The Traveling Wingshooter 2014: Ruffed Grouse Forecast MN, MI, ME, WI, NY, PA

by Dave Smith

Ruffed grouse hunters in the Great Lakes region have learned over generations to pursue ruffs when they peak in their 9-to-11 year cycle, which last occurred between 2009 and 2011. Each year since has been marked by a predictable decline, but the results of this springˊs drumming surveys show an increase, statewide, in Minnesota and Michigan, and a slight increase in northern Wisconsin.

The M's

"This may indicate the beginning of an upswing in the grouse cycle, which has been in the declining phase since 2009," said Charlotte Roy, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Roy reported a 34 percent increase in the annual drumming surveys statewide, driven by the birdˊs prime range in northern Minnesota.

Michiganˊs drumming surveys revealed an increase from 10 to 12 drums per route, according to Al Stewart, Upland Game Bird Specialist for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Further, Stewart says that the heavy snow this winter and ideal moisture conditions this spring were perfect for over-winter survival and reproduction, thus he is cautiously optimistic for a slight increase in grouse numbers this fall.

Grouse populations in Maine have declined from the recent peak but are still near the long-term average, and this yearˊs hatch makes for a promising hunting season. "We had favorable weather for grouse nesting and hatch," said Kelsey Sullivan, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. "Drumming surveys completed this spring revealed that areas with quality grouse habitat – such as much of northern Maine above Old Town – showed good activity, so I expect production will be relatively good."

See WI, NY, PA and the full Pointing Dog Journal article

Where To Hunt Grouse and Woodcock - Wisconsin Interactive Hunting Tool - Mapping

The Fields & Forest Lands Interactive Gamebird Hunting Tool (FFLIGHT) was designed to help upland gamebird hunters locate cover suitable for ruffed grouse and woodcock, managed dove fields and properties stocked with game farm pheasants.

In recognition of the passion with which these hunters pursue upland birds and to help make their time in Wisconsin's outdoors more productive and enjoyable, the Wisconsin DNR has developed the Fields and Forest Lands Inventory Gamebird Hunting Tool.

Launch desktop

Launch mobile

This tool allows hunters to quickly locate:

• cover suitable for ruffed grouse and woodcock
• fields managed for mourning doves
• properties stocked with pheasants by the DNR

For instruction on how to use this great new tool please view this brief tutorial that highlights and shows how to use all these features.

Launch tutorial

Mapping application features

Areas suitable for ruffed grouse and woodcock - Young aspen and lowland alder stands provide excellent cover for ruffed grouse and woodcock, and can easily be located on the map. For additional information on ruffed grouse hunting please visit ruffed grouse hunting.

For additional recreational activities on Public Lands please visit Public Access Lands Map.

See the original WI DNR Website

2014 WOODCOCK - Counts - Central Region Down 7.3%

American Woodcock Singing-ground Survey data for 2014 indicate that the index for singing American woodcock (Scolopax minor) males in the Eastern Management Region was not significantly different from 2013; while there was a significant decline of 7.3% in the Central Management Region. There was a significant declining 10-year trend for woodcock heard in both Management Regions during 2004-14. This marks first time in 10 years that there has been a declining 10-year trend in the Eastern Management Region and the first time in 3 years there has been a declining 10-year trend in the Central Management Region. Both regions have a significant, long-term (1968-14) declining trend (-1.0%/year for the Eastern Management Region and -0.9%/year for the Central Management Region). 

The 2013 recruitment index for the U.S. portion of the Eastern Region (1.60 immatures per adult female) was 3.2% less than the 2012 index and 2.3% less than the long-term regional index, while the recruitment index for the U.S. portion of the Central Region (1.54 immatures per adult female) was 7.2% less than the 2012 index and was 1.4% less than the long-term regional index. Estimates from the Harvest Information Program indicated that U.S. woodcock hunters in the 
Eastern Region spent 136,700 days afield and harvested 62,500 woodcock during the 2013-14 season, while in the Central Region, hunters spent 306,100 days afield and harvested 180,600 woodcock.

See the full FWS report

MI Grouse Enhanced Management Systems gives hunters better chance

By Ed Golder 

It isn’t every day that you would find Gov. Rick Snyder and Department of Natural Resources Director Keith Creagh working shoulder-to-shoulder in the vast state forest lands of the Upper Peninsula, shovels in hand, planting nannyberry shrubs and crabapple trees.

But on a hot, sunny day in mid-August, that’s exactly what two dozen volunteers and a handful of DNR staff witnessed at the end of a two-track trail just south of Gwinn in Marquette County, where, thanks to the collaborative efforts of all parties mentioned above, a diamond in the rough has gradually become a brilliant gem.

The GEMS — or Grouse Enhanced Management Systems — is a new DNR initiative designed to bring attention to Michigan’s outstanding upland bird hunting opportunities through the creation of a series of walk-in access hunting trails intensively managed for improved ruffed grouse and woodcock hunting.

DNR wildlife division development of the GEMS hinged largely upon the support of the Ruffed Grouse Society and increased revenue from the state’s new license fee package.

“The Ruffed Grouse Society and the American Woodcock Society are both extremely excited about the new GEMS initiative,” said Eric Ellis, the Ruffed Grouse Society East Great Lakes regional biologist. “We see this as an opportunity to get our members in the field, working on habitat improvement projects at the GEMS sites, and using hunting destinations as opportunities to promote grouse and woodcock hunting and conservation in Michigan.”

Read the rest of the East Village Magazine article

Grouse, Guns, and Dogs DVD Review

It was hot and humid this weekend in St. Paul, Game Fair was over, and one of my dogs is off at training camp so I needed a boost to my grouse hunting morale.  Fortunately I had just got my DVDs "Grouse, Guns, and Dogs" delivered.  It is a 2 DVD set narrated by Paul Fuller of the Bird Dogs Afield TV show with over 3 hours of grouse hunting information and videos.

Each DVD is broken down to a number of chapters covering a wide range of grouse hunting topics.  My two favorite were both on Disk 2.  Grouse Dog Field Trials and Grouse Hunting Over Pointing Dogs.

The chapter on trialing has videos of actual trials and interviews with some of the participants.  The chapter on hunting had a number of different hunts and showed grouse hunting in varying conditions.

If you need a little something to jump start your grouse season or something to tide you over during the off season I think you will find this DVD set enjoyable.

To order or for more information visit the Bird Dogs Afield website