Gordon Mac dot com
HTML TEMPLATES & OTHER SILLY THINGS
The Ruffed Grouse Society is about:
Habitat for grouse, woodcock and the other wildlife that shares where the two game birds live.
It's about the environment or habitat that provides them food, cover from predators, shelter and a place to breed and rear their young
It's about actively creating those young forests or "habitats" by using tools, such as controlled fire and forest harvesting, recognized as effective by Aldo Leopold.
It's about educating the public concerning the habitat requirements of these birds and mammals, both game and non-game.
It's about explaining that they live in a place that, unless actively managed, will give way to trees that shade out the plants that are home to the ruffed grouse, woodcock and many songbirds, rabbits, turkey, and deer.
It's about gaining the public's support to actively managed forests, and that clear cutting when done properly is not evil or ecologically unsound.
It's about walking in the woods and pausing at the sound of what seems to be an old John Deere tractor and realizing it is a grouse drumming in spring.
It's about taking one's dog afield with expectation of bagging a grouse or "patridge."
It's about being overtaken with pride as your dog locks on point and waits for you to flush the bird or as your son or daughter bas his or her first grouse.
It's about being totally embarrassed, even when alone, when the bird flushes across an opening and evades your well-placed number 8s.
It's about inviting friends to share a fine meal of grouse and all the trimmings and listening to how your spouse backed up on the shot because yours felled an aspen.
It's about gatherings called banquets where friends with a common interest in these birds and their conversation come together to have fun and provide the funding needed to make it all happen.
It's really not about us at all; it's about our kids, grand kids and their kids, for - without our help - these places will not be there for them, or for the birds, to enjoy.