Ruffed Grouse Management Areas - MN

Ruffed Grouse Management Areas

Ruffed Grouse Management Areas (RGMAs) are a great destination for the hunter looking to experience grouse and woodcock hunting. RGMAs are located in areas that have good potential for producing grouse and woodcock and are managed to promote suitable habitat conditions for these species.

Ruffed Grouse Management Areas:

• range in size from 400 to 4,800 acres.
• occupy over 100,000 acres in total, in 49 designated locations.
• contain 184 miles of hunter walking trails.
• allow dogs.

Find an RGMA

Visit the MN DNR site for mapping

Hunter Information

Respect private property and verify public hunting areas by observing boundary signs.

RGMAs are good places for upland forest bird hunting, yet they do receive considerable hunting pressure from bird hunters. RGMAs are also open to other types of hunting and recreation.

Note: There are thousands of acres of state forest and WMA land that, although not designated as RGMAs, have ongoing timber management that provides excellent ruffed grouse habitat.
Hunting in State Forests »

RGMA Management

RGMAs are maintained in partnership with government land owners, The Ruffed Grouse Society, volunteers, and by DNR wildlife managers. Because of the variety of ownerships and funding for maintenance, amenities and conditions can vary among locations. RGMAs may be managed by these various agencies through cooperative agreements or by a single agency.

Trail Information

Enhancements on the trails vary. Some feature clover planted along the trail; others have forest openings that tend to attract wildlife. Some are mowed annually. Many of the trails follow the courses of old logging roads. Forests change over time as the succession of forest growth progresses. Because of this natural cycle, the forest along the trails and the wildlife that inhabit the area change with time.

Thanks! Many RGMAs and this online resource were developed with funding from Ruffed Grouse Society opens in a new browser tab.

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Attend Game Fair MN for Free. Volunteer with RGS

Game Fair Volunteers Needed

The Ruffed Grouse Society & American Woodcock Society will be at Game Fair on August 11-13 & 18-20, and we need your help staffing our booth!

All volunteers receive free admission to Game Fair.
 

Anyone can volunteer, and you'll meet local RGS & AWS members, spread the message of forest habitat, hang out with bird dogs and learn more about what our partners are doing.

 

Contact Sam Tillman, Regional Engagement Coordinator, or click this link to sign up https://signup.com/go/mnsxpHe. 

 

Never been to Game Fair? Check it out! It's like the state fair for outdoors folk - with activities for all ages.

MN Twin Cities Ruffed Grouse Society Chapter Fun Shoot August 30 @ 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm

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

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.

Original DNR post 

 

 

Twin Cities MN Chapter Birds & Brew Monday, June 19, 2023 6 - 8 p.m.

 

 

Birds & Brew

Monday, June 19, 2023
6 - 8 p.m.

Boom Island Brewing
5959 Baker Road #320
Minnetonka, MN 55345
 

Join the Twin Cities Chapter of the Ruffed Grouse Society
for a fun meet-and-greet event at Boom Island Brewing.

The Twin Cities Chapter is looking for passionate individuals to
volunteer on the committee and help with events.

RGS & AWS welcomes any and all members and non-members to attend this event, learn about RGS & AWS and talk about all things upland hunting!

For questions, please contact:
Gordon Wright
or
Sam Tillman, RGS & AWS Regional Engagement Coordinator
412-742-5144

Grouse hunting notebook: Favorable northwest Minnesota outlook

By Brad Dokken

 

Grouse and partridge seasons opened Saturday, Sept. 10, in North Dakota, and they get underway Saturday, Sept. 17, in Minnesota. Here are some notes about hunting seasons and prospects in the two states.

Favorable northwest outlook

Ruffed grouse hunters in northwest Minnesota have cause for optimism this fall, it seems, based on brood sightings at Red Lake and Thief Lake wildlife management areas, and Beltrami Island State Forest.

