Are Ruffed Grouse Populations Improving ?

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djm

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I live on a forested property in Woolwich Twp. Southwestern On.

While it's not perfect Grouse Habitat all of the right trees and food sources are here - but Grouse have been scarce, and I've only seen about 2 or 3 birds over the last 10 years.

However in the past week I've encountered 5 birds, on my land and a neighboring property - first a small covey of 3 and then 2 others on separate occasions.

I've read that some people thought that the West Nile Virus had wiped the birds out (U of Pennsylvania Study) and another hunter friend of mine blames all the Wild Turkeys (of which we have a lot).

So, just wondering if others are noticing more Ruffed Grouse than usual, considering the past few years ?

All input will be appreciated.

Dave.
 
I heard they fluctuate in 7 year cycles. Last 7 years there was alot of spruce grouse around Alberta. This year we seen nothing but ruffle grouse. I think we got 7 or 8 birds and missed lots as well. My buddies shot lots this year too. The next 6 years should be good for the ruffies.
 
I only saw five or six all season in my hunting areas this year. Five years ago I was almost limiting out most times I went out for them. I have no doubt there is a cycle for them, I couldn’t swear on the years though. My hunting areas are all in northeast central Alberta or northwest Alberta.
 
I know they say 5-7 year cycles and all that but locally I haven’t seen much change in populations in the last 5-6 years, numbers have been strong every year. The only thing I’ve noticed is where I see them, if it’s a particularly dry year any area that has no water sources or food will have no grouse. Find the water and you’ll find the food and the birds. Alternatively if there’s active logging happening the birds congregate on the secondary and tertiary skid roads and avoid the main line and traffic.
 
The grouse "cycle" like many things has been disrupted by human activity, including habitat changes, climate change, agriculture, pesticides, pollutants, etc, etc. Be glad if you are seeing more grouse. But the classic cycle does not exist any more and hasn't for a coupe of decades.
 
Much of the success of a grouse brood depends on the weather in spring. If its a cold, wet spring, alot of the brood will die off as the young can't keep their little carcasses warm enough. If the die off is early, the mommas will have a second brood. If its warm and dry in the spring, then the grouse population will be healthy after dealing with predators, hunters and small children with pellet guns.
 
Grouse numbers are pretty dismal in my area. I tend to blame west nile virus. Very rare to see a whiskey jack now too.

Numbers started to decline about 20 yrs ago, just after the area was logged. Since the habitat was theoretically improved, there should have been a population increase, but it was also about 20 yrs ago when west nile made it's appearance.
 
Around where I live most of the farmable bush land has been cleared, so any grouse still around are all in a few small areas. I have hunted this area, first with my Dad when I was a kid, then on my own, for more than 60 years. Slowly, but surely, their habitat has shrunk to very little.

I remember the talk about cycles, like bush rabbits. If I shoot one grouse or a Prairie Chicken a year, I am happy. My hunting for uplands is more of a nostalgia thing. I would never shoot my limit, by choice, these days. I probably never have in all my years, again by choice. My Dad was usually content with a couple of either or one of each when we hunted together.
 
I live pretty close to you. I’ve seen quite a few more ruffles than usual this year. Averaging at least one per deer hunt in WMU 80 and 82A. I don’t hunt them much down here. At our family place in WMU 41, we are tripping over them, they are everywhere!
 
Wet, cold springs are Grouse killers. The chicks die from Hypothermia. They don't have enough sense to get out of the rain.

Dry, hot springs are Grouse killers. They don't wander far and will die of thirst within half a klik of water.

Heavy snow is hard on Grouse populations as well. Like Pheasants, they don't "scratch" for food beneath the surface.

I've seen Pheasants that have starved to death on a pile of Oats, covered in a foot of snow.

Weather plays the biggest factor in Grouse survival, as does predation levels.

Lots of predators means fewer Grouse. Same goes for Bunnies.
 
I have go say the population is staying pretty flat around the Ottawa area, but I really have no good places to go anymore so they may be swarming on the former farmland returning to nature where I used to have access. What I can say is that you no longer see them flying across the roads and highways here in the way you used to, especially during their silly season as the summer clutches are breaking up and scattering. Ah, the good old days. And I blame west nile virus BTW, I believe it's still killing birds.
 
I live in WMU 19 in Ontario, grouse numbers are always good, last two years have been very good. Have a few trails I walk around an hour total time, usually get between 4 and 5 birds a night.
 
bearhunter said:
Heavy snow is hard on Grouse populations as well. Like Pheasants, they don't "scratch" for food beneath the surface.
Click to expand...

No this is not the case for ruffed grouse. Ruffed grouse ecology is not similar to pheasants.

Ruffed grouse switch to eating tree buds in the winter, primarily Aspen. They will eat other things if available (like mountain ash berries that sometimes tend to stay on the branches into winter), but they thrive on Aspen buds. When aspen is available in winter they don't need any food on the ground. They do need some grit for their gizzard. In deep snow areas, grouse find grit on hillsides (especially south-facing) that have an overhang that allows for ground dirt exposure. They also get grit from human-created sources like roads.

Deep un-crusted snow is very beneficial for grouse because they dive into it to thermoregulate, and to avoid predators. The deeper the snow, the better. They spend the cold nights under the snow, and sometimes much of day time periods if its really cold and windy and they have abundant food.

When the snow crusts over from a meltdown or rain and then a re-freeze, that is hard times for ruffed grouse.
 
Had a good run for ruffed grouse in the forest. As kjon mentioned haven’t hunted grouse near home for years. Not worth the effort
 
When I started hunting in early 1960's in central Ontario there was lots of ruffed grouse. That continued
into early 1980's. Where I go their #'s have been down ever since. However in the far north of Ontario
there are still good areas of them. I am going to Kapuskasing this Fall were a freind hunts moose & says
the ruffed grouse are in good huntable #'s. We will see.
 
Where I hunt in NW Ontario, this past fall I encountered abundant ruffed grouse densities in good habitat (immature to mature aspen-dominated forest, with white birch, spruce and balsam fir). Hunting was excellent along the old logging roads in this type of habitat.

However I do find that I need to drive a fair ways north away from the city to get to areas less hunted. In my experience there is a zone around human populated areas with perpetual lower grouse densities. Human hunting pressure can be significant.
 
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