Birdman
08-09-2004, 12:53 PM
FALL FORECAST: Ruffed Grouse and Woodcock Hunting
Each fall, more than half a million sportsmen and women fight through dense young forests and swamp edges in pursuit of what Aldo Leopold called “the king of game birds,” the ruffed grouse.
Heart of ruffed grouse range is the Great Lakes region – home to or the destination of more grouse hunters than anywhere else in the United States. And as those orange-clad hunters fan out across Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin this fall, they can expect to find ruffed grouse numbers similar to those of 2003.
“Ruffed grouse populations in the Great Lakes region are rebounding from their cyclic low in 2002,” says Dan Dessecker, senior wildlife biologist for the Ruffed Grouse Society. He noted that several intensive ruffed grouse surveys of this past spring suggest grouse numbers in the region are stable to slightly increasing, although some surveys seemed to indicate a decline of 10-15 percent in the numbers of drumming male ruffed grouse in the Great Lakes states. “This reduced drumming activity may have been more a result of relatively cool spring weather than an actual decline in grouse numbers,” Dessecker speculates.
The ruffed grouse population cycle moves like a wave from west to east across North America, so not all regions rebound from the cyclic low at the same time. Ruffed grouse populations in Alaska have increased for the past three consecutive years since the cyclic low in 2001.
As with ruffed grouse, woodcock populations this fall are expected to be similar to 2003. Results from the woodcock singing-ground survey showed a slight increase over last year, but woodcock populations remain well below levels of the 1960s and 70s.
Unfortunately, relatively cool and wet spring weather throughout much of the Great Lakes region may have reduced the reproductive success for both ruffed grouse and woodcock. Grouse and woodcock chicks are covered with a soft down when they hatch, which provides very little insulation from inclement weather. Prolonged periods of rain and below-normal temperatures can take their toll on young chicks.
Similar to the Great Lakes region, spring weather in New England and south through the Appalachian Mountains was characterized by below-normal temperatures and above-normal rainfall. These conditions will do nothing to aid in the recovery of local grouse populations, which are at or near record lows in Virginia, Ohio, Indiana and elsewhere. While the continuing downward spiral of ruffed grouse in this region is due in part to several consecutive springs with poor weather, the primary reason is the ongoing loss of young forest habitats as forests continue to age.
Long-term trends for ruffed grouse, American woodcock, golden-winged warblers and the many other types of wildlife that require young forests are likely to continue downward as a result of habitat loss, Dessecker said.
“Habitat management beneficial to ruffed grouse and woodcock requires that mature forests be periodically harvested, which makes way for a new young forest. Unfortunately,” he observes, “managers responsible for state and federal forests are increasingly reluctant to cut trees and provide these essential habitats.”
Hunters and other dedicated conservationists need to speak out in support of active forest management if future generations of hunters and bird dogs are to enjoy a success afield comparable to today’s. “The number of small game hunters in the United States has declined by 50 percent since 1991 as a direct result of the loss of small game hunting opportunity. Continued declines in small game habitats will further threaten the future of our hunting heritage,” warns Dessecker.
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For more information contact Paul Carson, Ruffed Grouse Society, 451 McCormick Road, Coraopolis, PA 15108, PaulC@ruffedgrousesociety.org , (888) 564-6747.
___________
The Ruffed Grouse Society is a non-profit conservation organization dedicated to improving forest wildlife habitat for ruffed grouse, American woodcock and the many other game and non-game wildlife species that must have young forests to survive.
Each fall, more than half a million sportsmen and women fight through dense young forests and swamp edges in pursuit of what Aldo Leopold called “the king of game birds,” the ruffed grouse.
Heart of ruffed grouse range is the Great Lakes region – home to or the destination of more grouse hunters than anywhere else in the United States. And as those orange-clad hunters fan out across Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin this fall, they can expect to find ruffed grouse numbers similar to those of 2003.
“Ruffed grouse populations in the Great Lakes region are rebounding from their cyclic low in 2002,” says Dan Dessecker, senior wildlife biologist for the Ruffed Grouse Society. He noted that several intensive ruffed grouse surveys of this past spring suggest grouse numbers in the region are stable to slightly increasing, although some surveys seemed to indicate a decline of 10-15 percent in the numbers of drumming male ruffed grouse in the Great Lakes states. “This reduced drumming activity may have been more a result of relatively cool spring weather than an actual decline in grouse numbers,” Dessecker speculates.
The ruffed grouse population cycle moves like a wave from west to east across North America, so not all regions rebound from the cyclic low at the same time. Ruffed grouse populations in Alaska have increased for the past three consecutive years since the cyclic low in 2001.
As with ruffed grouse, woodcock populations this fall are expected to be similar to 2003. Results from the woodcock singing-ground survey showed a slight increase over last year, but woodcock populations remain well below levels of the 1960s and 70s.
Unfortunately, relatively cool and wet spring weather throughout much of the Great Lakes region may have reduced the reproductive success for both ruffed grouse and woodcock. Grouse and woodcock chicks are covered with a soft down when they hatch, which provides very little insulation from inclement weather. Prolonged periods of rain and below-normal temperatures can take their toll on young chicks.
Similar to the Great Lakes region, spring weather in New England and south through the Appalachian Mountains was characterized by below-normal temperatures and above-normal rainfall. These conditions will do nothing to aid in the recovery of local grouse populations, which are at or near record lows in Virginia, Ohio, Indiana and elsewhere. While the continuing downward spiral of ruffed grouse in this region is due in part to several consecutive springs with poor weather, the primary reason is the ongoing loss of young forest habitats as forests continue to age.
Long-term trends for ruffed grouse, American woodcock, golden-winged warblers and the many other types of wildlife that require young forests are likely to continue downward as a result of habitat loss, Dessecker said.
“Habitat management beneficial to ruffed grouse and woodcock requires that mature forests be periodically harvested, which makes way for a new young forest. Unfortunately,” he observes, “managers responsible for state and federal forests are increasingly reluctant to cut trees and provide these essential habitats.”
Hunters and other dedicated conservationists need to speak out in support of active forest management if future generations of hunters and bird dogs are to enjoy a success afield comparable to today’s. “The number of small game hunters in the United States has declined by 50 percent since 1991 as a direct result of the loss of small game hunting opportunity. Continued declines in small game habitats will further threaten the future of our hunting heritage,” warns Dessecker.
___________
For more information contact Paul Carson, Ruffed Grouse Society, 451 McCormick Road, Coraopolis, PA 15108, PaulC@ruffedgrousesociety.org , (888) 564-6747.
___________
The Ruffed Grouse Society is a non-profit conservation organization dedicated to improving forest wildlife habitat for ruffed grouse, American woodcock and the many other game and non-game wildlife species that must have young forests to survive.