After one month of the 2017 season, hunters have been flushing fewer ruffed grouse in the bird's Upper Midwest strongholds of Wisconsin and Minnesota.
The relative lack of grouse comes after spring drumming counts were reportedly up double digits in both states.
In addition, grouse populations were expected to be higher this year as the species was rising from its 10-year cyclical low.
The dearth of birds has been noted in field reports from hunters as well as results from the annual National Grouse and Woodcock Hunt in Grand Rapids, Minn., organized by the Ruffed Grouse Society.
"Something is going on," said Jim Hayett of Hartland, an avid grouse hunter and former RGS national board member who has spent 10 days in October hunting on public and private land near Park Falls, Wis., and Grand Rapids, Minn. "The numbers were supposed to be up and it's looking like the complete opposite."
At the national hunt held Thursday and Friday in Grand Rapids, Minn., hunters harvested an average of 0.5 grouse per day, lowest in the 36-year history of the event.
After one month of the 2017 season, hunters have been flushing fewer ruffed grouse in the bird's Upper Midwest strongholds of Wisconsin and Minnesota.
The relative lack of grouse comes after spring drumming counts were reportedly up double digits in both states.
In addition, grouse populations were expected to be higher this year as the species was rising from its 10-year cyclical low.
The dearth of birds has been noted in field reports from hunters as well as results from the annual National Grouse and Woodcock Hunt in Grand Rapids, Minn., organized by the Ruffed Grouse Society.
"Something is going on," said Jim Hayett of Hartland, an avid grouse hunter and former RGS national board member who has spent 10 days in October hunting on public and private land near Park Falls, Wis., and Grand Rapids, Minn. "The numbers were supposed to be up and it's looking like the complete opposite."
At the national hunt held Thursday and Friday in Grand Rapids, Minn., hunters harvested an average of 0.5 grouse per day, lowest in the 36-year history of the event.
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