The Lucky Grouse’s Foot
The grouse’s foot is a good luck charm for the hunt — predominantly in the Scottish Highlands, where men used them as kilt pins. The creature’s claws were usually bedecked in precious or semi-precious jewels and mounted in silver — though later costume versions were also available. These brooches became popular adornments for ladies’ scarves and cloaks during the Victorian era.
Grouse’s feet are not the only animal feet used as good luck charms. In the African-American hoodoo and conjure traditions of the Southern United States, a rabbit’s foot is considered lucky and chicken feet are used as amulets of protection. It is common to see a chicken’s foot hanging near the entrance of a home for this purpose. The foot is typically dressed (“fixed”) with various oils that enhance its protective properties and works by “scratching away” bad luck or ill will.
