Category: Ruffed Grouse Society
Of course you care! One of the great things about bird hunting is that it’s tied to habitat and the hunting experience, notably our four-legged buds. It’s not just about hunting and keeping score like, for example, the whitetail scene. A recently announced initiative by Scott Linden, host of the TV show Wingshooting USA, and […]
But Bad Stuff Stirring in MA New England and ruffies (aka, wood or furry chickens) go together like deep-fried hotdogs and Mountain Dew. Okay, maybe not the right analogy but you get the drift. Here’s some info about the best New England grouse state – Maine! – as well as some not-so-good rumblings about an […]
The ruffed grouse is Pennsylvania’s state bird, PA has lots of ruffies and the state is home to Ruffed Grouse Society (RGS) HQ. And yet, as in many states, Pennsylvania bird hunters feel that ruffies haven’t gotten much attention in Pennsylvania. Is the state now out to change that? The state is seeking input on […]
The answer for growing more ruffed grouse is the same for all gamebirds: more habitat. No secret there. And in the case of grouse, that means cut trees. Cut ’em! They’ll grow back! And in the meantime, grouse and basically everything that lives in a forest will benefit. But that’s not as easy nor logical […]
We’ve been kicking around ideas for years to create more ruffed grouse habitat – quickly. The Ruffed Grouse Society does a great job and we heartily support it, but we kept thinking there had to be a faster way. Well, we found one, and today we’re proud to announce what that is.
Would you pay $100 for a 1 in 1,000 (or less) chance at winning a unique shotgun with an MSRP of $5,000 – or $7,850 or $9,000? Nice odds. Brendan would because we’re talking about the recently announced Ruffed Grouse Society annual fundraiser/gun raffle, and he’s already bought his ticket. Before you answer for yourself, […]
The Ruffed Grouse Society, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and a few other groups recently announced “at least 10” projects to help improve woodcock habitat in Wisconsin. Any such work is much appreciated by us birdmen since unfortunately woodies are in the same boat as many gamebirds: populations are trending down. “With a steady […]
The Ruffed Grouse Society recently published its 2010 grouse forecast, and although there’s nothing new there for the major (and some minor) states vs. our compiled forecast, it does have some states and Canadian provinces not covered, excerpted and edited below.
Just read this article on hunting ruffies in MN this year. So much of it, while well-intentioned, is wrong. Here goes: > The good news is, counts were up 34 percent this spring in parts of northern Minnesota. Counts remained stable in southern Minnesota. This COULD mean that there’s more easy birds (young ones) early […]
Lessons from 2012 Maine-NH Hunt
Don’t know if we’ve fully recovered yet from our not-quite-a-week of hunting Maine and New Hampshire for ruffies and woodies. We all actually bailed 2 days early, having put in 5 consecutive days instead of our usual 7. Felt like wimps about it, but hey, we were BEAT…from 5 days of the most brutal hunting […]
No Grouse Comeback in SW Penn?
Sounds like ruffed grouse will never be as much a part of the landscape of southern Pennsylvania as they once will. “Never” sounds ominous. Permanent. But that’s the conclusion of an article by Bob Frye in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Why should you care if you don’t live or hunt in PA? Reasons: > Pennsylvania is […]
Hey: All Ruffies Drum Differently!
Did you know that? Not until now…. This info won’t help us hunting, but it’s interesting – and makes sense. Here’s more, from newscientist.com: Male ruffed grouse are the first animals known to make unique non-vocal sounds. Humans and many other animals, particularly birds, can be identified by their voices. But no one had looked […]
Ran across this quote from an article about Iowa’s pheasant count: > “I haven’t even gone pheasant hunting the last couple of years because the birds just weren’t there,†said Tim Wolf, a 61-year-old bank president who lives in Waukee. YES THEY WERE! They most definitely were there. Maybe not like this… > “But I’ve […]
Top 10 Reasons To Go to Phez Fest
Pheasants/Quail Forever’s Pheasant Fest/Quail Classic is coming up soon at KC, MO (see info in right column), and just in case you’re thinking it’s too far or whatever, here are the Top 10 – really just 10 of many – reasons to go. We’re doing it Letterman-style, 10 to 1. 10. What else are you […]
Across the Pond Bird Follies, Vids
Ah the UK, the land that gave the world 17 pieces of silverware on the table, animal rights and other questionable stuff. Okay, it wasn’t all bad – that’s where our bird hunting came from too. But it’s different here…or there, depending on your perspective. Here’s some recent bird news plus some interesting vids. Katie […]
Do Congress, Tea Party Hate Pheasants?
We make it a point to try not to get suckered by political hoo-ha, so that’s not what this is about. We ran across a blog post on the Discovery-owned treehugger.com titled “Why Does Congress Hate Pheasants?” and a related one, “Do Tea Party, Heritage Foundation Oppose Hunting?” Interesting stuff, written by the same gent, […]
Quail, the most beleaguered of our beloved gamebirds, is getting a helping hand in Kansas. Or rather, a bigger helping hand. The state just announced that it’s “launching a new quail restoration initiative aimed at making a difference in declining bobwhite quail populations at a landscape level.” Here’s more: > Includes the designation of two […]
Worms and Birds: What Else Don’t We Know?
Believe we’ve talked about this at least once, but a recent Wall Street Journal article on the plight of Texas quail got us thinking about it again. Here’s the applicable stuff: …Rolling Hills Quail Research Ranch, a 4,700-acre spread an hour west of Abilene. Last month, researchers there found that the levels of parasitic worms […]
Top 10 Reasons To Go to Phez Fest
Pheasants/Quail Forever’s Pheasant Fest/Quail Classic is coming up soon at KC, MO (see info in right column), and just in case you’re thinking it’s too far or whatever, here are the Top 10 – really just 10 of many – reasons to go. We’re doing it Letterman-style, 10 to 1. 10. What else are you […]
Lone Star Outdoor news recently carried an article on a speech given by Dr. Dale Rollins of the Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch near Rotan, Texas. Seems that a major threat to quail, at least in the Lone Star state, may be an eyeball worm. News to us! Highlights: > Especially mysterious were the continued […]
