The King in N. WI

[Northwoods Labs]

If only October could last longer. You guys did well!

 

[Bucksnuff]

Searching Woodcock on here and found this thread. Looks like a fine hunt. Had no idea there were elk and wolves in Wisconsin.

 

[1100RemingtonMan]

When I retire I plan to take a trip up there with a new GSP. Looks like a lot of fun and thanks for the nice pictures.

 

[TheGreek]

When I retire I plan to take a trip up there with a new GSP. Looks like a lot of fun and thanks for the nice pictures.

You should definitely make the trip man. It’s a blast up there. Basically unlimited public land to hunt in the northern third of WI. We are headed back again this October. It can’t come soon enough.

 

[TheGreek]

We tried to do a little citizen science today by completing a West Nile Virus kit on a grouse my buddy killed. Hopefully I followed all of the instructions correctly.
View attachment 198226

Well I must have followed the directions correctly as my buddy and I got the west nile virus test results a few days ago from the WI DNR. Below is the letter. The results sure took awhile but I'm happy we took the time to take the samples and submit them. Hopefully some good comes from the data and testing. This next grouse season can't get here soon enough.

Thank you for submitting samples from your 2021 harvested ruffed grouse. Your contribution is extremely valuable and important in assisting the fourth and final year of the Department’s multi-year effort in evaluating ruffed grouse exposure to West Nile virus. We appreciate your partnership.

West Nile virus (WNV) was not detected in the heart. Antibodies consistent with WNV or a closely related virus were detected in the blood sample from the grouse from kit #1028. The presence of antibodies in the blood with no virus found in the tissue indicates that this bird likely would be protected from developing clinical disease.

Hunter-submitted samples underwent two types of testing to help us determine if the birds were exposed to West Nile virus: a test to look for traces of viral genetic material in heart tissue and a blood test to determine if the grouse had developed an immune response from exposure to the virus. Similar to humans, ruffed grouse can develop antibodies as an immune response to viruses they encounter. Even when the body fights off WNV, these antibodies can be found in the blood.

Of 147 hunter-harvested samples tested in 2021, 37 (25%) had antibodies to WNV either confirmed (9 or 6%) or likely (28 or 19%), and viral genetic material consisted with WNV was not found in any of the tested heart samples.

If you submitted samples from more than one grouse, you will receive a separate email for each grouse. Additional information on ruffed grouse, West Nile virus, and how to help with future sampling efforts, can be found on the DNR’s ruffed grouse page or by visiting dnr.wi.gov and searching “ruffed grouse.”

Alissa Kakatsch
Assistant Upland Wildlife Ecologist- Bureau of Wildlife Management
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources