Sage grouse could soon be extinct in Canada
- Thread starter 1bighead
- Start date
canucklehead
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Calgary, AB
It does suck - however, it's no surprise that the 'wilderness association' blames it on oil and gas development. Sure - that's the only reason. I was shocked to see no blame on global warming. Hell a musk-ox sighting in northern Alberta was just 'blamed' on global warming... should they be sighted further NORTH if the earth is warming so much? 
It does suck - however, it's no surprise that the 'wilderness association' blames it on oil and gas development. Sure - that's the only reason. I was shocked to see no blame on global warming. Hell a musk-ox sighting in northern Alberta was just 'blamed' on global warming... should they be sighted further NORTH if the earth is warming so much?
What are your thoughts on why sage grouse are disappearing?
very few hunters use the bag limit most of the time the Grouse are hunted when the bigger things like deer and moose don't show up. Some people just do it to get as many as they can some don't.
The bag limit is set by region and some areas are off limits. But I agree 20-15 birds is allot
Sage grouse used to be a fairly common sight in south eastern Alberta in the 1970s and early 80s. But since the raccoons have moved in you never see them. It would be nice to be allowed to hunt coons at night when they are active. The sharptail grouse numbers have also taken a hit by these nasty nest robbing creatures. Shoot every one you see.
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
They have been listed as at least endangered for as long as I can remember. IMO loss of habitat is probably number 1. With predation being number 2. This is why I think some grassy border areas need protection from mechanized farm machinery that can readily destroy nesting areas.
In places such as North Dakota/Montana it is illegal for anyone to chop the grassy right of ways bordering farmland for hay. Upland bird species are hence better protected.
my meager opinion only
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
One could agrue both of these factors that you point out, equal loss of habitat for the critters.
just saying
I agree that it is loss of viable habitat. Problem is the Environmentalists who are 90% city folks blame the oil companies and off roaders. The rural folks blame the city folks pushing the demand for subdivision of large plots of land.
Thing is, oil companies reclaim the used lease land. No one reclaims their acreage.
There are so many Spruce Grouse up here they are just like mosquitoes. And considering most of the NWT is not accessible to you average grouse hunter I don't think there is any danger of them disappearing.
I also question the article with regards to the numbers counted. I mean, they only counted 42 last year. This wasn't a concern until they couldn't locate a couple dozen this year? I'd say the Sage has been in trouble for many years.
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Yes, we've seen this time & time again with the MSM. Your words ring true to me Recce. But I differ somewhat on reclaimed land friend. I've hunted enough areas up here in NE Alberta where oil & gas has had free reign. And if I took a snapshot of reclaimed land from 10 years ago & took the same picture of the plot again yesterday, we all can see the same stunted fir trees with hardly any change in upward growth, and very little new to none undergrowth between the rows of planted trees.
This is why they have to revisit the definition of reclaimed land & do more to bring it back to nature.
hhhhmmmm
Reminds me of BC where up until the early 90s most silviculture replanting was done wrong. People were just planting trees as tightly as possible to make the most amount of money; until new regs came in to ensure proper planting density with quality control. Result is a lot of poor quality timber/fibre.
Nature will take over given time. If we would allow natural forest fires to burn, the whole situation would take care of itself rather quickly.
Not hard to see the effects with Google Earth.
Oil and Gas, increased urbanization and conversion to agriculture and unchecked predator populations are all to blame.
These problems are never easy to pinpoint just one problem though. Continuous tracts of undisturbed Prairie habitat are the Sage Grouse's friend - and all of these pressure threaten it. The O & G development is usually the sticky wicket, as it seems to not impact much land in area - but the roads really impact corridors.
Being at the Northern edge of Sage habitat and the competing interests for the very dirt they inhabit doesn't bode well for them as a species in Canada though. Too bad indeed.
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Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I believe this to be true without even viewing google earth friend.
I lived in South Saskatchewan for almost 11 years. Then and much longer before then, the Sage Grouse numbers were very low & in trouble. Oil & gas, and the subsequent applications to drill the land, did not really 'explode' on the prairies of South Saskatchewan until after year 2000 or thereabouts. Funny timing that the pressured Sage Grouse is now near extinction?
