# For all you grouse freaks...



## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Check out tis little stud! This is why I love my job.:grin:


----------



## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

O my H! That is incredible!


----------



## N8ON (Oct 7, 2010)

The tail is too perfect, I think you need to ruffle it up a little. Great job!!


----------



## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

One more thing. When ever i hear anyone ask about who to go with when it comes to birds there is no question in my mind your the best. There are good mounts and then on another level theres yours. Its good like paul pennie good on mule deer. 

My daughter wants to do her room in birds. If she ever shoots anything worth mounting your the guy.


----------



## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

On nice looking mount. 

The problem of getting them mounted is the one that they taste way too good not to eat them instead of getting them mounted. 

Some day I hope to get a couple of blue's, oops dusky grouse done.


----------



## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Critter said:


> On nice looking mount.
> 
> The problem of getting them mounted is the one that they taste way too good not to eat them instead of getting them mounted.
> 
> Some day I hope to get a couple of blue's, oops dusky grouse done.


Who says you can't eat em too?  Bring em to me fresh and I'll skin em out while you wait and then you can take the meat home with you. I do this ALL the time for my clients who love to eat em.;-)


----------



## WeaselBrandGameCalls (Aug 16, 2010)

That mount is the picture I've had in my mind for years! I want to get a good one without wrecking it and have it done just like that before my hunt'n days are over.


----------



## mr.seven (Sep 18, 2007)

remember how nice of job you did there tex, i want mine to look just as good when you get to it, awesome mount


----------



## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Lets say you want to get a bird mounted. Do you go with smaller shot or larger shot? Do you aim at the head or body? I would think you would want to do as little damage as possible. With the state giving us the bone this year in our archery draws for deer we will be looking at elk and birds more.


----------



## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

swbuckmaster said:


> Lets say you want to get a bird mounted. Do you go with smaller shot or larger shot? Do you aim at the head or body? I would think you would want to do as little damage as possible. With the state giving us the bone this year in our archery draws for deer we will be looking at elk and birds more.


My grouse combo is a good 1oz 20 ga load of 7 1/2 with a nice open choke like skeet or IC. Plenty of poop to kill em but wont mess em up too bad. Now if you really want a prime mounter, snowshoe in on the last week of the season an shoot one out of a tree with a .177 Gammo pellet gun!


----------



## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

I havent hunted any kind of bird for myself besides turkey in over 10 years maybe 15. Back then i always used to use the largest shells i could find. Sky busting comes to mind. My daughter has hunted the youth opener now for the last three years in a row with her grandpa. Im always out of town on work so ive only been able to be with her last year. She shot this one and she wanted to mount it. While she was looking at it the dog jumped up and bit its head off. Man she was up set!


----------



## Lonetree (Dec 4, 2010)

That mount looks awesome. It should be a good year for grouse. I have literally heard, and seen, hundreds of them drumming up a storm.


----------



## north slope (Sep 8, 2007)

20 gauge.....Over kill!! a 3/4 ounce 6 1/2 shot is the perfect grouse load.(28 gauge)


----------



## Damiani (May 23, 2013)

I dont know? It seems odd too me, something unusual with the neck feathers. I hope your customer is as thrilled with it as you are.


----------



## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

north slope said:


> 20 gauge.....Over kill!! a 3/4 ounce 6 1/2 shot is the perfect grouse load.(28 gauge)


How would you know? You've never even shot at a grouse with a 28 gauge...


----------



## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Damiani said:


> I dont know? It seems odd too me, something unusual with the neck feathers. I hope your customer is as thrilled with it as you are.


Well, all I have to go by is live reference, did I miss something?


----------



## Dunkem (May 8, 2012)

Did not miss a feather:clap2:,good looking bird.


----------



## Damiani (May 23, 2013)

Well, it still look's odd to me but then again I'm not your customer.


----------



## Briar Patch (Feb 1, 2010)

Wowsa! 
Par for the course. Every mount you've posted a picture of has been a beauty.


----------



## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Damiani said:


> Well, it still look's odd to me but then again I'm not your customer.


Well, help me out here. I'm always trying to improve and I'd like to hear why you think it's inaccurate. Don't worry about upsetting me, I'm WAY past that. I like ALL opinions, both positive and negative. That's how I learn to be a better taxidermist. So, pretend you are my customer and tell me why you don't like it.

Thanks for your feedback.


----------



## Damiani (May 23, 2013)

Your bird doesn't look intense enough. Also a poor example of a male in my opinion (not your fault). It's in a more casual position with head half ****ed (could be an optical illusion). I would expect a strutting male Ruffed Grouse to be leaning & facing more forward.


----------



## InvaderZim (Sep 7, 2007)

Right...


Quill?


I think it would be better if it was stuffed on a piece of drift wood, perhaps some phrag in the background...and use some eyes from a rooster phez!


----------



## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Damiani said:


> Your bird doesn't look intense enough. Also a poor example of a male in my opinion (not your fault). It's in a more casual position with head half ****ed (could be an optical illusion). I would expect a strutting male Ruffed Grouse to be leaning & facing more forward.


I agree with you. This bird was shot in the late fall. Grouse are notorious late bloomers when it comes to "feathering out" after their molt. The neck is always the last place to finnish growing and this bird was no acception. I wish he'd had more neck and especially the dark ruff feathers to deal with and I think he'd been a little more "intence" looking. And, this pose is how my client wanted him. He left a picture of a grouse just coming out of strut with his head up looking around and his tail not quite at full fan. I tried to find the image on the web so I could post it for you but the other image I did post is pretty close.

Again, thanks for your honest feedback. I do appreciate it.

Zimmy's just being a stinker...


----------



## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

A few of you were questioning the gender of this grouse so I took a picture from a different angle to help you guys out. This should remove all doubt that he's a boy grouse. :mrgreen:


----------



## Dunkem (May 8, 2012)




----------



## bwhntr (Sep 12, 2007)

Yep! Definitely a male!


----------

