Grouse populations

Joined
Apr 18, 2019
Messages
39
Over the last few years our ruffed grouse populations have exploded. Even with dwindling food sources and rising predator populations. Anyone else notice this apparent trend?
 
Joined
Dec 17, 2017
Messages
941
Location
N Idaho
Interesting. Where are you located?
Im in N Idaho and I must say that last year I saw less than any year before. Ive heard a bunch of drumming this spring so far though. Who knows.
 

Blue Skunk

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 9, 2019
Messages
126
It hasn't been all that good in Northern Minnesota. Slight uptick predicted, but will have to see how the Spring goes.
 
Joined
Nov 29, 2017
Messages
506
Location
SE Idaho
They seem to be doing really well in the mountains of SE Idaho. I can’t go hunting without flushing at least one or two. And about ten duskies
 
Joined
Jul 27, 2017
Messages
21
Location
MA
Total opposite in VT - Grouse populations are down. (West Nile was discovered in every county in VT save for one). My flushes are probably half of what they have been over the previous 20 years. I've been exploring new areas to hunt as a result - its still slow going. Could be cyclical, but we're definitely in the down side over the last two seasons.
 

Rs3003

WKR
Joined
Jan 8, 2015
Messages
397
Location
SW PA
Pennsylvania is the opposite. At least where I’m hunting. Not many to been seen. Some years are better than others
 
Joined
Nov 29, 2017
Messages
506
Location
SE Idaho
Pennsylvania is the opposite. At least where I’m hunting. Not many to been seen. Some years are better than others

The same goes for Ohio- I moved out here from the Canton area and it had been probably 15+ years since I’d seen one or even heard one drumming there
 

VernAK

WKR
Joined
Dec 24, 2012
Messages
2,009
Location
Delta Jct, Alaska
Delta is the upland Mecca of Alaska and our ruffed grouse populations are near zero, sharptails are down and spruce hens are the lowest ever. A bad spring last year and excessive limits of 15 ruffed grouse haven't helped. Books, magazine articles and TV hunting shows have driven hunter's expectations to extremes: " bag 3 species of grouse and two of ptarmigan all in one day"

Many of the ground sluicers that I meet, don't know what specie of grouse they've just shot.
 

thinhorn_AK

"DADDY"
Joined
Jul 2, 2016
Messages
10,341
Location
Alaska
Here in SW Alaska there’s spruce grouse everywhere, we were out last weekend and shot a ton of them about 20 feet off the road, lots of people locally have been talking about how many there are.

Ptarmigan seem to be a bit of a different story.
 
Joined
Aug 23, 2019
Messages
13
I have definitely seen this trend happening in northern Wisconsin. It seems it isn't hard at all to find good places to hunt them either.
 
Joined
May 9, 2012
Messages
1,232
Location
Bothell, Wa
Yep. Seems to be about a 7 year cycle here in Wa between booms and busts.

I always figured the kitty cats get a taste for grouse until they bust and then turn to bunnies until they bust. Grouse and bunny cycles seem to be opposite.
 
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