Michigan's U.P. population
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fdsjr
Michigan's U.P. population
How's Michigan's U.P. in terms of bird population this year? (Grouse, Woodcock, and Pheasant) Has Grouse drumming been up at all? Thanks
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PntrRookie
- GDF Junkie
- Posts: 1870
- Joined: Wed Jun 07, 2006 2:41 pm
- Location: SE Wisconsin
Found this on a great Upland Journal site...looks like MI & WI numbers are up...check them all out...
Iowa -
Jim Jansen, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Northeast Wildlife Supervisor reports, “Little change in ruffed grouse populations in Northeast Iowa is anticipated at this time. On a positive note, increased forest management efforts are underway on state owned lands in Northeast Iowa that should result in improved ruffed grouse habitat in the near future. Efforts are also being made to increase forest management activities on private lands in the area." Weather during the 2006 hatching period has been favorable for the birds.
Michigan -
"In Michigan, I don't think there is any question that we are in the low end of the grouse cycle and I believe that 2006 may be the beginning of the population upswing.” comments Al Stewart, upland game bird biologist for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
Ruffed grouse drumming counts were conducted statewide along 93 survey routes in April and May 2006. A statewide drumming survey was also conducted in 2005, which provided data from 97 routes. There was a significant difference between the number of drums heard per route in 2005 (8.9) and 2006 (11.5). This represents a 29% increase from last year. Hunter cooperators also experienced a 29 % increase in the number of grouse flushed from 2004 to 2005. Stewart states, “Optimistically, this may suggest that we are beginning to experience a population cycle upswing.”
There have been some questions about how spring weather conditions have affected grouse nesting. In parts of Michigan, the heavy rains in early May caused river bottoms to be inundated with water and this may have flooded some grouse nests in these lowland areas. Individuals that were trout fishing in late April and early May indicated (anecdotal information) that they heard more drumming grouse this year than last spring.
US Fish and Wildlife woodcock singing-ground counts showed a 7.9 percent decrease in singing males in Michigan. Information from Michigan woodcock banders suggests that woodcock nesting appears better this year than last.
Grouse hunters may expect to flush about the same number or a few more birds this year than last year. Woodcock hunters may expect to flush about the same number of birds in 2006 as in 2005. The best habitat to find these birds will be in young aspen stands adjacent to low moist areas.
Stewart goes on to say, "The long-term solution to maintaining ruffed grouse and woodcock populations will be dependent on the maintenance and creation of early successional forests through timber management practices such as clear-cutting aspen."
Minnesota –
Micheal Larson of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reports, “Surveys for ruffed grouse were conducted during April and May 2006. Mean counts of ruffed grouse drums throughout the forested regions of Minnesota were 1.0 drums/stop (dps). That was significantly greater than the 0.8 dps observed during 2005 and similar to counts from 2001.” Increases of 0.2–0.3 dps from 2005 means were observed in the Northeast, Northwest, and Southwest regions but not in the Southeast region resulting in a 25% increase statewide with a 38% increase in the northern region. Larson concludes, “Based upon the drum count index, ruffed grouse densities throughout most of Minnesota during spring 2006 were likely greater than spring densities during 2004 and 2005. This year, therefore, could mark the beginning of the next cyclical increase in the population.”
Missouri –
Jeff Beringer, Missouri Department of Conservation Wildlife Biologist reported, “Ruffed grouse populations in Missouri remain low with birds scattered in several pockets of habitat in the state. Grouse populations appear to be stable or slightly increasing in the River Hills Forest Habitat Area were the efforts of intensive management activities are just beginning to take place. Spring weather has been favorable for nesting and brood rearing and we hope that production increases this year.”
Wisconsin –
Brian Duhey, Wisconsin DNR Wildlife Researcher reports, “Statewide drumming counts increased 27 % from 2005 levels. Final tallies show .76 drums per stop across the state.” Drumming counts increased in the southwest (53% increase), and northern (58% increase) regions of the state, respectively. However, decreases occurred in the southeast (11% decrease) and central (23% decrease) regions. Drummer numbers on the Sandhill Wildlife research census area, near Wisconsin Rapids, increased 3% from last year. Duhey goes on to say that, “Brood production in the summer of 2005 was higher than in 2004 and set the stage for an increase in breeding grouse. With the 2 major grouse regions of the state showing increases in breeding grouse, it would appear that Wisconsin is coming out of the bottom of the current grouse cycle.” Weather in late May and early June has been favorable for broods and fall populations are expected to be higher than in 2005.
