Mountain Chicken -- Yummy or Not?

[dr_wu002]

Over the weekend, Timmus and I were on the Sleepers and one of these mountain chickens hopped out of the brush. We didn't have a chance to taste it. Timmus asked if it was similar to a partridge, which she says is delicious. I said that I didn't think so and that this brand of mountain chicken eats pine needles and tastes like a car air freshener. While we were discussing this, the animal got away, disappearing into the woods.

Anyone ever taste one of these? Is it true that they taste like pine-sol?

-Dr. Wu

 

[Puck]

When someone says partridge they mean ruffed grouse. (I stil call them partridge) my brother use to hunt them alot. tastey yes but not much eatin'. My mother had to augment our partridge meals with Fenway franks and beans.

 

[Gris]

OUTSTANDING! but, as always, the hens taste better...

edit- yer pic is a rooster...

 

[pilgrim]

In the Caribbean, Mountain Chicken is a frog. The locals say it tastes good.

 

[el-bagr]

There is currently no open season hunting for spruce grouse in Maine or NH. I have tasted its meat in Quebec, however, and it was quite good dark, flavorful meat. Supposedly it is nasty in spring, when it has been eating conifer needles, but in fall it is good game food.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

I've had partridge (ruffed grouse) many years ago, but not spruce grouse.

I read many years ago that it was protected, in part because of its lack of fear of man makes them easy prey, and in part that because of that quality it could serve as emergency food if someone were lost in the backcountry. Am not sure you'd ever find that in a Fish & Game rulebook, though!

Some animals, for whatever reason, don't have much fear of us - spruce grouse & marmots come immediately to mind. Am sure there are others.

 

[Mike P.]

Ruffled Grouse, tasty, Frog, taste like chicken but a little tougher. (Ex-wife took one at a buffet thinking it was chicken & was going to bring it back when she realized what it was, I ate it, surprisingly.... )

 

[arghman]

I read many years ago that it was protected, in part because of its lack of fear of man makes them easy prey, and in part that because of that quality it could serve as emergency food if someone were lost in the backcountry. Am not sure you'd ever find that in a Fish & Game rulebook, though!

Spruce grouse (Falcipennis canadensis) is on the tracking list of rare animal species in NH. (not sure about other states. they are probably much more common in Canada)

If you see evidence of breeding (a nest, or hen & chicks), please record details & report to NH Natural Heritage Bureau. (and all kidding aside please don't eat them! ) I called NHB a few months ago after noticing that the species is on the tracking list, but they said that just seeing birds isn't enough for tracking purposes, they need to know where the birds' "home base" is, so to speak.

 

[spongebob]

Please don't eat the little buddy.

I wonder if it was the same cool bird we saw near East Sleeper last year. That was one interesting bird. It basically walked around our group and checked us out, and was very curious. I think my hiking group would have dumped me, so they could have a better hiking partner.

Bird

Luckily the bird was eyeing one of the Canadians to take down.

 

[Neil]

I have hunted roughed grouse with a hammer. I got to re-use my "bullets" because after unsuccessfully fastballing the hammer at my quarry it slowly goosewalked 3 feet away. I craftily gathered up my hammer and took carefull aim again, and missed. This went on for some time until I gave up.

On another occasion a friend of mine and I happened upon a family of Rock Ptarmigan in the CDN Rockies. My friend was a chef and he did not see beautiful nature in those birdies. He saw a meal and proceeded to run back and forth across the meadow with a stick, swinging at these poor little things that couldn't even fly yet. One of them tried to fly and it got stuck in a splintered stump. Whap! went my friend's stick while I lay rolling in laughter on the ground. There was maybe 2 ounces of meat in that poor little thing. I forget what it tasted like. Definitely not like Pine-Sol.

Later, on the same trip we fashioned a noose out of a length of wire and attached it to the end of a stick. We saw more ptarmigans (adults) and tried to capture one by surreptitiosly slipping the noose over its head. I remember coming close but we never succeeded.

 

[king tut]

Please don't eat the little buddy.

I wonder if it was the same cool bird we saw near East Sleeper last year. That was one interesting bird. It basically walked around our group and checked us out, and was very curious. I think my hiking group would have dumped me, so they could have a better hiking partner.

Bird

Luckily the bird was eyeing one of the Canadians to take down.

I have to agree w/ Spongebob. Let the cute little feller live. This poll is like asking how Mr. Tappy would taste w/ fried rice.

 

[alpinista]

I've tasted frog (awesome, and does taste like chicken) as well as squirrel (also very yummy but not a lotta meat on them bones) but never tasted one of those "mountain chickens" you spotted...

 

[NewHampshire]

as well as squirrel (also very yummy but not a lotta meat on them bones)

Grey Squirrel is good (tastes like pork) .....Red squirrel ....ummm trust me, dont bother

Brian

 

[alpinista]

Grey Squirrel is good (tastes like pork) .....Red squirrel ....ummm trust me, dont bother

Brian

Good to know, Brian!

 

[dr_wu002]

For the record: we saw this Mountain Chicken or as you say, "spruce grouse" in the woods, on the Sleeper Ridge. Julie commented that partridge was particularly delicious and inquired if this was a similar species. When I replied that mountain chicken did indeed look a bit similar to partridge, she took off after the poor thing. Apparently she had borrowed a large hatchet from Pete Hickey, just for the occassion and, to my horror, was chasing the poor bird with it throughout the forest and trying to cut its head off all while she yelled awful, blood thirsty words at it. I screamed to her, "the poor thing lives on pine needles and tastes like varnish!!!" to no avail. I pleaded with her to put the axe away, back in her pack where it belongs but instead had to pursue her into the woods. Finally, after we had drifted some miles off trail, she relented. At this point we were hopelessly lost, and I had to take my durn compass out to find our way back to the trail -- which I handled with expert precision. That is the real reason why we were so late.

So, you see, I was just wondering if it really were worth eating these things and hadn't realized that there was no open season on them in New Hampshire. I would have had to perform a citizen's arrest!! Thankfully, it did not come to this. Besides, the general consensus is that it'd taste much better in the fall than in the spring. They are kinda cute though so maybe I wouldn't eat it even if one offered.

-Dr. Wu

 

[sapblatt]

Partridges?

 

[Neil]

I implored her to but instead had to pursue her into the woods. Finally, some miles off trail, she relented. At this point we were hopelessly...
That is the real reason why we were so late.

-Dr. Wu

Sounds like an interesting hike...

 

[timmus]

It's all true. Check this out

(I'm starting to think that I might hang out with Pete a little too much...)

 

[dr_wu002]

Sounds like an interesting hike...

It's all true. Check this out

(I'm starting to think that I might hang out with Pete a little too much...)

I wasn't lying.

-Dr. Wu

 

[Double Bow]

Partridges?

Everybody get happy!

Wait... not good to eat? Tastes like chicken!

What can I say? I get hungry on the trail and if I'm gonna go ultralight, I need to take advantage of nature's bounty! How do ya' think I got my neat hat? It ain't store bought!

Oh, and about eatin' Mr Tappy w/fried rice, I eat Chinese food whenever I'm in Gorham so I think I can authoritatively say that it wouldn't be too bad.