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Ruffed Grouse and Woodcock Forecast, 2009

By Larry Brown

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This looks to be a good year for hunters pursuing this classic upland duo. The 10-year grouse cycle is at or near its peak in the Upper Midwest, and woodcock numbers appear to be stable following a long decline.

Top honors this year have to go to Minnesota, where grouse drumming counts were up 43% this spring over last. As many drums were heard this year as in the last three peak years (1978, 1989, and 1998). And in peak years, Minnesota hunters harvest a million grouse! The northeast region had by far the highest drumming counts, although the northwest was up over 100% from last year. Woodcock numbers, based on spring counts, were also up about 10% statewide. Hunters should take a look at the Minnesota DNR article “Anything to Grouse About?

Wisconsin and Michigan should also offer very good hunting, but those states appear to be a year away from the peak of the grouse cycle. (It seems to move from west to east in the Upper Midwest.) Wisconsin’s drumming survey was up just slightly over last year’s numbers. Michigan only ran routes in the Upper Peninsula (UP), where drums heard were similar to last year.

Both Michigan and Wisconsin are top grouse and woodcock states. The estimated harvest in Wisconsin last year was 438,000 grouse, down slightly from 2007. Michigan hunters harvested an estimated 303,000 grouse in 2007 (an increase over the three previous years), with 2008 likely somewhat better although final data isna’t yet available. Woodcock harvest was similar in the two states in 2007: Wisconsin, 107,000; Michigan, 113,000. Woodcock numbers appear to be up slightly in both states.

Northern Wisconsin is generally tops for grouse and woodcock, although the central region also has decent bird numbers. In Michigan, the UP and the northern Lower Peninsula have the best bird numbers.

In Maine, the 10-year grouse cycle hit bottom in 2005 and has been recovering steadily ever since. Last year, bird numbers were good in northern Maine, north of Moosehead Lake. That part of the state looks good again this year. However, because of unusually heavy early summer rain in the southern part of the state, numbers there will likely be lower, as will the state’s overall harvest.

Woodcock numbers were good last year and appear to be stable this year.

This e-mail is the second of six Traveling Wingshooter Gamebird Forecasts for the upcoming season. The next four will arrive over the next several days, so stay tuned for more!

Please do us a tremendous favor and forward this e-mail on to your pointing dog friends!


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