The Wisconsin Ruffed Grouse Management Planning Committee has finished its first ruffed grouse management plan draft. This plan will serve as a tool for managing ruffed grouse in Wisconsin and includes information on ruffed grouse ecology, management history, and proposes future management goals for ruffed grouse in Wisconsin.
[Read more…] about Public Comment | Wisconsin Grouse Season
Earlier this month, RGS/AWS President & CEO, Ben Jones was featured on the East To West Hunting podcast.
Joining host Todd Waldron, the two discuss all things RGS/AWS from wildlife and habitat conservation to recruiting new upland bird hunters.
Follow RGS/AWS Northeast regional director, Joe Levesque through the October woods as he shares the experience with Zach Hein of CZ-USA and Alex Costa of ANR Design.
This is a story about the grouse woods, unpredictable weather, witty birds, first hunts, and friends. Join RGS/AWS as you feel the experience and Live For October.
The Ruffed Grouse Society was disheartened to hear of the New Jersey ruffed grouse hunting season closure announced last week. The NJ Department of Fish & Wildlife’s population monitoring clearly justifies the move. Ruffed grouse are a bellwether of forest health. Their decline mirrors that of other forest wildlife in New Jersey including golden-winged warbler, blue-winged warbler, cerulean warbler, wood thrush, and American woodcock.
[Read more…] about New Jersey Grouse Season Closure
What’s the first thing most people think about when they hear the word fire? It often has a bad reputation as a purely destructive, terrible force that ruins the environment and drives out all wildlife. You see it represented that way in popular culture (e.g., Bambi) or even on the news. It’s true – wildfires can be very dangerous and often threaten lives and property. But even when it comes to prescribed fire, many people are still cautious. So how can we turn that negative perception around? I chatted once again with Jon Steigerwaldt, Ruffed Grouse Society Regional Biologist for Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, and Iowa. It turns out Jon’s Master’s thesis was on fire history, ecology, and implementation. So who better to talk to about this topic?
[Read more…] about Why Fire is So Important for Wildlife and Habitat
Are you or someone you know interested in supporting the Ruffed Grouse Society and American Woodcock Society mission via the production and coordination of our award winning COVERS magazine? If so, we would love to hear from you. See below for complete details.
Request for Proposal: Managing Editor/Magazine Production Coordinator
The Ruffed Grouse Society and American Woodcock Society seek a qualified individual to serve as an independent contractor to oversee production of their quarterly magazine, Covers.
[Read more…] about RGS/AWS Seeking COVERS Magazine Editor
RECENT VICTORIES
John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act
In February, the Ruffed Grouse Society and American Woodcock Society celebrated Senate and House approval of the John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (S. 47). The president later signed S. 47 into law on March 12, 2019. The bill included permanent reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). LWCF has invested over $16 billion in conservation and outdoor recreation since originally passed in 1964. RGS/AWS staff, along with a coalition of our conservation and forest industry partners, worked to secure a $425 million LWCF appropriation in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018, a 6.25% increase over the previous year. However, LWCF authorization expired despite a 50-year track record of successfully conserving habitat and expanding recreational access.
[Read more…] about Conservation Policy Update | July 2019
RGS/AWS President and CEO, Ben Jones was recently a guest on the Project Upland Podcast. Hosted by RGS/AWS member Nick Larson, the two were joined by Creative Director of Northwoods Collective and Project Upland, A.J. DeRosa.
[Read more…] about Ben Jones Featured on the Project Upland Podcast
