Are grouse any good to eat?

I've been going up to Nebraska at Christmas time for the last 5 years now pheasant hunting on public ground. Well, it's pretty tuff finding birds this late in the season especially but I still love going. I normally see pretty good numbers of grouse every year, and saw a bunch of them this year but haven't pulled the trigger on one yet because I keep hearing they're no good to eat. Had quite a few in range this year & my trigger finger sure was itching after walking all day & no pheasants. Question: Are grouse any good to eat?

What kind? I assume Sharptails since you're in the plains..

I brought some sharpies back from ND, braised them with mushrooms, bacon and wine. They came out fine. The wine, and bacon helps.

I've been told to cook them medium rare.If your talking about sharp tails

The breast meat is dark. It taste kind of like a cross between an Atwater prairie chicken, and a Whooping Crain.

You know, I really don't know what kind they are. Everyone there just calls them grouse. I guess I need to study up on them a little. I spotted a big group of them coming out of a field probably 1,000 yrds away. I knelt down & didn't move & they ended up flying dang near right over me. They just kept coming, group after group. As they got closer at first I thought they might have been pheasant hens, which is a no no to shoot but would have been great to see since the pheasant population is down so low in Nebraska. I shot a rooster last year that was mixed up in a bunch of grouse coming out of a corn field. I've been passing all of these birds, maybe I'll just shoot a couple next time & try them out for myself.

Well I like eating dove, duck ain't bad if I fixem' up. If the meat is anything like that then I'm sure I'll like them. I've never eaten a prairie chicken or a crane so don't know what that's like?

It was a joke.

Gotcha lol, was a little curious though on the whooping crane lol.

Blue Grouse or Fools Grouse are a little tough especially the
legs..You'll find them in the mountains, ect..But the other
grouse should be fine...except the legs may be tough because of
the running..they are a real game bird..and much sought after in
Iowa ect..DD

We killed quite a few in SD but did not like the taste. You might try to soak them in a sweet red wine first. These were sharptails.

My brother has taken many up in MN in the boundary waters canoe area on the trail. He cooks them up, and says they are great.

In michigan rough grouse were one of the best upland birds that we could get second to pheasant. We would take off the whole breast from 2 or 3 birds and make a roast out of it with bacon slices on top.

I have eaten many ruffed grouse...just as good as any other upland bird...tastes like quail or pheasant.

I shot many sharpies when I lived in North Dakota and never had any issue with their meat. As with any game make sure the meat isn't overcooked!

Much better meat than any duck. Capercaillie (wood grouse) is my favourite.

I agree with beatarmy-

I hunt ruffed grouse and they taste just fine. The strong taste that they can sometimes have is from whatever they are eating (whether it be pine seeds, sage seeds). Sometimes you can smell if the bird meat is going to be strong. If it does smell strong, I find it best to just breast the bird and remove the legs, and soak the meat in saltwater overnight. this tends to get rid of the game flavor.

Good luck!

Thanks guys!

I grew up eating ruffed grouse and it was some of the best meat I can remember eating. I shot a lot with a savage camper special 20 gauge off my honda 250 enduro. It was a daily thing to hunt grouse in the eavings after school.

My Dog Raising Buddy in Moscow Ia, Ron Cross says they are excellent, and to cook them like a pheasant..Don

Early season blue grouse might be the best to eat ever, they would be eating mostly berries. late season, not so good.

Ruffed Grouse and Spruce Grouse are fantastic. Do not over cook or you will dry them out.

Ruffed Grouse and Spruce Grouse are fantastic. Do not over cook or you will dry them out.