Hook and bullet club - Grouse season coming

There are two things many outdoorsman pay attention to this time of year: the predictions in the Farmer’s Almanac and the ruffed grouse countWe heard the Farmer’s Almanac predict plenty of snow this winter so get ready for another winter wonderland in the Ely area. As for grouse, the news is not as good. The DNR coordinates what they call a “drumming survey” whereby people drive down roads in the spring and stop and listen for the sound of grouse drumming. From the number of wings flapping on the ground, biologists can guesstimate the number of birds that are in that area. It’s far from an exact science, but it’s a pretty good indicator.In northeastern Minnesota, the numbers were down 17 percent from last year. This was not what was expected.Grouse populations are cyclical and usually last around 10 years. This year we were supposed to have rebounded from the low point in the cycle and start moving up in the number of ruffed grouse.But the numbers in the drumming survey were the lowest in the state, at nearly half the level of the statewide average. The state has been tracking the drumming numbers for 55 years now and a chart from 1955 to 2004 shows the 10 year cycles. However in the mid-1990s, we had a similar situation to what we have now in that the numbers stayed low for a couple of years. There is hope, however, that the spring drumming counts were not very accurate. It could be that the spring weather impacted the time when grouse start drumming, looking for mates.Dan Dessecker, senior wildlife biologist for the Ruffed Grouse Society said in a report, “This reduced drumming activity may have been more a result of relatively cool spring weather than an actual decline in grouse numbers.” Let’s hope he’s right. But unless we find a way to let science have a place in determining forest management, the future for grouse in our area could be troubling.“Habitat management beneficial to ruffed grouse and woodcock requires that mature forests be periodically harvested, which makes way for a new young forest.  Unfortunately,” Dessecker observes, “managers responsible for state and federal forests are increasingly reluctant to cut trees and provide these essential habitats.” Dessecker was speaking on a national basis and would likely agree that Minnesota does a good job as a state in managing forest lands. The Forest Service on the other hand is often forced to manage the forest through a court room as well-financed environmental groups repeatedly sue to make sure no trees are cut.The report from the Ruffed Grouse Society was right on the money with this statement, “Hunters and other dedicated conservationists need to speak out in support of active forest management if future generations of hunters and bird dogs are to enjoy a success afield comparable to today’s.”While the average hunter is busy trying to make a living and find time to get out in the woods during the fall, some of these groups are succeeding in finding ways to halt logging and continually block off access to the woods.You can bet when people are out bird hunting this fall, they’ll come upon a road they have hunted for years and years only to find out that it is now blocked off for some cockamamie reason. There was even an instance in the Ely area recently where a hunter went to the Forest Service to question why a road was blocked off and found out it wasn’t supposed to be.And that’s not to say we don’t have good people working on the Kawishiwi District, it’s just that their decisions are being made by lawyers instead of sound science. We need to make sure the woods are managed for the future and that includes seeing to it that mature trees are harvested and that people have access. Those are some things to think about when you put on your orange vest this year and head out into the woods looking for game birds. Hopefully, you’ll be able to find some birds and better yet, a place to hunt that hasn’t been blocked off. Good luck.