Free Workshop on Woodcock and Ruffed Grouse Hunting - New Hampshire

Get set for the fall grouse and woodcock season at a free workshop on Ruffed Grouse and Woodcock Hunting on Saturday, August 9, 2014, from 9 a.m. to noon at the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Owl Brook Hunter Education Center in Holderness. Pre-registration is required. To sign up, call 603-536-3954.

The session will be led by grouse hunting enthusiasts/hunter education instructors Sean Williamson and Dan Keleher. Also Andrew Weik, the Northeast biologist for the Ruffed Grouse Society, will give a presentation on ruffed grouse and woodcock and their habitat needs.

The workshop covers the basic skills needed for the pursuit of these challenging birds. Participants also will learn about grouse behavior, hunting safety issues, hunting with or without dogs, gaining permission to hunt/landowner relations, clothing choices, shotgun and ammunition options, creature comforts for an enjoyable hunt and recipes for grouse.

Grouse hunting season in New Hampshire opens October 1 and runs through December 31, with a daily bag limit of four birds. Woodcock season opens October 1 and runs through November 14. To learn more about small game hunting in New Hampshire, visit 

http://www.huntnh.com/Hunting/Hunt_species/hunt_small_game.htm.

For more information about the Owl Brook Hunter Education Center, and directions to the center, visit http://www.huntnh.com/Hunting/hunter_ed_center.htm.

Educational activities at Fish and Game’s Owl Brook Hunter Education Center are funded by the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Program, supported by your purchase of firearms, ammunition, and archery equipment.

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department works in partnership with the public to conserve manage and protect the state’s fish, wildlife and marine resources and their habitats. Visit http://www.huntnh.com.

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Studying Population Dynamics of Ruffed Grouse - Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Conservation Biology at the University of Maine

Blomberg Studying Population Dynamics of Ruffed Grouse

Erik Blomberg, an assistant professor of wildlife ecology in the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Conservation Biology at the University of Maine, received a $181,518 grant from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife for his proposal, “Understanding population dynamics of ruffed grouse.”

The three-year project aims to better understand how forest management practices and sport hunting influence Maine’s ruffed grouse populations. According to the proposal, the native bird benefits from many forms of forest harvest and is widely used as a game species by Maine residents and visitors.

Blomberg and his team will implement a large-scale field study to evaluate how components of ruffed grouse biology, such as seasonal and annual survival and nest success, respond to different types of forest composition and management. Researchers also will estimate harvest rates throughout the annual hunting season from October to December.

Collected information will close a large gap in the current understanding of ruffed grouse ecology in the region and will contribute to future management of Maine’s popular game bird, as well as contribute to the general understanding of wildlife ecology in forest ecosystems, according to the researchers.

The researchers say they will work closely with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to ensure results provide the greatest benefit to Maine wildlife management.

Read the full U Of ME article

MN Ruffed grouse counts see increase, possibly signaling uptrend

Minnesota’s ruffed grouse spring drumming counts were significantly higher than last year across most of the bird’s range, according to a survey conducted by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. 

“Ruffed grouse drums increased 34 percent from the previous year, with the increase happening in the northern part of the state,” said Charlotte Roy, DNR grouse project leader. “This may signal the start of an upswing in the grouse cycle that since 2009 has been in the declining phase.”

The increase is consistent with changes typical of the 10-year grouse cycle. The most recent peak in drum counts occurred in 2009. The cycle is less pronounced in the more southern regions of the state, near the edge of the ruffed grouse range.

Read the complete MN DNR article

2014 AMERICAN WOODCOCK POPULATION STATUS, Report Now Available

Significant decline of 7.3% in the Central Management Region.

Eastern Management Region was not significantly different from 2013

Read the full 2014 American Woodcock Report

Hiring - Maine - M.S. Assistantship – Demographics of ruffed grouse in multiple use forest landscapes

Employer:	University of Maine
Location:	Orono, ME, and regional field sites
Country:	United States
Last Date to Apply:	31 Aug 2014
Details:	Job Category: Graduate Assistantships Website: http://umaine.edu/wl...aduate-program/ Salary: Stipend: $19,123 per year plus tuition and ½ Health Insurance Premium Start Date: 09/01/2014 Description: I am seeking applicants for an M.S. position focused on evaluating the demographics of ruffed grouse in Maine. Our objectives for this project are to better characterize how forest management practices, forest habitat composition, and sport hunting influence variation in grouse survival and reproductive success. We will use a combination of mark-recapture, radio telemetry, and forest vegetation assessments to address these objectives. This project is a close collaboration with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW), and the successful applicant will work closely with MDIFW biologists and 1 other M.S. student. Field work will occur at two field sites, and each student will be responsible for supervising field operations at one of these two sites. Data collection protocols will be similar among sites, and all project data will be shared and available for the purpose of developing and addressing distinct research questions in support of each student’s graduate thesis. The start date for this position is no later than September 1, 2014, with an earlier start date possible. The student will be supported primarily through a funded research assistantship, but may be required to serve as a teaching assistant for 1 or 2 semesters. Successful applicants will be expected to apply to the Graduate School at the University of Maine, and the student will be a member of the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Conservation Biology at the University of Maine. More information on the graduate program in our department can be found online at http://umaine.edu/wl...aduate-program/.  To apply please submit the following by email to Dr. Erik Blomberg (erik.blomberg@maine.edu): Cover letter describing your qualifications for the position, CV/Resume including GRE scores and undergraduate GPA, and contact information for at least three professional references. A single merged document is preferred. Applications will be reviewed as they are received. Qualifications: Required Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree from a Wildlife Ecology, Biology, Natural Resource, or related program. A positive attitude and the ability to supervise a field crew in a remote setting is a must. The ability to tolerate less-than-pleasant field conditions, which include muggy buggy summers and cold snowy winters, is also mandatory. Must be physically fit and capable of hiking long distances in dense eastern forest habitat. Strong oral and written communication skills, experience with field work, and strong recommendations are required. Must possess a valid driver’s license. A strong academic record including undergraduate GPA (3.0 or better) and GRE scores (50% percentile or higher), plus relevant prior field experience, is desired. Desired qualifications: Preference will be given to applicants with experience working in in forest communities and with knowledge of forest ecology. Prior experience with the following field skills are desirable: radio telemetry, avian capture and handling, vegetation sampling and identification of eastern forest plants, use of 4x4 vehicles, snowmobile or ATV operation, supervision of field crews. Any relevant experience with data analysis and/or scientific writing is also a plus. Contact: Dr. Erik Blomberg, erik.blomberg@maine.edu