Thread: Ruffed Grouse

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 25
  1. #1
    Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Elkhorn City KY
    Posts
    10,576

    Ruffed Grouse

    Used to jump up a lot of grouse years ago just walking through the woods squirrel hunting. Now I hardly ever see one, maybe one every five years. Here in Eastern Ky they used to be plentiful, now theyre all but gone.

    Some claim the re introduction of Turkey are a reason for the disappearance. Never seen anything like this. I know Indiana placed them on endangered species list and New Jersey cancelled their season.

  2. Member yetti462's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Southern Indiana
    Posts
    5,164
    #2
    They are rare here for sure, I know of a few places that have a couple.
    The Indiana game bird biologist lives just down the road from me. He claims it's lack of habitat. I don't buy that, there is plenty of habitat.
    One of our farms was loaded back in the day, I miss the early morning heart attack of ruffies flush when walking to the tree stand.

  3. Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    coweta,ok
    Posts
    11,529
    #3
    Quail used to be thick around here---Now if you ever hear one you stop and listen because it is so rare . SAD !
    1988 Ranger 364V
    150HP Merc Black Max

  4. Member Seguin Fisher's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Parry Sound, ON
    Posts
    483
    #4
    Still plenty around here. Love a good feed of bush chicken! They go in cycles, about every 7 years or so the population drops then rises around here. About 3 hours north of here around my parents place, you can damn near kick them to death there’s so many in places
    Triton Tr17, Yamaha 130
    Lund Pro V 1900, Optimax 200
    Smokercraft Pro Mag 182, Suzuki DF140
    Helix 9si, 10si mega
    Minnkota Talon, Terrova

  5. Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    KINGSPORT, TN
    Posts
    3,069
    #5
    Grouse and quail 30 years ago had really good numbers. Now you dont even see one or hear one grouse or quail. Why are they disappearing? I know when I was a kid several people were hunting them. I havent heard anyone hunting them in a long long time. You would think there would be more since less hunting pressure. The guys I know that bird hunt take a trip to a ranch that stock them or the go west to the hunt them one time a year. I had several buddies growing up that had bird dogs.
    2005 21XD W/ 2005 MERC 250XS BULLET TOTAL PERFORMANCE BOAT!!

  6. Moderator adchunts's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Barling, AR
    Posts
    7,829
    #6
    Quote Originally Posted by BULLET FAN View Post
    Grouse and quail 30 years ago had really good numbers. Now you dont even see one or hear one grouse or quail. Why are they disappearing? I know when I was a kid several people were hunting them. I havent heard anyone hunting them in a long long time. You would think there would be more since less hunting pressure. The guys I know that bird hunt take a trip to a ranch that stock them or the go west to the hunt them one time a year. I had several buddies growing up that had bird dogs.
    I have heard several knowledgeable folks tie the decline in ground nesting birds to two big factors. Increase in varmints, and feral house cats. Very few people trap or varmint hunt these days, which has lead to a substantial increase in raccoons, possums, coyotes, bobcats, and other critters that have a taste for birds (and bird eggs). Feral house cats have been an issue for years, and by some estimates are responsible for 2.4 billion (yes, billion) dead birds per year in the US.

    I think those things, coupled with habitat loss, are the reason we just don’t see game birds like in the past. 25 years ago, we would get into 5-6 coveys of quail per morning, with each covey at 20+ birds. When I quit quail hunting, we would go several outings without even seeing a bird. We would, however, see plenty of coyotes and bobcats.
    Aaron Campbell
    Barling, AR
    2007 Bass Cat Sabre
    2011 Merc 175 Pro XS

  7. Member yetti462's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Southern Indiana
    Posts
    5,164
    #7
    Indiana had a blizzard back in 78. My Dad claims the quail have never been the same since. The stories of old were you didn't hunt singles, just hunted coveys and would get 10-12 coveys of quail a day. Growing up we had at least 3 bird dogs sometimes as many as 6. We bird hunted a bunch. We would quail hunt in the mornings and early afternoon. Before dark we would go to our farm and run down a ridge we named "grouse ridge" and get on average 10 flushes before the sun set. This ridge is only 1/4 mile long. I miss those days.

