New England Grouse Shooting

I’ll admit, I approached *New England Grouse Shooting* skeptical that a 75-year-old book could hold up against today’s tactical, gear-obsessed hunting media. Within 20 minutes, Justin Spencer’s narration—gruff but never gravelly, like a New Englander who’s seen a few too many Octobers—had me hooked. Spencer’s pacing is deliberate, letting Foster’s sharp observations land like shotgun pellets: *“A grouse doesn’t fly; it explodes.”* That line alone justifies the listen. The book’s strength lies in its refusal to romanticize. Foster devotes entire chapters to the *failure* of grouse hunting—the way a bird can vanish mid-flush, the humiliation of whiffing a point-blank shot, the sheer physical toll of thrashing through alder thickets. It’s refreshing in an era where outdoor media often sells aspiration over reality. My only critique? The audiobook’s lack of supplementary material (no maps, no illustrations of Foster’s famous paintings) feels like a missed opportunity—his descriptions of *how* grouse use terrain are so vivid, I found myself pausing to sketch diagrams. And while Spencer’s performance is excellent, his delivery occasionally flattens Foster’s dry humor; a few lines that should land like punchlines instead drift by like casual asides. Still, this is a masterclass for anyone who’s ever cursed a grouse’s name—or dreams of doing so. Just don’t expect it to make you a better shot. Only the woods can do that.