RGS

Healthy Forests, Abundant Wildlife, Conservation Ethic

You are here: Home / Archives for ruffed grouse

ruffed grouse

Michigan Update for Fall 2021

by

Glen R. Blackwood

September brought members together with successful fundraising banquets in Cadillac, Grand Rapids, and West Branch. On top of these volunteer-driven fundraising events, we had the successful completion of the Roger Moore chapter’s habitat projects in the Pigeon River Country. Trees were planted, habitat was created by mowing trails, and wildlife openings were created. All of this was done utilizing Michigan Drummer Fund and Michigan DNR Wildlife Habitat Grant dollars.

[Read more…] about Michigan Update for Fall 2021

Field Lunch: Grouse BLTs and Fried Apples

by

Field Lunch
Grouse BLTs and Fried Apples
Recipe by Joe Schwenke | Images by Scott Brosier

Article originally featured in Covers magazine

The number of days in our season always seems too few, and the number of statuesque points or exhilarating flushes can only be counted as “nearly enough.”
While it’s the birds we pursue, it’s perhaps our game bag of memories that fill fastest. A quick meal in the covert can bring warm comfort on a chilly November day or cold refreshment in September under the shade of aspen. A meal at midday allows the beginner to ask questions and old friends to enjoy the intangibles of camaraderie afield. This field lunch of grouse BLTs and fried apples will take, from removing your vest to donning it again, under an hour.

[Read more…] about Field Lunch: Grouse BLTs and Fried Apples

Homecoming Week for Sporting Classics With Chris Dorsey

by

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 the aspens and alders of the Badger State.

[Read more…] about Homecoming Week for Sporting Classics With Chris Dorsey

Featured Habitat in Michigan: Pigeon River Country State Forest

by

Roger Moore RGS & AWS Chapter forged ahead with a key habitat project despite 2020 challenges and delays

By Glen Blackwood, Eastern Great Lakes Director of Regional Development

Originally published in Spring 2021 issue of Covers Magazine.

“Conservation is NOT canceled” has been the overriding mantra of RGS & AWS, our chapters and membership during the past year. While the pandemic’s impacts caused fundraising and other chapter events to be postponed, our work on young successional forest management and wildlife habitat creation continued in 2020. Through everything, RGS & AWS members and staff forged ahead, ensuring that conservation remained a priority. One such project occurred in the northern region of Michigan’s lower peninsula; an area best known as the Pigeon River Country.

[Read more…] about Featured Habitat in Michigan: Pigeon River Country State Forest

Put Me In – Summer 2021 President’s Message

by

President’s message from Ben Jones, RGS & AWS President & CEO – originally printed in Summer 2021 issue of Covers Magazine

As I write this, it’s mid-April, the sun is out, but it’s damp and chilly. That has me reminiscing about heading to the Pittsburgh Pirates opener at Three Rivers Stadium every year with my dad: The emerald green field as we emerged from the concourse, the smack of the ball hitting gloves during warmups and the cutting chill posed by the spring air and all that concrete in the old stadium. I still love baseball, although my own playing time was cut short with the realization that it impeded on trout fishing and spring turkey hunting.

[Read more…] about Put Me In – Summer 2021 President’s Message

America’s hunters and anglers lead by example in the fight for conservation

by

Global Connections of the Hunt Fish 30×30 Campaign

By Brent A. Rudolph, Ph.D. | RGS & AWS Chief Conservation & Legislative Officer

sunset canoeing
Photo by Brent Rudolph/RGS & AWS

Please consider signing the petition supporting the Hunting and Fishing Community Statement

In a report to the National Climate Task Force released yesterday (“Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful”), the Secretaries of the Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, and the Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality laid out the plan for our nation’s involvement in the Thirty-by-Thirty Initiative (Thirty-by-Thirty). The initiative is a global effort to establish a goal of placing 30 percent of the planet’s lands and waters under “protected status” by the year 2030.

[Read more…] about America’s hunters and anglers lead by example in the fight for conservation

Defining the needs of our most beloved species

by

We need to take bold action for Species of Greatest Conservation Need

By: Todd Waldron, Northeast Forest Conservation Director

Ruffed grouse by Timothy C. Flanigan (For RGS & AWS use)

Have you ever heard the term “Species of Greatest Conservation Need” or “SGCN” and wondered what that means? Or maybe you’ve wondered how it applies to the future of grouse and woodcock populations. How does it drive the RGS & AWS conservation mission?

You’ve likely seen our monthly updates in The Bellwether newsletter or regularly on social media: Ruffed grouse populations are declining across much of North America. The decline is due to habitat diversity decline and grouse are now listed as an SGCN in 19 states, while American woodcock are listed similarly in 29 states.

What exactly does a SGCN designation imply and what conservation action is needed to address it? We’ll get into that in a minute, but first, let’s cover some background information.

[Read more…] about Defining the needs of our most beloved species

Featured Member: Perry Seitzinger, Indiana Chapter of RGS & AWS

by

The future of our forest wildlife depends on dedicated conservationists and chapter leaders like Perry

“If grouse hunters and foresters aren’t ever-vigilant in advocating for active science-based forest management, it can very quickly have dire consequences on woodland wildlife like the near extirpation of the ruffed grouse in Indiana.” – Perry Seitzinger

The RGS & AWS family of volunteers represent a diverse group of individuals that at the core, deeply care for young forest habitat and the wildlife that benefits from these woodlands. Today, we’re recognizing Perry Seitzinger as a featured member of that work.

[Read more…] about Featured Member: Perry Seitzinger, Indiana Chapter of RGS & AWS

Working Lands for Wildlife — The Long View: Sustaining Our Oak Forests

by

Register today for this virtual event: Wednesday, May 12, 11 am – 1 pm EST

This FREE working lands webinar hosted by Ruffed Grouse Society &American Woodcock Society and the NRCS Working Lands for Wildlife program will educate landowners and natural resource professionals on working lands conservation programs intended to benefit wildlife species and promote forest diversity.

This webinar has been approved for the following. Please register here to receive credit.

  • 2 CFE credits (category 1) with the Society of American Foresters
  • 2 CEUs (category 1) of the Certified Wildlife Biologist® Renewal/Professional Development Certificate Program for participation in the webinar
  • USDA-NRCS Conservation Planner Certification
[Read more…] about Working Lands for Wildlife — The Long View: Sustaining Our Oak Forests