Help identify animal based on description please

[$p00kygH0ST]

Out taking out squirrels on one of my family properties, Northeast extreme of the metro Atlanta area, bird with similar colorings to bobwhite and brown thrasher... Please excuse my crude descriptor as this is the best way I can put it.... Imagine a bobwhite, whipoorwhill, turkey, and song sparrow had a gangbang and somehow all the DNA melded into a mutant child, 2/3rds the size of a chicken, looking like an obese sparrow, round like a quail, faster than all hell, and the strut and tail display of a tom turkey. Had 2, this species has to be a game bird... Any bells ringing as to what it may be. The bird app I have is birdlab from Cornell University. And for my zip code nothing matches. The closest are thrasher, woodcock, and ovenbird, but no, way bigger, didn't appear to be flighted

 

[Dr. Kralenstein]

Did it look like this?

 

[Dr. Kralenstein]

Possibly a guinea fowl or grouse of some sort I'm thinking.

This is a ruffed grouse

 

[$p00kygH0ST]

Possibly a guinea fowl or grouse of some sort I'm thinking.

This is a ruffed grouse

View attachment 507208
View attachment 507209

That's it. Not a guinea fowl. I'm guessing top is a female? That's exactly them

 

[$p00kygH0ST]

Did it look like this?


View attachment 507207

I shot the balloons last week. Damn house landed on him.

 

[Dr. Kralenstein]

That's it. Not a guinea fowl. I'm guessing top is a female? That's exactly them

Soon as I re read the "display like turkey" I knew. They sure are odd little things. I believe they have a season down there for them in the winter.

 

[$p00kygH0ST]

Soon as I re read the "display like turkey" I knew. They sure are odd little things. I believe they have a season down there for them in the winter.

Just looked it up. Basically all autumn and half of winter. Now I have something to do the next few days

 

[Vetmx]

Grouse can fly and they are fast as hell. Like shot out of a cannon. And sound like it too.

 

[$p00kygH0ST]

Grouse can fly and they are fast as hell. Like shot out of a cannon. And sound like it too.

The one I walked up on didn't fly, but It did screech and run faster than it's obese sparrowturkey looks suggest it could even dream of

 

[Dr. Kralenstein]

Make sure you have the proper license for those. It's an odd tag, in your state. I read it's like a small game package license lol. It included migratory birds.

In Missouri it just requires small game tag and hunters license obviously.

 

[$p00kygH0ST]

Make sure you have the proper license for those. It's an odd tag here, so not sure for your state. I read it's like a small game package license lol. It included migratory birds.

Here in MO, we need specific sage or ruffed grouse tags.

As far as I know it's under general sportsmans license. There's a public land endorsement. But won't be needing that.
October 15 - Feb 28th. 3 per day. Nothing specific.

 

[Struckat]

They are good eating as long as you don’t over cook.

 

[Struckat]

I would stuff the cavity with an onion and wrap in foil to put on the grill.
Life was really good when we bagged woodcock too. They make perfect appetizers as you wait for the grouse to be done.

Seve it all up with Uncle Ben, mmmmhungry now.

 

[$p00kygH0ST]

I would stuff the cavity with an onion and wrap in foil to put on the grill.
Life was really good when we bagged woodcock too. They make perfect appetizers as you wait for the grouse to be done.

Seve it all up with Uncle Ben, mmmmhungry now.

As soon as I get home from work it's game on.

 

[bowwild]

In many parts of the East (Central to upper midwest) Ruffed Grouse can be rare. They are notoriously difficult to get a clean shot (shotgun) on. You always seem to be in a tangle of brush when one flushes. The most difficult small game I've hunted.

 

[Ricklin]

I have hunted them here in Washington state many years ago. THey are great table fare! Like fish, don't overcook.