Harvest Rates of Ruffed Grouse in Northeastern Wisconsin

Abstract

To estimate the rate, composition, and timing of harvest, we banded 835 ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) on the Navarino Wildlife Area (NWA), Wisconsin, in 1978-81 with reward bands inscribed with our address. Recovery rates were 18, 31, 31, and 20% during 1978-81, respectively, for grouse banded -510 weeks before the hunting season. These rates were adjusted for preseason mortality in the banded sample (26%), crippling loss (13%), nonreported bands (4%), and band loss (1%) to calculate harvest rates of 29, 50, 50, and 32% during 1978-81. Mean band recovery rate (25%) and mean estimated harvest rate (40%) were higher than reported elsewhere, except for a recent study in central Wisconsin. About 23% of the bands were recovered in December, indicating that late-season hunting was relatively heavy. Band recovery rates were not directly related to age, sex, color phase, or weight of grouse. Movements of juveniles were extensive in fall, and recoveries were distributed widely on NWA. A relatively small proportion of hunters recovered a high proportion of the bands. J. WILDL. MANAGE. 50(3):361-367 One of the 1st investigations into the effects of hunting on ruffed grouse was conducted in New York by Bump et al. (1947). Additional studies have taken place in different parts of the ruffed grouse range, including Michigan (Palmer 1956, Palmer and Bennett 1963), Wisconsin (Dorney and Kabat 1960), Minnesota (Gullion and Marshall 1968), and Alberta (Rusch and Keith 1971, Fischer and Keith 1974). These authors generally concluded that sport hunting did not adversely affect local populations of ruffed grouse. However, these studies were conducted on large areas with contiguous habitat, relatively short hunting seasons, and moderate hunting pressure. Relatively little was known of the movements of ruffed grouse and the extent of spring and fall dispersal. This information is important when comparing differences in population levels before and after a hunting season because ingress or egress could bias results. Public hunting grounds have tended to concentrate increasing numbers of hunters, especially when these areas are close to large centers of population (DeStefano and Rusch 1982). Hunting season lengths in Wisconsin, and to varying extents in other states and provinces, have been liberalized steadily since the late 1920's so that much of the state now has a 4-month season that extends to the end of January (DeStefano and Rusch 1982). The effect of changes in hunting pressure and regulations on harvest could be important to the management of local populations of ruffed grouse, especially in areas where efforts are being made to increase population densities through intensive management. Our objectives were to estimate or examine: (1) harvest rates of ruffed grouse on a heavily used public hunting ground, (2) composition of the harvest (sex, age, etc.), and (3) timing of harvest throughout the season. Our thanks to T. M. Bahti, G. G. Kloes, and S. W. Miller of the Wis. Dep. Nat. Resour. (WDNR) and members of the Navarino work crew for assistance and support in the field. D. A. Buehler, R. Draves, R. Longwitz, T. J. Moser, and D. E. White assisted with fieldwork. L. B. Keith, J. F. Kubisiak, R. A. McCabe, and D. A. Rusch reviewed the manuscript. Financial support was provided by the Bur. Wildl. Manage. and Res. of WDNR through the Fed. Aid Wildl. Restor. Act, Pittman-Robertson Proj. W-141-R, and the Ruffed Grouse Soc. North Am. The Coop. Wildl. Res. Unit is supported by the Univ. Wisconsin-Madison, WDNR, U.S. Fish and Wildl. Serv., and the Wildl. Manage.