ruffed grouse are on the way to extinction due to an excess of two predators...specifically the eastern coyote and the wild turkey...significantly reduce the numbers of these two varmints, and we will see a resurgence in grouse numbers...
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Here’s an idea. Stay on topic.
I already mentioned it in the other ruffed grouse thread currently running Lonesome, but I'll say it again. Here in my State of Pennsylvania, timber harvesting is alive and well. It is one of the largest industries in the state. And contrary to what the author of the article in your link says, there is still a vibrant timber cutting industry in many other states where grouse numbers are in a steep decline, that cannot be explained by the 11 year population cycle.
Pennsylvania is the largest producer of hardwoods in the country, accounting for 10% of the total hardwood output in the US. Revenues from Pennsylvania's forest products industry exceed $5.5 billion annually. Approximately 90,000 Pennsylvanians make a livelihood on the industry.
rocky mtn bill, the idiot that votes for Democrat anti-gunners, apparently thinks we should eliminate their jobs and put them all on Welfare and Food Stamps!
The types of cutting vary widely. There are small woodlots logged out. There is large scale clear-cutting of large tracts done by big players like Georgia-Pacific, Koppers, Collins Pine, etc. And there is selective cutting where only the best and largest mature trees are harvested. There are also hundreds of smaller logging companies including Amish Dutch crews that use draft horses to haul logs. In addition to the large amount of hardwoods cut here, there is also a great deal of pine, spruce, and Eastern Hemlock.
In short, there is a wide variety of forest in different stages of succession and maturation. The vast majority of this acreage never sees any spraying of insecticides or herbicides, so we can pretty much eliminate that as a factor in ruffed grouse breeding or survival. Hunter numbers are way down compared to 30 years ago, so the decline isn't because of excess hunting pressure or over-harvesting.
The biggest and most obvious change over the last few decades is the introduction of the Eastern Coyote, and the protection of hawks and owls. As GLS said earlier, these critters are eating machines that never quit. I disagree with ed about the influence of wild turkeys, because they seemed to co-exist with grouse quite well. But in recent years, even their numbers are way down as they too have become coyote food.
In 2019, I shot two coyote puppies near my garage, and I will put a bullet in every one I possibly can.
