Minnesota’s ruffed grouse spring drumming counts were significantly lower than last year across most of their range, according to a report released by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
“It looks like 2009 was probably the peak in the 10-year population cycle,” said Mike Larson, DNR research scientist and grouse biologist. “Drumming counts this spring, however, were still closer to those at the high rather than low end of the cycle.”
Ruffed grouse populations, which tend to rise and fall on a 10-year cycle, are surveyed by counting the number of male ruffed grouse heard drumming on established routes throughout the state’s forested regions. This year observers recorded 1.5 drums per stop statewide. Last year’s average was 2.0 drums per stop. Counts vary from about 0.8 drums per stop during years of low grouse abundance to about 1.9 during years of high abundance.
Drumming counts decreased 31 percent compared to those during 2009 in the northeast survey region, the core and bulk of grouse range in Minnesota, to 1.6 drums per stop. Grouse counts decreased 29 percent in the southeast region, from 0.5 to 0.3 drums per stop, but the difference was not statistically significant.
rog m by run ing
Counts of 1 8 drums per stop in the
th e ds i the ain
northwest and 1 0 drums per stop in the
new ec ion of yo r
central hardwoods were similar to last
n w pa r ( t the year’s counts.
Minnesota frequently is the nation’s
yo r newspa er A
top ruffed grouse producer. On average,
times adv rti s
115,000 hunters harvest 545,000
yreu as ci
ruffed grouse in Minnesota each year,
c H also making it the state’s most popular
t dcii i game bird. During the peak years of 1971
matel up o each and 1989, hunters harvested more than
news aper Ad may 1 million ruffed grouse. Michigan and
need be d cre ed Wisconsin, which frequently field more
s ghtly in si e to fi hunters than Minnesota, round out the
yo r column sizes top three states in ruffed grouse harvest.
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