Spring drumming counts were up statewide at 1.9 drums per stop, compared with a statewide average of 1.3 drums per stop in 2021, the DNR reported in July. The Northwest region had the highest spring counts, at 2.9 drums per stop – up from 1.1 drums per stop last year – and the Northeast region tallied 2.0 drums per stop, up from 1.4 in 2021.

Drumming counts at Red Lake and Thief Lake saw similar increases.

“I think we are on track for a decent season – or at least I am personally optimistic,” said Charlie Tucker, manager of Red Lake Wildlife Management Area at Norris Camp, south of Roosevelt, Minn.

Staff at Thief Lake Wildlife Management Area in Marshall County echoed that optimism in a newsletter posted Friday, Sept. 9. Drumming counts on both of the WMA’s two survey routes around Thief Lake and Randen Ridge were up from 2021.

“We had a wet spring, with a record amount of precipitation in May, but we began to dry out and warm up after that,” the newsletter indicated. “Staff have been observing broods while working in the field so that is a good sign for this fall.”

Barring heavy rains, access conditions should be good.

“We are relatively dry around here, so that bodes well for walking on forest trails,” said Tucker, the Red Lake WMA manager. “Folks shouldn’t have any extra worries about getting vehicles stuck or anything like that.”

Walking trails within Red Lake WMA and adjacent Beltrami Island State Forest should be accessible, but because of staffing issues, maintenance on some of those trails could be “either behind schedule or nonexistent,” Tucker said.

Read the full DL-Online article for more projections and the full article

 

MN 2022 Ruffed grouse counts up unexpectedly from last year

 

 

Minnesota’s ruffed grouse spring population counts are up from last year, which was not expected during the current declining phase of the 10-year cycle — a pattern recorded for 72 years.

“While ruffed grouse drumming counts are up, they are not a reliable way to predict the fall hunting season,” said Charlotte Roy, grouse project leader with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. “We also recorded an increase in sharp-tailed grouse in east-central Minnesota, which is positive this year but could be short-lived.”

Unexpectedly high ruffed grouse counts this year may have resulted from the warm temperatures and dry conditions last year during May and June, which favors high nest success and chick survival. Snow conditions also were favorable during winter for roosting throughout much of the core of grouse range.

The DNR and its partners use spring drumming counts to help monitor the ruffed grouse breeding population through time. 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 heard drumming on established routes throughout the state’s forested regions.

“In a typical year, we have 16 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.”

Historically, these spring counts were related to the fall population; however, in recent years, drumming counts have not reliably predicted the fall hunting season.

The number of birds present during the fall hunting season also depends upon nesting success and chick survival during the spring and summer. Nesting success and chick survival are influenced by many factors, including weather during May and June, which has been more extreme in recent years, and other factors, including disease and predators. This year in May and June, heavy rainfall and flooding affected much of the core of ruffed grouse range.

The ruffed grouse survey report can be found on the grouse management page of the DNR website.

MN 2021 Ruffed grouse counts down from last year

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minnesota’s ruffed grouse spring population counts are down from last year as expected during the declining phase of the species’ 10-year cycle — a predictable pattern recorded for 72 years. Although peaks vary from eight to 11 years apart, the most recent peak in the cycle occurred in 2017.

Ruffed grouse populations are surveyed by counting the number of male ruffed grouse heard drumming on established routes throughout the state’s forested regions. 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.

The spring drumming counts are an important indicator of the ruffed grouse breeding population. The number of birds present during the fall hunting season also depends upon nesting success and chick survival during the spring and summer.

If production of young birds is low during the summer months, hunters may see fewer birds than expected based on counts of drumming males in the spring. Conversely, when production of young is high, hunters may see more birds than anticipated in the fall.

The 2021 statewide survey results for ruffed grouse were 1.3 drums per stop. The most recent peak in 2017 was 2.1 drums per stop. During the low point of the cycles, counts are typically about 0.8 drums per stop.

Drum counts were 1.4 drums per stop in the northeast survey region; 1.1 drums per stop in the northwest; 0.8 drums per stop in the central hardwoods; and 0.9 drums per stop in the southeast survey region.

