The Fool’s Hen.
Here in Teton County, we have two main types of grouse: the dusky (blue) grouse and the ruffed grouse. They favor high elevation sagebrush and mountain shrub areas for nesting, springs, stream banks, and, as the weather starts to cool, Douglas firs and Aspens for food and cover. But many here refer to grouse as a fool’s hen. The name is fitting especially as it can take some considerable ruckus to cause them to fly. But give ‘em credit. The simple survival tactics have kept these birds in the game all this time. Just over the pass, in Driggs, Idaho, Katie and Nick feathered the clutch as they headed to their secret hunting grounds in search of these upland “fools.”
Georgie, the coworker we need.
No grouse hunt is complete without a four-legged sidekick. Georgie, a mutt with a knack for retrieving, was born on the Wind River Reservation and found her home with Nick and Katie through the Animal Adoption Center in Jackson.
As a puppy, she looked the part paying tribute to bird dog or hound ancestry. A DNA proved differently, but Georgie has been working birds with Nick her whole life and has become a proven hunter’s companion. There is something captivating about working with a dog that has the itch. A stiff tail, pinned nose, and tight circles…you better be ready.
Equipped with a matching orange vest and the “goodest of girls” badge worn proudly on her chest, Georgie did her job. As she moved through the Aspens nose grazing the dirt, she stiffened up and dove through the brush flushing birds into the Idaho sky.
The upland game bird season in southeastern Idaho is open from August 30 - December 31. But there is said to be magic in the mountains this particular time of year.
Fall in the Tetons.
The upland game bird season in southeastern Idaho is open from August 30 - December 31. But there is said to be magic in the mountains this particular time of year. What was a mix of greens and browns only a few weeks ago is now rich with vibrant yellows and oranges. Pair that with the Aspen’s white bark and you have the ultimate fall feelings.
Snow covered peaks hint at what is to come, but, for now, you will find us basking beneath the shimmering leaves.
Just what the doctor ordered.
No matter if your calling is hunting, fly fishing, backpacking, gardening, dog walking, backyard bbq-ing, or any other flannel-worthy activity, there’s something for everyone in the mountain sunshine. Sure, the nearsighted goal here is to find a bird. But that’s only the half of it. Pop the tailgate, crack a beer, and cheers to a day worth celebrating. And if seeking grouse in the Teton mountains is how you give’r, well, there ain’t nothing “foolish” about that.
