In Nova Scotia, and Northern Ontario, partridge is the common name used for ruffed-grouse and sprucehens. You aren't supposed to shoot a sprucehen (they are dumber than a bag of rocks while a ruffed grouse is only as dumb as a stick ), but they can be hard to tell apart. People know the "correct" terms, but just call 'em partridge. Anyway, they would make great soft hackles and could be used anywhere "true partidge" is used also.

By the way, ruffed grouse stuffed with brown and wild rice, with butter pats in the rice and on the outside, with 3 or 4 strips of streaky baccon wrapped around the bird and sprinkled with some thyme and summer savory, salt and pepper, then wrapped in foil and backed in the oven makes a very very tasty supper! Mmmmmm.

- Jeff