I had to smile when my son came flying through the house with the mail last week. He was holding a magazine – the start of his Ranger Rick subscription from Grandma. His own name was right there on the address bar. Magical! Of course, he wanted to read the whole thing that night. I counseled him in the art of savoring a magazine, relishing articles, hence minimizing downtime until the next issue. Sage advice, but admittedly hypocritical since I rip through my favorite periodicals within days of receipt. Then, when the next installment finally appears on the kitchen counter, everyone at home really enjoys my response. Kind of like a 5-year old!
[Read more…] about President’s Message: Spring Magazinemagazine
THEY SAID IT! . . . Best Quotes from the Spring RGS Magazine
THEY SAID IT! . . . Best Quotes from the Spring RGS Magazine
By Matt Soberg
Are you an upland hunter? Bird dog owner? Shotgun lover?
Have you become afflicted by the grouse and woodcock hunting addiction? Do you care about the future of our sporting traditions?
If you answer “yes” to any of the above, the Ruffed Grouse Society magazine is a must see – a one stop shop for everything grouse and woodcock hunting and forest habitat conservation – hunting tips, bird dog info, gun reviews, book reviews, cooking recipes, classic hunting stories, habitat management information . . . the list goes on and on.
The Ruffed Grouse Society magazine comes as a member benefit – not only do you get all this grouse and woodcock hunting information, but your membership gives back to the resource we cherish of healthy forest habitat and abundant grouse and woodcock populations.
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They said it! Here are some of the best quotes from the upcoming Spring 2017 Ruffed Grouse Society magazine . . .
SPORTING TRADITIONS
“Much of the pleasure of shooting is what accompanies it and sharing it all with a good friend.” ~ George Bird Evans, The Upland Shooting Life (1971)
“The thought of losing the little things we love about grouse and woodcock hunting, some as simple as twirling a tail feather in your fingers, watching a puppy’s first day afield and shaking the hand of a smiling new hunter, reveals truly what is at stake for the future of our sporting traditions if we don’t strive to create healthy forests now.” ~ “Editor Note – The Little Things” by RGS & AWS Editor Matt Soberg
“Childhood memories of hunting with my father revolved around the pursuit of cottontails . . . I became as excited as an English setter prior to a grouse hunt when I found out we were headed to the nearby woodpiles and swamps . . . I didn’t spin circles or white nonstop, but set to work gathering vests, shells and guns in preparation for another grand adventure in the woods with Dad.” ~ “Gift Guns” by Kirk Brumels
“If you’re a piece of work similar to either a Van Gogh or a Velvet Elvis, you won’t find them here. Instead, you’ll find a wonderful variety of work that ranges from oils, etchings, line drawings, parchment and ink, watercolors, pastels, wood burnings, carvings and folk art. It’s tough to tell if this crew are bird hunters first and artists second. In the end, it doesn’t matter, for whether they’re running dogs or working in their studios, they are as serious as a heart attack.” ~ “Art from the Uplands and the Lowlands” by Tom Keer
CONSERVATION
“We cannot and will not allow the Forest Service to continue their failure to provide the young forest habitats required by the ruffed grouse, American woodcock, golden-winged warbler and other game and nongame wildlife on national forests throughout the Eastern United States.” ~ “President’s Message – Cup Half Full or Half Empty?” RGS & AWS President & CEO John Eichinger
“Thought must be given to both site-specific and landscape-scale goals if we are to maximize the value of our work for the species and communities about which we care.” ~ “Adjusting Our Scope to Maximize the Value of Forest Management” by RGS & AWS Regional Biologist Scott Walter
“The failure of the Endangered Species Act to live up to its promise is in part due to elements of the legislation that, although well intentioned, have become substantial hurdles to its successful implementation, in part due to agency and judicial interpretations that have become barriers rather than pathways to success, and in part due to over-zealous preservationists seemingly more interested in producing lists than protecting species.” ~ “RGS Voice – Protecting Species?” by RGS & AWS Director of Conservation Policy Dan Dessecker
SHOTGUNS
“So the next time you miss a grouse or two or even three, you may not need to swear into the wind after missing a relatively easy straight away and proclaim out loud that you may be the world’s worst wing shot . . . the answer may simply be that you own one of the poorest fitting grouse guns in America. If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit!” ~ “In Search of the Perfect Grouse Gun . . . “ By Bryan E. Bilinski
“Maybe we don’t see enough pump guns in the grouse woods and woodcock bottoms these days. Back in say the 1920s and beyond, pump guns predominated – all because they were less expensive, extremely durable and light compared to semi-autos of yesteryear. If you’re not a pump gun guy or gal, maybe it’s time to re-think that position.” ~ “A Pump Gun for Grouse and Woodcock” by Nick Sisley
