REGIONAL— The Department of Natural Resources has good news for those who plan to hunt ruffed grouse this fall. Northern Minnesota’s spring ruffed grouse drumming counts are up again from last year. That fact, combined with the warm and dry conditions in June, are providing the ingredients for a strong fall harvest.
The recent grouse population trend includes a low point in the ten-year ruffed grouse cycle in 2021 that was not as low as previous lows. That was followed by unexpectedly high counts in 2022 and again this year.
Warm temperatures and dry conditions that favor high nest success and chick survival the past two years may partly explain the quicker than expected rise to levels like recent peaks in the 10-year cycle. Snow conditions also were favorable for roosting throughout much of the core of grouse range during the past two winters.
DNR biologists used to predict fall hunting success based in part on spring drumming counts, but it’s a data point that’s proven to be less predictive in recent years.
“While ruffed grouse drumming counts are up in the core of ruffed grouse range, they are not an accurate way to predict the birds that will be present during the fall hunting season,” said Charlotte Roy, DNR grouse project leader. “Nesting success and chick survival during the spring and summer are among the factors that influence the number of birds present in the fall.”
Drumming is a low sound produced by male ruffed grouse as they beat their wings rapidly and in increasing frequency to signal the location of their territory. Drumming displays also attract females that are ready to begin nesting. Ruffed grouse populations are surveyed by counting the number of male ruffed grouse drums on established routes throughout the state’s forested regions.
“In a typical year, we have 13 cooperating organizations providing folks to help us count grouse drumming,” Roy said. “We are grateful to our federal and tribal partners for their assistance in completing routes.”
The ruffed grouse survey report can be found on the grouse management webpage of the DNR website (mndnr.gov/wildlife/grouse.html).