Weird band story - Bill E. don't miss this

Scott Farris

Scott Farris

Well-known member
I swear this is the truth with little or no embellishment: Sunday morning a bit before 7 AM, 20 min before sunrise, and roughly 29F, I was on the road to go ice fishing for the first time this season. Joining me was Mark, my usual ice fishing partner & Meg’s father-in-Law. We had the road to ourselves, a state highway that winds up & down through a large (for CT) state forest. We were BS’ing when a largish brown bird flushed from the right shoulder and at 60 ft/sec it was an almost instantaneous thud and cloud of feathers as the bird seemed to vanish. I stopped, and we proceeded to back up well past the collision point without spotting the bird. Giving up, we then continued on to fish. Flags flew fairly well early, then it started to rain about 9 am and the fishing slowed way down. Around 10:30 it was dead and we threw in the (soaked) towel and were on the road home by 11:00. The rain was freezing up on all non-heavily salted surfaces making the drive interesting at times. I dropped Mark off at his house then arrived home in the rain. Backed up to the garage (The X is actually too tall to fit in the garage) and unloaded all the wet gear and called it a day.

Flash forward to this morning. Lots of ice everywhere, so I start the Xterra’s motor 5 minutes early to help melt the ice off her. It work, when I came back out I was able to brush the ice off the windows. I worked around the back and eventually get up front and cleaned the first headlight off. As I stepped around to get the second light, there is a partridge (Ruffed Grouse) laying frozen on the bumper, feet up wedged behind one of the off road lights, and it’s banded. Reaching to get it off the bumper, I see the wire sticking out – it’s radio equipped no less.
When I arrived at work this am there were still feathers frozen to the bumper so I took this phone photo.
PartridgeCatcher_zps40391b4c.jpg

So if you don’t hear from me for a while they’ve probably hauled me off for pouching, as there is no hunting on Sundays here in CT. I did leave a message on the DEEP’s phone line, as I’m sure they will want the radio back. Bill E., think this is one of the birds you banded? & who at DEEP is doing the Grouse study?

Scott
 
quite a story- i wonder what the telemetry data looked like while you were going down the road with the bird on your bumper

hope he was in good enough shape for dinner - shame to waste a grouse
 
Rick,

I'll find out it's condition tonight. Not finding it until this morning, head to work time, I didn't get to do an autopsy. In fact I may wait until tomorrow after I talk to the state biologist in case there is a question on how it passed. However, I do like to eat grouse!

Scott
 
Dave,

I'm still under 80, so if they give me internet privileges, I'll be using them to remember what women look like. Not using them to torture myself, reading about all you guys having a ball on the marsh, while I'm rotting away in a cage.

Thanks for the cheerful thoughts,
Scott
 
Likely story Scott, If you need a character witness (for the right price) I will stand up on your behalf. I think Kelly was doing a study on grouse and I will give Rich a call and tell him the story.
Pete
 
You know Scott, you probably killed the last one in CT. I don't know anyone who has heard or seen one in the last 2/3 years. btw, did you make it out with Dave M Saturday?
 
Wendell, Yes we made it out. Beautiful but slow day on the bay. Getting started was a Beach, it was single digit temps and my motor wouldn't start. The primary fuel hose was leaking and when I tried the older back up hose it snapped as I tried to straighten it. I then stole a couple of hose clamps off the broken line and cut off the leaking hose ends and stuffed the new cut ends onto the bulb and the motor connector as both were leaking. I used the boat 2 weeks before with no fuel line issues but at warmer temps. guess I'll be making up two new lines by next season.

We we pulled out, the harbor was loaded with divers but only the channel area was free of ice. Hunting it would have meant shooting at the docks which I don't think would have gone over well. Even the island was frozen up.

Still company & muffins were great and we did have a flight of brant come into the B&W rig.

Scott
 
I gave Kelly a hand starting the grouse project but i wasnt lucky enough to see one there. The only place i have seen one was flying over the discharge channel where ct yankee used to be
 
I emailed Kelly with a link to this post. I'm sure I'll get a reply if he is working tomorrow. Heck, I even have his cell number if he tries to ignore me, I want to know if I can dress it out and eat it or if they want it for the study.

Scott
 
That is quite a story Scott! But don't you know that the bumper/grill is the first place you look for a bird you've hit?

Hope it is good eating. I'm sure the state will appreciate getting their transmitter back.
 
I heard from Kelly, it was one of his. He's in the last year of a three year study. He wants the radio back but I can grill the bird, again! He will provide more info on the bird tomorrow.

Scott
 
Scott ,


Now the bumper with stood a der and now a Partridge !!! Imagine what the Deep thought when they followed that bird to your work via the long way !!! Hahahha !! Glad you got some Partridge anyway .


Dave
 
I was hunting this afternoon and got a random FB message from a girl I went to grade school with.."a friend of mine hit a partridge today with his truck, it was banded and has a radio, what should he do?" I messaged her back to get the number of the criminal, because we just got new phone lines at the office, and to be honest I have no idea what the number is anymore. She sends me "Scott; 860.555.IKRG" (I Kill Ruffed Grouse)" and I texted Kelly, this guy has a banded/radio grouse and gave the number. Kelly texted back that he already emailed about it. I thought that was strange, and texted back so, he said the killer was Scott Farris, Rich had called it in.

Small World! I guess you and Michelle met at a Xterra race or something?!

There are a few pockets of them left in CT if you know where to look. I did a couple of drumming surveys this spring and heard 3 or 4 different drummers.
 
Bill,

I've have been emailing Kelly, right now I'm waiting to talk with Mark to see if we can pin down exactly where we hit it. With respect to Michelle, she wheels her shiny new Pro-4X Xterra with us:

View attachment MichelleX.jpg

Fun times, I just wish there were legal trails in CT, we keep having to go to MA.

Best,
Scott
 
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