Ruffed Grouse and West Nile Virus

[Jim/Wa]

I'm taking time off -- or was -- in January with plans to make the long drive to our cabin in NW PA for a late season Ruffed Grouse hunt. The last time I went (5-6 years ago), we had a phenomenal year. There's been a lot of clear cutting in recent years so I was really excited to bring my 3 year old GSP on his first trip east. As an after thought I checked the season dates but it's always started the day after christmas into mid-January. Lo and behold -- no late season! WTH? It appears most of the Great Lakes states are experiencing crashing populations and in Pennsylvania specifically counts are at 50 year lows. Biologists are blaming West Nile Virus for the sudden collapse. I had never heard of this. You guys that live in the arc from Minnesota to New England, are things the same where you're at? I've only found data for PA and Wisconsin so far but I'm guessing this covers a broad area.

 

[MJE2083]

Yeah, PA closed the late grouse season a year or two ago. WNV is what they're blaming. I'm starting to think that they're right. We have had one of the wettest years on record here in central PA so I can only assume that the mosquitoes were terrible this year. I've only hunted grouse about 6 hours this year, but I've yet to have even a single flush. This was an area where I was having 3+ flushes per hour in the recent past.

I think the biologists have proposed re-opening the late season in PA, but only if/when populations increase. The data suggests that grouse are not rebounding enough after these bad WNV years, particularly in areas with less than ideal habitat. It's bleak right now.

 

[shaffe48]

I think data probably is where the state bothers to go find it. Glad Wisconsin and Pennsylvania still care.

My flush rate this year was definitely lower this year. But i also changed so many things I can't count. And i definitely saw birds. This is michigan.

But I've definitely been worried.

I joined the ruffed grouse society this year. They seem to do quite a bit for the birds and animals with similar habitat. A lot benefit.

 

[NEWHunter]

Numbers are definitely way down here in Wisconsin. We’re supposed to be coming in to the peak of the population cycle and numbers are decreasing. They shortened the season here. I wish they would have cut the bag limit from 5 to 3 first.

 

[shaffe48]

Numbers are definitely way down here in Wisconsin. We’re supposed to be coming in to the peak of the population cycle and numbers are decreasing. They shortened the season here. I wish they would have cut the bag limit from 5 to 3 first.

If you've got to worry about too many people shooting 5 grouse in one day i would say you arent having an issue.

 

[Jim/Wa]

There's some interesting stuff in the FAQ section for anyone interested. I knew WNV affected crows and such but never put 2+2 together regarding game birds including wild turkeys. Looks like I'll have to get my Ruffs fix in the ID panhandle this January, weather permitting.

https://www.pgc.pa.gov/Wildlife/WildlifeSpecies/Pages/RuffedGrouse.aspx#WestNileVirus