    Cleaning a limit of quail and grouse is a memory I won't be refreshing in Indiana. Sad for sure

  8. Member Stoner's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Big Blue Nation
    Posts
    6,536
    #8
    Used to hunt them around Cave Run lake 25 years ago and on one of the wildlife management areas. Now they release pheasant to satisfy the upland hunters lack of birds on the managed areas. They were fun and a lot of work/exercise and I have to admit I could never hit one though I shot at several through the years. I could shot one with my bow out of a tree stand one morning.
    @kennethandmacy
    2004 Triton 196
    200 Merc
    1199/898

  9. Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2019
    Location
    Keswick, Ontario
    Posts
    1,493
    #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Seguin Fisher View Post
    Still plenty around here. Love a good feed of bush chicken! They go in cycles, about every 7 years or so the population drops then rises around here. About 3 hours north of here around my parents place, you can damn near kick them to death there’s so many in places
    I think you are in a good area because I haven't seen any for years.
    1997 Ranger 692VS
    2014 Mercury 175 Pro XS 2B111166

  10. Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2018
    Location
    Shoals, IN.
    Posts
    1,203
    #10
    We had a lot of grouse until we developed a butt load of bobcats. All the way through the mid 90’s as I and a buddy had bird dogs and we would limit out every time out in southern Indiana. This spring, in one night I had 9 different bobcats run down my driveway of which one female had 2 kits and another had 3. They can breed some years,,spring and fall with 2 litters per year. It’s another reason our turkey population is down in my area. Our DNR is full of crap due to the loss of grouse if they don’t lay some of the blame on bob cats as I have even seen them take down small deer.

  11. Member 06 SB's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    West Point Lake, GA
    Posts
    10,985
    #11
    NW PA still has a decent population. Down south where I am now, the quail and other ground nesting birds are gone. I think the absolute proliferation of fire/Argentinian ants are a factor too.

    USN Retired
    2020 Basscat Caracal
    2020 Mercury 225 ProXS 4s



  12. Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Franklin, OH
    Posts
    5,773
    #12
    Ohio's Grouse are a thing of the past. I have to drive up into Michigan to hunt grouse now. Ruffed grouse are the king of upland birds. Very difficult to get one in hand and the best wild game I've ever ate.

  13. Member ridgerunner6901's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Libby, Montana
    Posts
    2,094
    #13
    Luckily we still have plenty in the northern rockies, but I saw an incredible decline in the grouse and a basic loss of the quail in my blue ridge mtn. VA homelands. Seemed to be alot of factors, decline in small farms, arrival of the coyote on the scene, decline in trapping, decline in coon hunters. You could probably still find a few but id feel bad about shooting one back there.

  14. Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Hampden
    Posts
    20,428
    #14
    Quote Originally Posted by adchunts View Post
    I have heard several knowledgeable folks tie the decline in ground nesting birds to two big factors. Increase in varmints, and feral house cats. Very few people trap or varmint hunt these days, which has lead to a substantial increase in raccoons, possums, coyotes, bobcats, and other critters that have a taste for birds (and bird eggs). Feral house cats have been an issue for years, and by some estimates are responsible for 2.4 billion (yes, billion) dead birds per year in the US.

    I think those things, coupled with habitat loss, are the reason we just don’t see game birds like in the past. 25 years ago, we would get into 5-6 coveys of quail per morning, with each covey at 20+ birds. When I quit quail hunting, we would go several outings without even seeing a bird. We would, however, see plenty of coyotes and bobcats.
    Most biologists around here throw up their hands and admit they just don't know. Very few of the negative factors you cite are present in the forestland of eastern Maine (other than a good supply of coyotes). A lot of people are quick to blame climate change but that doesn't explain how they could have thrived in KY in the past for example but are not doing well in central and eastern Maine currently. Still have pretty good numbers in the northern half of the state and we have high hopes for a good season given favorable nesting conditions.