BIRD DOGS
“We love our bird dogs, though admittedly, many of us have a tendency to be “kennel blind” from time to time. Admit it . . . Guilty as charged . . . I strive to learn every time I go to the field. Here are a few of my observations from seasons past . . . “ ~ “Tips from Purina Pro Plan – Mind Your Bird Dog Manners” by Keith Schopp
“Dogs have 319 bones, compared to our 206. We all – humans and canines – have lots of joints connecting those bones. And as we all know, it’s tough to get a sporting dog to go slow.” ~ “Purely Dogs – Joint Health and Injury Prevention” by Bob West and Lisa Price
BOOK REVIEWS
“His tales are not built on the redundant plot of points, flushes, gun report and success or failure . . . Each should be individually savored, as they were written as stand-alone works. Among the Aspens is not just a place to spend time each autumn, but an insightful read, enjoyable no matter the season.” ~ Glen R. Blackwood review of Among the Aspens by Thomas Carney
COOKING
“I have sought to create a recipe that aims to celebrate the ritualistic nature of returning home from the woods after a great day bagging grouse.” ~ “Roasted Grouse with Hunter-Style Gravy” by Jack Hennessy
FUTURE HUNTERS/CONSERVATIONISTS
“I am convinced more than ever that conservation is crucial to the future of our wildlife. It has become my personal challenge to recruit other teenagers to the join the efforts of my peers who attended the Wildlife Leadership Academy.” ~ “My Wildlife Leadership Academy Experience” by WLA Attendee Zara Moss
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Check out a sneak peek of the Ruffed Grouse Society magazine or become a member at www.ruffed.org to start getting the magazine in your mailbox. For a limited time get the magazine, an RGS-patched had, a Jay Dowd artwork long-sleeve T-shirt, and a chance to win a SportDOG Tek 2.0 – only $35. www.ruffed.org
Coming soon . . . Ruffed Grouse Society Summer Magazine
Get premier content on grouse and woodcock hunting and conservation, exclusive to RGS and AWS members
The Summer Ruffed Grouse Society magazine is in the mail and will bring action-packed, members-only grouse and woodcock hunting and conservation content directly to you. The Ruffed Grouse Society magazine is an award-winning publication that celebrates our sporting traditions with classic grouse and woodcock hunting articles with stunning photography, how-to content to help those new to the sport along with gear reviews, book reviews and much more. The magazine also promotes Ruffed Grouse Society (RGS) and American Woodcock Society (AWS) habitat programs, new hunter initiatives and the essential efforts of our chapters, members and volunteers.
A classic story of days-gone-by from the glory days of grouse hunting is told by Owe
n Cecil, III to start the “Sporting Traditions” section of the magazine – a must read. RGS and AWS Biologist Meadow Kouffeld-Hansen starts part one of a two-part series titled “Where to Hunt – Beginners and Beyond” that shows new hunters tips on where to find grouse habitat. Tom Keer presents important issues affecting new hunter recruitment and retention, and we continue our informational articles on dogs and guns by Bob West, Lisa Price, Nick Sisley and a new column on upland shooting techniques by Bryan Bilinski. Jason Dowd reviews the classic grouse book Tranquillity Revisited by Colonel Harold P. Sheldon, Rodney Jones eloquently tells a poetic story of a famed grouse camp, and RGS and AWS Editor Matt Soberg describes how the drumming grouse is the ambassador of healthy forest habitat in his editor note.
The cover image by renowned ruffed grouse photographer Tim Flanigan certainly fits the RGS and AWS mission depicting a great image of a ruffed grouse with the view of cut logs in the background signifying the benefits of forest management on young forest wildlife species. RGS and AWS President and CEO John Eichinger explains how the organizations are rising to the challenge following a strategic planning meeting with a focus on overcoming resistance to scientific forest management, declining hunter participation and revenue generation in his President’s Message. This summer issue gets to the point about RGS and AWS habitat programs, membership, financials, communications and sponsors by including the 2015 Annual Report, an all-inclusive report on the organizations’ success this past year.
Get this exclusive grouse/woodcock hunting content – Become an RGS member
Get four issues of the Ruffed Grouse Society magazine by becoming a member 
today – only $35. RGS and AWS are preserving our sporting traditions for future generations by creating healthy forest habitat for ruffed grouse, American woodcock and other wildlife. By becoming a member, you help RGS support the future of grouse and woodcock hunting traditions. You’ll be able to enjoy upland camaraderie at RGS banquets and events (dog trials, shoots and hunts), and you’ll receive exclusive grouse and woodcock hunting content from the award-winning Ruffed Grouse Society magazine four times per year.
To become a member, go to www.ruffedgrousesociety.org/join. For more information about RGS and AWS, please visit our website www.ruffedgrousesociety.org, or call us toll free at (888) JOIN-RGS.