Woodcock singing ground surveys from 2006 were down 5.2% from 2005 numbers for Wisconsin. Prolonged cool, wet weather conditions across the state when the broods came off the nests may limit this year’s production.
For Wisconsin, in general, it is likely that ruffed grouse populations this fall will be higher than in 2005 with woodcock populations slightly lower.
Iowa -
Jim Jansen, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Northeast Wildlife Supervisor reports, “Little change in ruffed grouse populations in Northeast Iowa is anticipated at this time. On a positive note, increased forest management efforts are underway on state owned lands in Northeast Iowa that should result in improved ruffed grouse habitat in the near future. Efforts are also being made to increase forest management activities on private lands in the area." Weather during the 2006 hatching period has been favorable for the birds.
Michigan -
"In Michigan, I don't think there is any question that we are in the low end of the grouse cycle and I believe that 2006 may be the beginning of the population upswing.” comments Al Stewart, upland game bird biologist for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
Ruffed grouse drumming counts were conducted statewide along 93 survey routes in April and May 2006. A statewide drumming survey was also conducted in 2005, which provided data from 97 routes. There was a significant difference between the number of drums heard per route in 2005 (8.9) and 2006 (11.5). This represents a 29% increase from last year. Hunter cooperators also experienced a 29 % increase in the number of grouse flushed from 2004 to 2005. Stewart states, “Optimistically, this may suggest that we are beginning to experience a population cycle upswing.”
There have been some questions about how spring weather conditions have affected grouse nesting. In parts of Michigan, the heavy rains in early May caused river bottoms to be inundated with water and this may have flooded some grouse nests in these lowland areas. Individuals that were trout fishing in late April and early May indicated (anecdotal information) that they heard more drumming grouse this year than last spring.
US Fish and Wildlife woodcock singing-ground counts showed a 7.9 percent decrease in singing males in Michigan. Information from Michigan woodcock banders suggests that woodcock nesting appears better this year than last.
Grouse hunters may expect to flush about the same number or a few more birds this year than last year. Woodcock hunters may expect to flush about the same number of birds in 2006 as in 2005. The best habitat to find these birds will be in young aspen stands adjacent to low moist areas.
Stewart goes on to say, "The long-term solution to maintaining ruffed grouse and woodcock populations will be dependent on the maintenance and creation of early successional forests through timber management practices such as clear-cutting aspen."
Minnesota –
Micheal Larson of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reports, “Surveys for ruffed grouse were conducted during April and May 2006. Mean counts of ruffed grouse drums throughout the forested regions of Minnesota were 1.0 drums/stop (dps). That was significantly greater than the 0.8 dps observed during 2005 and similar to counts from 2001.” Increases of 0.2–0.3 dps from 2005 means were observed in the Northeast, Northwest, and Southwest regions but not in the Southeast region resulting in a 25% increase statewide with a 38% increase in the northern region. Larson concludes, “Based upon the drum count index, ruffed grouse densities throughout most of Minnesota during spring 2006 were likely greater than spring densities during 2004 and 2005. This year, therefore, could mark the beginning of the next cyclical increase in the population.”
Missouri –
Jeff Beringer, Missouri Department of Conservation Wildlife Biologist reported, “Ruffed grouse populations in Missouri remain low with birds scattered in several pockets of habitat in the state. Grouse populations appear to be stable or slightly increasing in the River Hills Forest Habitat Area were the efforts of intensive management activities are just beginning to take place. Spring weather has been favorable for nesting and brood rearing and we hope that production increases this year.”
Wisconsin –
Brian Duhey, Wisconsin DNR Wildlife Researcher reports, “Statewide drumming counts increased 27 % from 2005 levels. Final tallies show .76 drums per stop across the state.” Drumming counts increased in the southwest (53% increase), and northern (58% increase) regions of the state, respectively. However, decreases occurred in the southeast (11% decrease) and central (23% decrease) regions. Drummer numbers on the Sandhill Wildlife research census area, near Wisconsin Rapids, increased 3% from last year. Duhey goes on to say that, “Brood production in the summer of 2005 was higher than in 2004 and set the stage for an increase in breeding grouse. With the 2 major grouse regions of the state showing increases in breeding grouse, it would appear that Wisconsin is coming out of the bottom of the current grouse cycle.” Weather in late May and early June has been favorable for broods and fall populations are expected to be higher than in 2005.
Woodcock singing ground surveys from 2006 were down 5.2% from 2005 numbers for Wisconsin. Prolonged cool, wet weather conditions across the state when the broods came off the nests may limit this year’s production.
For Wisconsin, in general, it is likely that ruffed grouse populations this fall will be higher than in 2005 with woodcock populations slightly lower.
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