b tip 06

Where has all the grouse gone in VA. Not so many yearsago there seemed to be quite a few around, this past deer season my hunting group never saw or HEARD one drumming and this is unusual for our area.

Redclub

Here in Wi. the grouse are on a 10 year cycle, right now the birds are near there peak. It coincides with the invasion of the Goshawk from canada, Snowshoe rabbits follow the same cycle.
RC

fishguts

Simple. There is no more suitable habitat because the environmentalists have succeeded in stopping all timber harvest on public land. Areas that held grouse in the past have matured and are no longer good grouse habitat. There are some grouse on private land with good habitat, but isolated pockets won't sustain the overall population. Grouse and quail need good habitat spread over a large area. I grouse hunted three times on NF land and did not flush a single bird.

Rowan Huntr

I live in NW North Carolina. I found a lot of birds this year near run down farms which were reverting back to hardwoods.

Shwagy357

We're hurtin for birds,on public land,in Western NC too. Rowan Huntr whats alot of birds?

Unclejeb

Seems I have found that predation and harvest practices other than weather/food.....have the most impact on grousepopulations....
Wisconsin, and North East (New England) seem to do the best population-wise..... Down South has always been less.... more pines,more predators, less habitat = less birds.... similar results quail...farming practices, clean ditches etc. birds nearly gone.....

Redclub

Yep up here in Wi. The grouse are doing fine Grouse need snow to roost in
They are a Northern bird for sure. Last year I went up North and forgot my shells so I stopped at local store and got a box, Lady looked at me and said 'Aren't you going to hunt all day" only 1 box. Woodcock were plentiful but I just cannot eat those things.
Redclub

Unclejeb

Cant eat Woodcock..???
Huh..??
Whats wrong with Timber-doodles to eat....perhaps its a recipe issue....have always found them tasty myself... (par boil or steam for a few minutes), season 'em up; flour 'em;thenFry them like quail and do a brown gravy, serve with rice and sweet potato biscuits....maybe some collards....MAN ! Thats good.....make a bull dog bite his pappy ! [8D]

b tip 06

The neighbor saw a male a few weeks ago and i heard one drumming while turkey hunting this past weekend. But the numbers still are not what they were a few years back.