So - - quit killing them for a while and let them recover
A statement that underscores just how little you grasp on the subject of Ruffed Grouse. 90% of a given population of Ruffed Grouse will die in a year, whether they are hunted, or not. Virtually all of them die a violent death. The population of grouse cycles up and down in a ten year span, without regards to hunting, indeed, the cycle is not at all understood, but, what is understood is that hunting has zero impact upon it.
If you are actually interested in the ecology, intead of making uninformed, feel good commentary, I'd suggest you begin with the study and writings of Gordon Gullion.
To the OP, I would suggest that as I have hunted grouse the past 40 seasons, grouse are literally where you find them. Last years reports from the DNR were glowing, but, in the north western areas I hunted, it was a bust. I had far more success hunting closer to home on short afternoon hunts, of an hour or two in duration. I would have found no birds without my dog. The birds I killed were all this years birds, BUT, in any given year, good or poor, I kill first year birds more frequently.
I do not believe the birds will recover from the border to border spring flooding that occured two seasons past, and that includes pheasants and grouse. The Dakotas suffered severe drought last year, and I'm not betting on good populations of pheasants or prarie grouse, there, either.
I will hunt. That is a given.
Best,
Ted
