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Western Great Lakes

Ruffed Grouse Society & American Woodcock Society Hires Rasmussen as Forest Wildlife Specialist

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RGS & AWS welcomes Josh Rasmussen to the team as the newest Forest Wildlife Specialist. Born and raised in Wisconsin, Rasmussen earned a B.S. in Forestry Management and Urban Forestry from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. His career history includes being a Project Forester, Arborist and most recently a Forester for the City of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Rasmussen has been involved in a multitude of conservation projects, including working with public and private groups to create Emerald Ash Borer mitigation plans, creating markets for non-traditional forest products and invasive species control for increased habitat. “My passion is conservation and my greatest...

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Restoring the role of American elm in Upper Midwest Forests

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Written by:Linda Haugen Plant Pathologist State and Private ForestryUS Forest Service – Eastern Region RGS & AWS is committed to developing and maintaining healthy forests, including involvement in the restoration of tree species that have been affected by invasive pests. In 2020, RGS & AWS supported the determination of the nonregulated status for the Darling 58 American chestnut, a blight-tolerant American chestnut that could maintain all of its natural traits, 100% of its original genes, and resume its original ecological niche since the destruction wrought by chestnut blight. Without human intervention, the American chestnut was on the brink of...

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Radio Tracking Woodcock Chicks

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woodcock research

Unique study finds downed logs used extensively for predator cover before green up Story by Mark Herwig A first-of-its-kind study by the University of Minnesota-Duluth on woodcock chicks has found pre-flight birds made frequent use of downed logs and large branches to avoid predators before forest green up. Researchers made these discoveries using radio transmitters on woodcock chicks ages two days old and up. Birds under two days could not bear the transmitter’s weight. Lotek NTQ2-3-2 transmitters were used for the woodcock hatchlings, a device that weighs only 0.67 grams, but costs $185. Once the chicks grow a bit, a thin elastic thread that holds...

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Featured Habitat Project – Seeking New Partnerships to Increase Impacts

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by Jon Steigerwaldt | RGS & AWS Regional Biologist Published in Covers Winter 2020 Nestled into the bedrock of the Grand Rapids, Minnesota, community for almost 120 years is a symbol of habitat creation apparent to any ruffed grouse hunter, both visiting or resident. As an inlet for raw wood from public and private land ownerships, UPM Blandin Paper Company helps create young forest wildlife habitat in the heart of the upper Great Lakes grouse range. Managing approximately 188,000 acres (most in Itasca County), Blandin was untapped potential to partner with and create hunting opportunities. When Blandin Forester and RGS member Adam...

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Homecoming Week for Sporting Classics With Chris Dorsey

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Chris Dorsey returns to Wisconsin to hunt ruffed grouse and woodcock with Ruffed Grouse Society July 15, 2021 (Castle Rock, Colorado) — Officials from Dorsey Pictures announce that this week’s episode of Sporting Classics with Chris Dorsey – the most watched outdoor TV program in the world – features host Chris Dorsey returning to his home state of Wisconsin for a classic grouse and woodcock hunt. Joining him are David Moore and Ruffed Grouse Society CEO Dr. Ben Jones. The timing is fortuitous as the birds are near the peak of their 10-year cycle, providing plenty of mixed bag opportunities in...

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Jon Steigerwaldt promoted to oversee forest conservation across Lakes States and Midwest

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Jon Steigerwaldt

RGS & AWS activity in Midwestern states will increase with Steigerwaldt’s expanded capacity

The Ruffed Grouse Society & American Woodcock Society announced today that Jon Steigerwaldt, Forest Conservation Director for the Great Lakes and Upper Midwest, will now oversee work in both the Lower and Upper Peninsula of Michigan in addition to Ohio and Indiana.

[Read more…] about Jon Steigerwaldt promoted to oversee forest conservation across Lakes States and Midwest
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