging a small hole, which is lined with dry grass and twigs. Lay up to 12 eggs. Incubates 23 - 25 days, Males in the hatching of eggs and rearing the young do not participate. The black grouse grow quickly. In the second week of isnc they can fly short distances. By the middle of September they reach the size of an adult bird, and young males put on its first black plumage.

Summer grouse feeds on insects, herbs and seeds of herbaceous vegetation. Smateria broods gather in flocks. In the fall, before the snow, flocks regularly fly on utility bills (feeding) on cranberry bogs and brusnichnik. In places where a close of arable land, and feed in the fields. At this time, grouse, and other birds from the order galliformes, often visits the pebbles, which collects pebbles needed for grinding rough winter fodder - birch buds, shoots and earrings. Winter sleeps, buried in the snow.

Autumn hunting with dogs on grouse broods and spring - by the fighting cocks is of great interest to hunters.

The Caucasian black grouse is similar to standard, but somewhat smaller. The male is dressed in a black coat, without metallic Shine. The outer tail feathers are bent downwards. Females speckled (gray-brown). Distributed in the mountainous areas of the Caucasus. The small size and the limited area of distribution of the Caucasian black grouse is listed in the Red book of the USSR, is protected.

=============

Hunting for black grouse on a Lek

Black grouse Lek every year almost the same place. Space for current they pick on the edge of forests, meadows with bushes and trees, enough on the open marshes, in the field. Place current grouse can be determined by grouse songs that are best heard in the early morning. On one current can be up to several dozen black cocks.

For hunting to put the current shelter, which is selected in advance, focusing on the trail and the feathers that are left on the current grouse. The shelter should not be allocated on the ground, so it is best to build it from scrap materials. It is advisable to wait a few days to grouse used to possible significant changes. For convenience, the inside of the hut can make a hole, lay the twigs or hay. In the walls of the hut to provide loopholes for firing in the right direction. In a tent you need to go into the dark time, not to go out during the current.

Start shooting is best in the midst of the current, the extracted black cocks not to go out, pick up at the end of the hunt.

Grouse on a Lek video: