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Healthy Forests, Abundant Wildlife, Conservation Ethic

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Ohio DNR Proposes Changes to Ruffed Grouse Hunting Season – RGS

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Proposed Ohio ruffed grouse hunting season changes.

Following the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Wildlife Council meeting on January 16, 2020 the Ohio Division of Wildlife has recommended the following regulation changes for ruffed grouse:

Ruffed Grouse Season Length:
Public Land Oct 10-Nov 29, 51 day season (Currently to Jan 31)
Private Land Oct 10-Jan 21, 77 day season (Currently to Jan 31)
One bird bag limit (Currently two bird bag limit)

Ohio has seen a dramatic reduction of young forest age class on the landscape, however even in large scale state forest land where forest management has stabilized, grouse populations have not recovered.

Data courtesy of Mark Wiley, OH DOW.
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A Winter Grouse Hunt in Wisconsin – RGS

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Winter-grouse-hunt
Photo by | Mark Parman

The sights, sounds and silence of a winter grouse hunt.

On a winter grouse hunt all is quiet, save for the creaking of my snowshoe bindings and the webbing crunching the snow underneath. Not wearing his usual Swiss bell, which would clog with snow, even the dog is quiet. He mostly walks behind me in the packed snow, occasionally stepping on my snowshoes. When Jenkins steps out of my tracks, he swims in snow as he breaks his own trail.

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Ruffed Grouse Society | American Woodcock Society and Partners Applaud Efforts to Protect Boundary Waters Habitat

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Proposed legislation to Protect Boundary Waters Canoe Area.

January 15, 2020
For Immediate Release

Coraopolis, Pa. – The Ruffed Grouse Society and American Woodcock Society (RGS|AWS) today applauded introduction of the bipartisan Boundary Waters Protection and Pollution Prevention Act (H.R. 5598), legislation that would permanently protect fish, wildlife, and the recreation industry within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area from proposed upstream copper-nickel mining development in the Superior National Forest.

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Purina Continues Commitment to Conservation – RGS

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Purina Pro Plan

CORAOPOLIS, Pa. — The Ruffed Grouse Society and American Woodcock Society are honored to announce the extension of a historic commitment to conservation by a critical partner organization, Purina, a premier global manufacturer of pet products. With a renewed partnership in place between the organizations, Purina will continue to support the RGS/AWS conservation network in the improvement of wildlife habitat and forest health. In addition, RGS/AWS membership will benefit through the contributions and expertise of Purina staff on all things related to bird dog health and nutrition.

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Winter Foot Care and Injury Prevention for Bird Dogs – RGS

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Examining risks and foot care methods for bird dogs during the winter.

From the crusty hard snow to the dry air and freezing cold temperatures, winter conditions can take a toll on your bird dogs, especially their feet. Being prepared and knowing how to deal with foot care, maintenance and injuries simply come with the territory of owning bird dogs. 

Having owned a large sled dog kennel, I am very familiar with booties, putting booties on my dogs and getting a sore back in the process. I have found it much easier to prevent problems than than trying to heal an active dog’s foot. Foot injuries take time to heal.

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Wisconsin Approves Ruffed Grouse Management Plan – RGS

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State of Wisconsin approves first ever Ruffed Grouse Management Plan

Earlier this month, the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board (NRB) voted to approve the states very first ruffed grouse management plan. The impetuous and need for this plan was set forward after the NRB voted on an emergency rule to shorten the 2018 ruffed grouse season. Support for this plan was extensive with 15 members from 13 different government and non-government organizations making up the planning committee. Including two familiar faces:  Current RGS Regional Wildlife Biologist Jon Steigerwaldt and past RGS Wildlife Biologist Gary Zimmer.

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The Special Relationship Between Grouse and Aspen – RGS

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aspen-forest

Why Well-Managed Aspen is the Best Grouse Habitat

If you hunt ruffed grouse on the southern fringe of its range, aspen forest may not be all that relevant to you. But if you’re an upland hunter in the Great Lakes states or Northeast, it’s almost guaranteed that one of your favorite hunting spots includes an aspen stand. Throughout its lifecycle, it provides everything a grouse needs: dense cover and food.

Managed properly, aspen stands are excellent habitat for ruffed grouse. If you’re unfamiliar, here’s some more information about aspen and its importance for upland birds and other early successional species alike.

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Winter Ruffed Grouse Survival – RGS

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winter-grouse-habitat

Examining food and cover necessary for winter grouse survival.

In northern Wisconsin, winter regrouping of ruffed grouse starts to take place toward the end of October and the first part of November. The grouse group together this time of the year, not for security or for a social gathering, but because there is good food and cover in a single location. When in a group, grouse remain individualists. Each will flush on their own accord when pressured. It is the availability of high quality habitat and food that has brought them together.

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A Working Forest is Not Lacking in Wildness – RGS

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working-forest-woodcock

The working forest we hunt is full of wildness and we are drawn to these special places.

We make a big deal about preserving and protecting wilderness areas. Groups, such as the Wilderness Society and the Sierra Club, work diligently and spend millions to protect these pristine lands. On the other hand, we have far fewer people and organizations interested in protecting working landscapes and the wildness in these “ordinary” places. 

These working landscapes — the farms and orchards that grow our food as well as the forests that supply our wood and paper — are just as important and just as worthy of our devotion and protection. The majority of our grouse and woodcock come from these working forests as well.

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The Downfall of New Jersey Grouse Hunting – RGS

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Emergency closure of the New Jersey grouse hunting season.

On July 17th the Fish and Game Council of New Jersey voted for an emergency closure of the ruffed grouse season in New Jersey. The Fish and Game Council is comprised of three farmer and six sportsmen representatives, as well as the Chairman of the Endangered and Nongame Species Council and a public representative at large. Their purview is to “adopt a Fish and Game Code for the purpose of providing a system for the protection and conservation of fish and game” in the state.

Essentially, they advise, suggest, and oversee the regulations dictating season lengths, restrictions, bag limits, zones, and other factors relating to recreational take of game through hunting and trapping. For hunters in New Jersey, the most obvious effect of these changes are highlighted notes in the new year’s Hunting and Trapping Digest. One of those highlighted changes will affect me directly as well as any other grouse hunters left in the state.

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