When I arrived at the cabin on Saturday, I ejected from the truck and snuck through the firs and pines to shut down the game camera and retrieve the memory card. I took only a few paces before something stopped me in my tracks. A ruffed grouse basically flung itself at my feet and then began wobbling about with flared wings, acting as if wounded.
I
know this routine. I was witnessing a good mother at work. She wanted to garner
my attention and lead me away from her babies.
“I
got you,” I assured the grouse. “I just need to get to the game camera.” Upon taking two more steps, I saw her tiny babies popcorning through the tall grass
twenty or so feet to my left. After seeing them, I purposefully drifted to my
left and stopped.
“Gather
your kids,” I said evenly. “I’ll wait here for a bit.”
I
allowed Mother Grouse to press on ahead of me so she could gather her chicks
and ghost back into the forest understory.
—Mitchell
Hegman
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