Minnesota Horse and Gun Club
2920 220th Street E, Prior Lake, MN 55372
2 P.M.
REGISTRATION
2:30 P.M.
SHOTGUN START
4 P.M.
POST-SHOOT
APPETIZERS
CASH BAR
4 P.M. - 6 P.M.
SILENT AUCTION
& GUN RAFFLES
Wednesday, August 30, 2023
Proceeds benefit the
Ruffed Grouse Society’s
conservation efforts.
Pricing and Registration
Showing posts with label 2023. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2023. Show all posts
WI 2023 11% decrease statewide in ruffed grouse drumming activity from 2022
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced that data is now available from annual spring surveys of Wisconsin ruffed grouse, pheasant and waterfowl.
The spring surveys showed ruffed grouse and pheasant counts below the 5-year average, including an 11% decrease statewide in ruffed grouse drumming activity from 2022.
The decreases observed in the ruffed grouse and pheasant populations in this year's surveys were not unexpected.
“We are entering the down phase of the 10-year abundance cycle,” said Brian Dhuey, DNR Wildlife Surveys Specialist. “It is likely we will continue to see some declines in abundance in the coming years before we start to see increases, with the peak of the next cycle likely coming around 2029, 2030 or 2031. While the number of birds detected is down overall, there will still be pockets of good ruffed grouse abundance, although these areas will be fewer and harder to find this fall.”
2023 MN Ruffed grouse counts remain high in core of ruffed grouse range
Minnesota’s ruffed grouse spring population counts are up again from last year and are similar to other recent peaks in the 10-year population cycle of grouse — a pattern recorded for 72 years, according to a study from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
The DNR and its partners use spring drumming counts to help monitor the ruffed grouse breeding population through time.
The recent grouse population trend includes a low point in the cycle in 2021 that was not as low as previous lows, followed by unexpectedly higher counts in 2022 and again this year.
Warm temperatures and dry conditions that favor high nest success and chick survival the past two years may partly explain the quicker than expected rise to levels like recent peaks in the 10-year cycle. Snow conditions also were favorable for roosting throughout much of the core of grouse range during the past two winters.
“While ruffed grouse drumming counts are up in the core of ruffed grouse range, they are not an accurate way to predict the birds that will be present during the fall hunting season,” said Charlotte Roy, DNR grouse project leader. “Nesting success and chick survival during the spring and summer are among the factors that influence the number of birds present in the fall.”
Drumming is a low sound produced by males as they beat their wings rapidly and in increasing frequency to signal the location of their territory. Drumming displays also attract females that are ready to begin nesting. Ruffed grouse populations are surveyed by counting the number of male ruffed grouse drums on established routes throughout the state’s forested regions.
“In a typical year, we have 13 cooperating organizations providing folks to help us count grouse drumming,” Roy said. “We are grateful to our federal and tribal partners for their assistance in completing routes.”
The ruffed grouse survey report can be found on the grouse management webpage of the DNR website.
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