Read the full Grouse Survey Report

Over 4,000 acres of Potlatch land in Northern MN transferred for public use

Greg Seitz

Almost 4,400 acres of land located between Duluth and Minnesota’s northern border have been acquired by St. Louis County, thanks to efforts by two conservation groups. The deal will transfer lands from forest products company PotlatchDeltic to the county for permanent protection and public access.

 
The county will manage the lands for recreation, wildlife, and sustainable timber harvest.

 
“PotlatchDeltic was one of the largest private industrial forest landowners in St. Louis County, and the impact of that land being sold and developed would reverberate across the North Woods,” said Daryl Peterson, director of restoration programs with the Minnesota Land Trust. “Once land is sold off to a hundred different parties, it is nearly impossible to manage the incredible forest ecosystems native to northern Minnesota.”

 
The Minnesota Land Trust and The Conservation Fund purchased the four large parcels with $4.2 million provided by the Minnesota Legacy Amendment, and then donated them to St. Louis County. The deal was the biggest in Minnesota Land Trust history since it was founded in 1991. Additional funding came from the Four Cedars Environmental Fund of the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation, the Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation, and the Wallin family.

 
The protected land fosters many types of wildlife, including white-tailed deer, gray wolves, Canada lynx, and ruffed grouse. It also provides habitat for sensitive bird species, located at the edge of breeding ranges for the Golden-winged and Blackburnian Warbler, as well as the American Woodcock.

 

Read the full Quetico Superior Wilderness News article

Focus Outdoors National Hunt MN Ruffed Grouse Hunting with RGS Video

Focus Outdoors National Hunt MN Ruffed Grouse Hunting with RGS Video

Outdoor Bound TV Bowen Lodge Minnesota Grouse and Woodcock Hunting Video

This week on Outdoor Bound TV, we get ready to hit the woods at famous Bowen Lodge in Northern Minnesota for a little October grouse and woodcock hunting with a group of friends, who gather each year, from all over the U.S., to take part in this special weekend. Come on along, as it's all about good friends, good food and great hunting.

Minnesota ruffed grouse preview: 'Average' season in the cards, DNR wildlife managers predict

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Written By:  Brad Dokken

Trying to predict ruffed grouse hunting prospects is never an exact science, given the thick wooded cover in which the birds are found, but all of the signs this year point to an average season in Minnesota – or perhaps slightly better than average.

Minnesota’s season for ruffed grouse, spruce grouse and Hungarian partridge opens Saturday, Sept. 19. Sharptail season opens Sept. 19 in the Northwest Zone and Saturday, Oct. 10, in the East-central Zone.

Based on spring drumming count surveys, which were abbreviated this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic, surveyors from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and other cooperators tallied a statewide average of 1.6 drums per stop along their listening routes.

That’s on par with or better than the past five years with the exception of 2017, when the spring survey count was 2.1 drums per stop statewide, a number that didn’t translate into better hunting success that fall and left many DNR experts shaking their heads.

By the numbers

Biologists tally spring ruffed grouse abundance by following set routes and stopping to listen for the “drumming” sound male ruffs make as the birds rapidly beat their wings in an effort to attract a mate.

By region, this year’s survey tallied 1.7 drums per stop in the Northeast, which encompasses the core of Minnesota grouse range; 1.2 drums per stop in the Northwest, down from a statewide high last year of 2.1 drums per stop; and 1.2 drums per stop in the Central Hardwoods.

The Southeast survey region wasn’t sampled this year. The DNR didn’t conduct a sharptail survey this past spring because of the pandemic.

Read the full article for more reports and updates

 

 

 

 

Minnesota 2020 Ruffed grouse counts similar to last year

Minnesota’s ruffed grouse spring population counts are similar to last year and likely are following the 10-year cycle of rise and fall—a predictable pattern recorded for 71 years. Due to COVID-related restrictions, this past spring’s drumming counts in southeastern Minnesota were not conducted as planned.

