ORIGINAL: Crazy Horse RVN
Please don't take this as being argumentative because it's not meant to be. When I speak of implimenting a project such as exists on State game lands #176 where the Grouse Study was conducted I'm refering to large tracts of forest selectively groomed for various stages of growth which is vital to maximum grouse numbers. (Keep in mind, as I'm sure your already aware of, that this type of habitat configuration is prime for many species of animals, Game and Non-Game.)
The Grouse Study area is near 2000 acres. Now I don't expect that other similar projects would necessarrily be of the same large size, but I would expect that the parcels dedicated to this type of treatment would at least be in the neighborhood of 100+ acres at the smallest. Anything less would not be feasable for a profitable timber harvest plan which is a major consideration within the Grouse Study.
My point is that I find it hard to believe that you would not be aware of large tracts such as I discribed in your area dedicated to Grouse. Since you speak of many such programs in existance it appears unusual that you don't have that knowledge.
To be sure, I will contact the Land manager in my Grouse hunting area to find out whathis take is on the matter. But for the record, your figures show nothing like what you claimed.
Create new grouse blocks……………………………………†¦20 acres"
"All of the game lands in my district have had a good bit of block cutting designed and intended as grouse management even though it benefits many other game species as well."
Twenty acres is in no way what any hunter would consider "a good bit."
The 20 acres of grouse block in Elk County was just what was cut last year, those are adjoining additions to the grouse blocks that were already in existence form previous years and work projects.
The way I understand it the grouse blocks in Elk County are just about like what was done on SGL 176 though perhaps on a smaller scale.
I think they cut blocks, in a checker board type manner, about every five to ten years, so that when it is finished you will have several blocks of about equal size that are in one of about four or five different age structures. That way all of the blocks are in one of those various stages of seedling/sapling to pole stage timber stages that are most used by grouse during their various stages of annual life cycle. Since grouse, like many other species, require and use different habitat types, throughout the year, this block rotation method seems to be what works best for long term grouse management.
I will admit that I have not followed the management plans for SGL 176 so perhaps you have information about what is occurring there that I have not read.
But, I think you would find a lot of effort being put into grouse management plans on many of our game lands. That work is being conducted both by commercial timber operations and our own Game Commission Food and Cover crews. I am also sure that we all wish we had the resources to do more grouse blocks, just as we wish we could do a lot more for wildlife populations. We could if we had the manpower, which first requires having the funds to implement all those good intentions and plans.
Dick Bodenhorn