The history, significance and future of ruffed grouse in the Catskills. A sense of loss is wedded to hunting. When we’re in the woods, we fight the inevitable passing of time like characters in a tragedy whose ending is assured. Though it’s not the reason why we hunt, death is the logical conclusion of the enterprise, and a tinge of mourning follows the balletic descent of a shot grouse. Our beloved bird dogs barrel through the brush, and we smile, but we know they only have so many seasons in their short lives, and we want to hold on to those...
Pennsylvania Wilds Upland Bird Hunt: The Ruffed Grouse and American Woodcock Society Celebrate the Upland Lifestyle
Recapping the fun and fervor of the Upland Bird Hunt hosted annually in the Pennsylvania Wilds.
Upland hunting is a lifestyle. The conscious uplander is part hunter, conservationist, art lover, biologist, chef and storyteller. When people gather at the Ruffed Grouse Society’s Upland Bird Hunt (UBH) in the Pennsylvania Wilds, they celebrate that lifestyle, contribute to scientific research, and have a positive impact on the local community.
[Read more…] about Pennsylvania Wilds Upland Bird Hunt: The Ruffed Grouse and American Woodcock Society Celebrate the Upland LifestyleGordon Gullion: Sage of the Ruffed Grouse
Gordon Gullion played an integral role in the study of ruffed grouse as well as the history of the Ruffed Grouse Society. People tend to take scientific discoveries for granted. There are laws of gravity, for example, that govern our world, but we don’t often think about Isaac Newton when we go about our day. When hunting ruffed grouse and scanning for the aspen trees they use as cover and sources of food in portions of their range, we’re probably not thinking of Gordon Gullion, the conservation scientist whose studies and observations enhanced our understanding of ruffed grouse and formally linked...
Appalachian Ruffed Grouse: Ecology and Management
A synopsis and review of the book Appalachian Ruffed Grouse: Ecology and Management
The Appalachian ruffed grouse population is like a classic, small-market major league baseball team battling the Yankees or Red Sox; the odds are against them because of a disparity of resources. Unlike their kin of the North Woods, Appalachian grouse lack aspen trees for food and cover, which Gordon Gullion, a leading expert on grouse during his lifetime, considered their prime habitat. Nevertheless, ruffed grouse are adaptable birds that have thrived in Appalachia for thousands of years.
[Read more…] about Appalachian Ruffed Grouse: Ecology and ManagementForestry Is Always Essential
Co-Authored by Anthony Giattino and Jon Steigerwaldt Exploring the Essential Nature of Forestry Despite vacant streets in normally vibrant cities and traffic-free highways across the country, there exists a steady hum of essential labor; some things can’t be canceled. The Ruffed Grouse Society and American Woodcock Society is still advocating for healthy forests to promote the creation of habitat for species in danger of being crowded out of existence. In this difficult moment when forest industry products, like basic hygienic items, are in high demand, the RGS & AWS is actively working with partners in the critical industry of forestry to...
American Woodcock on the Jersey Shore – RGS
Photo By | Tim Flanigan – NatureExposure.com Borrowed Birds American woodcock migration maps resemble an airline’s route map for the eastern United States; these birds love to move. Like an airplane, woodcock need proper places to land in every state they visit. The Ruffed Grouse Society and American Woodcock Society (RGS & AWS) provides its local chapters with the resources and professional expertise needed to foster habitat for these migratory birds. Regional chapters, like the newly assembled Jersey Shore chapter of the AWS, provide local knowledge and connections needed on the ground. [Read more…] about American Woodcock on the Jersey Shore –...