As the DNR was able to resume more field operations in May, there was still time to conduct drumming counts in more northerly portions of the state, where grouse breeding occurs later.

While spring drumming counts that were conducted produced similar results as last year, only having counts from the northern region—which has more forest and holds more grouse—likely means the statewide index is higher than it would be if the southeastern region was included.

Some consider the ruffed grouse the “king of game birds” because it’s a challenge to pursue, a thrill to witness on the wing and a delicious wild game entrée when served. These birds are native to Minnesota—the top ruffed grouse-producing state in the coterminous United States, with millions of acres of public land for hunters and their dogs to explore.

Drumming counts are an indicator of the ruffed grouse breeding population. However, the number of birds present during the fall hunting season also depends upon nesting success and chick survival during the spring and summer.

The number of birds present during the fall hunting season also depends upon nesting success and chick survival during the spring and summer.

If production of young birds is low during the summer months, hunters may see fewer birds than expected based on counts of drumming males in the spring. Conversely, when production of young is high, hunters may see more birds in the fall.

The 2020 survey results for ruffed grouse were 1.6 drums per stop. The averages during 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 were 1.1, 1.3, 2.1, 1.5 and 1.6 respectively. Counts vary from about 0.6 drums per stop during the years of cyclical low grouse abundance to about 2.0 during years of high abundance.

Drum counts were 1.7 drums per stop in the northeast survey region; counts were 1.2 drums per stop in the northwest; 1.2 drums per stop in the central hardwoods; and no routes were completed during the appropriate survey window in the southeast survey region.

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 heard drumming on established routes throughout the state’s forested regions.

“In a typical year we have 16 cooperating organizations providing folks to help us count grouse drumming,” Roy said. “We are grateful to our federal and tribal partners, some of whom conducted extra routes to get surveys completed during the pandemic.”
Biologists were not able to collect sharp-tailed grouse survey data this year during the pandemic.

The Minnesota grouse hunting season opens on Saturday, Sept. 19. More information about ruffed grouse hunting and sampling, the grouse survey report and West Nile virus is available on the DNR grouse hunting page.


RESULTS & DISCUSSION Ruffed GrouseObservers from 11 cooperating organizations surveyed 102 routes (80% of all routes) between 21 April and 13 May 2020, with 84% of northern routes completed and 42% of southern routes completed. Most routes (89%) were surveyed between 21 April and 10 May, with a median survey date of May 6, which is similar to last year (May 4) and the median survey date for the most recent 10 years (May 3). Observers reported Excellent (61%), Good (37%), and Fair (2%) survey conditions for 95 routes reporting conditions.  

Statewide counts of ruffed grouse drums averaged 1.6 dps (95% confidence interval = 1.2–1.9dps) during 2020 (Figure 3). Drum counts were 1.7 (1.3–2.0) dps in the Northeast survey region (n = 92 routes), 1.2 (1.0–1.3) dps in the Northwest survey region (n = 5), 1.2 (0.4–2.2) dps in the Central Hardwoods survey region (n = 10), and no routes were completed during the appropriate survey window in the Southeast survey region (Figure 4a-d).  

Statewide drum counts were similar to last year. I received 5 surveys from 2019 after the report was written last year, and updated results are included here. The southern survey regions tend to have lower average counts than the northern regions each year, and because southern regions were not surveyed in 2020, the statewide index is likely higher than it would be if southern routes were included. In the Northeast and Northwest, counts were similar to or down from last year, respectively. In the Central Hardwoods, observers surveyed only the northern portion of the region where counts tend to be higher, which likely explains the slightly higher, although not statistically different, dps in this region in 2020 compared to 2019. The most recent peak in the 10-year cycle occurred in 2017. Although peaks in the cycle occur on average approximately every 10 years, they vary from 8 to 11 years apart (Figure 3). Recent survey data indicate that ruffed grouse are in the declining phase of the 10-year cycle in Minnesota.

 Read the original DNR Article