AVERAGE GROUSE HUNTING EXPECTED OVERALL
HARRISBURG
– Pennsylvania Game Commission biologists expect ruffed grouse hunting
to be average to slightly-below average for the nearly 100,000 hunters
who annually pursue these challenging game birds.
“Conditions
for over-wintering, incubating and brooding should have supported good
reproduction this year,” said Lisa Williams, Game Commission grouse and
woodcock biologist. “However, our Game Commission field staff observed
fewer adult grouse and grouse broods this summer compared to prior
years. Those sightings are often the best predictor of the season, so I
advise hunters to hope for the best but keep their expectations
realistic. Find areas of good dense cover and abundant food supply and
you’ll put yourself in the best position for success.”
The
first segment of the state’s three-part grouse season opens Saturday,
Oct. 13, and runs through Nov. 24. The season reopens Dec. 10 to 24, and
then again from Dec. 26 to Jan. 26. Participating hunters must have a
valid Pennsylvania hunting license and follow the regulations that
govern this rugged sport of brush-busting and mountain-scampering.
Wherever you hunt grouse, there is ample reason to carve out some time
afield this season. Just be sure to take time to locate high-quality
coverts that provide a good mix of food and cover.
“Losses
of young forest habitat over the last several decades have been bad
news for grouse, woodcock and other species that rely on these
habitats,” said Ian Gregg, Game Commission Game Bird Section supervisor.
“Our forests are getting older, and that’s a negative for grouse. But,
the good news is that the Game Commission is taking an active approach
to improving the situation for grouse and other species that rely on
young forests. We have Grouse and Woodcock management plans that call
for aggressive management of young forest habitats, and Game Commission
staff in all regions are actively working to create suitable habitat –
not only on State Game Lands, but on cooperating State Forests and other
public and private lands. This work benefits multiple species and our
efforts have received an overwhelmingly positive response from the
public and from our conservation partners.”
Pennsylvania’s
state bird is holding its own in areas of suitable habitat, and in some
areas, thriving. Statewide, the Game Commission’s 314 active Grouse
Cooperators hunted 7,787 hours and recorded 10,249 flushes for an
average rate of 1.32 flushes per hour during the 2011-2012 grouse
season. This 2011-2012 flush rate was equal to that of the previous
season but six percent below the long term (46-year) average of 1.41
flushes per hour. Embedded in those statewide averages, however, are
memorable hunting experiences, with many hunters recording four to five
flushes per hour in areas of good food and cover.
Williams
noted that Pennsylvania consistently maintains the highest flush rates
among nearby states such as Kentucky, Maryland, New York, New Jersey,
Ohio, West Virginia and Virginia.
“Grouse
flush trends in most of our neighboring states show a continuing long
term decline,” Williams said. “Over the past six to seven years,
Pennsylvania flush rates have exceeded those of all neighboring states.
During that time, our grouse population index has stabilized in some
regions that were previously declining, and even increased in some
portions of the Commonwealth. Anecdotal reports from grouse hunters as
well as agency land managers and foresters suggest that forest
understory conditions have improved for grouse as deer numbers were
brought back into balance with their forest habitats. I intend to
further investigate this link between deer impacts, forest habitat
quality and grouse numbers.”
Grouse
hunting remains a popular fall pursuit in Pennsylvania. According to
the agency’s Game Take Survey, an estimated 80,000 hunters took 52,000
grouse during the 2011-12 seasons, during 350,000 days afield. Though
fewer than in the past, grouse hunters remain passionate about their
quarry, and the ruffed grouse remains a popular game bird in the
Commonwealth. Yet grouse hunter numbers remain well below those of the
mid-1980s when Pennsylvania had more than 400,000 hunters pursuing the
thunderbird.
“Several
hunters have told me they can hunt all day and not see another grouse
hunter,” says Williams. “For hunters seeking a season with a little more
elbow room yet plenty of challenge, you might want to consider grouse
hunting.”
The
Game Commission conducts a Summer Sighting Survey in which Game
Commission foresters and surveyors record numbers of broods and
individual grouse seen while working in the woods during June, July and
August. Trends in hunters’ fall flush rates follow those of the summer
survey about 80 percent of the time, so this information is used to
develop the season forecast.
“Sightings
of adult grouse during the summer of 2012 were down roughly 40 percent
and brood sightings were down 25 percent compared to last year,”
Williams said. “Looking a bit further back over time, observations of
both adults and broods this summer are down 25 percent from the most
recent 10- year averages. So in spite of what I believe was a good year
for reproduction, I’m forecasting an average to slightly below-average
grouse season in 2012-13. This makes it particularly important to
understand the characteristics of good grouse habitat, locate
high-quality coverts, and focus your efforts there.”
Grouse
and woodcock hunters are urged to participate in the Game Commission’s
Grouse Cooperator Survey, which enables the agency to monitor long-term
changes in grouse populations in good habitats. Hunters of all skill
levels are welcome, no matter how many days they are able to devote to
grouse or woodcock hunting. For each day hunted, participants are asked
to record the county and number of hours hunted, and number of grouse
and woodcock flushed and bagged.
Hunters
interested in participating in the Cooperator Survey are asked to
contact the Pennsylvania Game Commission, Bureau of Wildlife Management
by calling 717-787-5529,
or writing to: Pennsylvania Game Commission, ATTN: Grouse Cooperator
Survey, 2001 Elmerton Ave., Harrisburg, PA 17110-9797. New Cooperators
will receive a copy of the annual newsletter provided to all survey
participants and all forms needed for the upcoming season.
“Though
cooperator information is presented as state or region averages, it is
important to remember that statewide trends do not apply equally
throughout Pennsylvania,” Williams emphasized. She groups Pennsylvania
regions into three categories, as far as grouse hunting prospects:
1)
Northwest and Northcentral: good to excellent. These regions are
consistently the top two in the state and have maintained grouse flush
rates at or above their long-term averages in recent years. The rate of
timber harvest over the next few decades in this part of Pennsylvania
may put enough land into good grouse cover that the “good old days” are
just ahead. The six contiguous counties of Warren, Forest, McKean,
Potter, Elk, and Cameron typically have the highest flush rates in the
state and offer plenty of acreage in public and open-access private
lands for hunters looking for new coverts.
2)
Southwest, Southcentral and Northeast: fair. These regions maintain
intermediate flush rates and habitat conditions with somewhat less
extensive overall forest cover and lower rates of active forest
management at a large landscape scale. From 2010-2011 to 2011-2012,
flush rates increased slightly or remained stable in each of these
regions.
3)
Southeast: fair in areas north of the Blue Mountain and poor south of
it. Large parcels of forest habitat in southeastern Pennsylvania were
already scarce and this region has lost early successional habitat even
more rapidly than the rest of the state. Consequently, grouse hunting
opportunities in the agricultural and urban-dominated landscapes south
of the Blue Mountain are extremely limited. Again, locating high-quality
habitat is key and taking the time to scout for grouse food and cover
hotspots prior to the season may pay dividends.
Grouse
hunters are reminded to wear at least 250 square inches of fluorescent
orange clothing on the head, chest and back combined at all times; limit
hunting parties to no more than six individuals; and plug shotguns to
three-shell capacity (magazine and chamber combined).
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
AVERAGE GROUSE HUNTING EXPECTED OVERALL
Posted by Solomon's words for the wise at 11:22 AM