  15. Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Hampden
    Posts
    20,428
    #15
    Quote Originally Posted by bassnpro1 View Post
    Ohio's Grouse are a thing of the past. I have to drive up into Michigan to hunt grouse now. Ruffed grouse are the king of upland birds. Very difficult to get one in hand and the best wild game I've ever ate.
    Ummm, not if you pot 'em in the road.

  16. Happiness is a Sporty! F150owner's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Lebanon Tennessee
    Posts
    4,955
    #16
    duplicate - post can be removed.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by F150owner; 09-02-2020 at 02:03 PM. Reason: duplicated post

    Allison XB21 2+2, Merc 250 ProXS, 1.62 Sportmaster, Hydromotive Engineering X-OB 29
    Excel 1751 Viper F4, Tohatsu 50 4-stroke, EZ-Trac trailer
    FeelFree Lure 11.5 Kayak

  17. Happiness is a Sporty! F150owner's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Lebanon Tennessee
    Posts
    4,955
    #17
    I've only seen one ruffed grouse in my life and it was the one in the pic. Pic taken off of a trail in Cataloochee Valley in the Smoky Mountains. They are beautiful birds. This one was putting on a show. click to enlarge.

    Ruffed Grouse.jpg

    Allison XB21 2+2, Merc 250 ProXS, 1.62 Sportmaster, Hydromotive Engineering X-OB 29
    Excel 1751 Viper F4, Tohatsu 50 4-stroke, EZ-Trac trailer
    FeelFree Lure 11.5 Kayak

  18. Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    raymond, nh
    Posts
    2,709
    #18
    I know around us alot has to do with the changes in the forest. They are a 1st succession forest type of bird. When I was young, 30 years ago, and fields were turning back to forest they were everywhere. Now those areas are more open with large stand trees and little underbrush. Haven't seen one in 5 years. And yes Bobcats are plentiful now and I'm sure they are a factor....

  19. Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    N.W. New England
    Posts
    1,933
    #19
    This is and has been a topic for many years. My relatively educated guess is that the real answer is a combination of factors, and that pointing a finger at any one thing will 100% miss the mark. Factors that I have heard legit biologists talk about in various regions:
    1) west nile virus or another avian disease.
    2) habitat loss (early successional growth from farms abandoned through the mid 20th century that are now either subdivisions, pole-size or bigger timber, or fence-to-fence agriculture, or also from loss of widespread beaver activity that created much of the naturally-occurring habitat)
    3) the internet. Seriously. Much of the upper midwest and NE timber market was driven by the pulp wood market, and we all know how newspapers and paper book sales are doing—in the toilet. Timber companies are selling off their land and becoming real estate companies in many areas, and for private or public landowners/managers cutting to maintain grouse habitat is now a $-losing proposition most of the time.
    4) lack of habitat connectivity (grouse brood dispersal relies on having widespread good habitat, not just pockets of good habitat)
    5) return of predators, both ground and avian
    6) warmer or shorter winters with less opportunity for snow roosting
    7) invasive species like honeysuckle, buckthorn, barberry, knotweed, etc that displace native vegetation that has higher-value nutrition and cover.
    8) expectations—if your expectation is an unnatural super-abundance of birds caused by a “perfect storm” of factors through the mid-late 20th century, its likely that outside a unique situation like that its just not gonna happen again.
    Last edited by MacIntosh; 09-03-2020 at 06:04 PM.

  20. Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Franklin, OH
    Posts
    5,773
    #20
    Quote Originally Posted by F150owner View Post
    I've only seen one ruffed grouse in my life and it was the one in the pic. Pic taken off of a trail in Cataloochee Valley in the Smoky Mountains. They are beautiful birds. This one was putting on a show. click to enlarge.

    Ruffed Grouse.jpg
    That is an incredible picture! Thanks for sharing

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast