The North American Breeding Bird Survey indicates a long-term population decline since 1966. Minnesota hunters kill a few thousand spruce grouse each year, compared to hundreds of thousands of ruffed grouse. points in the population cycle occur on average every 10 years, and surveys indicate that the last peak was in 2017. Fussy has hosted avid grouse hunters for more than 20 years at his resort. Minnesota is a premiere state for ruffed grouse hunting. If you go to ne MN there is sprucies and roughs. Nemadji State Forest Map Author: State of Minnesota Subject: Map of the Nemadji State Forest, located in Pine and Carlton Counties, Minnesota. Ruffed grouse in Minnesotaare currently in the declining phase of the 10-year cycle. In Michigan and Wisconsin the rates … Draw a line east from Aitkin county and nw to roseau and your are in good grouse country. The annual hunter harvest in Minnesota is unsurpassed by any other state. Few attempts have been made to estimate its population in Minnesota; hunter harvests, annual lek counts, and roadside counts have primarily been used as indices of abundance ( Berg 1997 ). grouse population trends. Minnesota Grouse Hunting. THE SHARP-TAILED GROUSE IN MINNESOTA William E. Berg, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Forest Wildlife Populations and Research Group, 1201 East Highway 2, Grand Rapids, 55744 HISTORICAL REVIEW The prairie sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus campestris) is the only prairie grouse indigenous to Minnesota (Roberts 1936). The Sharp-tailed Grouse is estimated to be the third most abundant upland game bird in Minnesota, behind the Ruffed Grouse and the Ring-necked Pheasant . “Just last fall, some of our hunters had 20- to 30-a-day bird flushes.” Ruffed grouse are associated with deciduous and mixed deciduous-coniferous forests in northern and central Although the ruffed grouse is not currently listed under the Federal Endangered Species Act of 1973, it may be trending that way. South Central Minnesota. mnrabbit. “The out-of-state grouse hunters love to come to Minnesota, because even our lowest bird population years are still better than their best.” says Ed Fussy of Pimushe Resort near Bemidji. However, Roy cautions that harvest estimates derived from hunter surveys are probably not accurate representations of the actual spruce grouse population. Watonwan counties), sharp-tailed grouse (Red Lake, Roseau, and Polk counties), trumpeter swan s (Kandiyohi and Sibley counties), and upland sandpipers (Murray, Freeborn, and Renville counties). DNR Wildlife Staff did not conduct sharp-tailed grouse surveys during 2020 due to the Governor’s Stay at Home Orders during the COVID-19 pandemic. “The out-of-state grouse hunters love to come to Minnesota, because even our lowest bird population years are still better than their best.” says Ed Fussy of Pimushe Resort near Bemidji. American crows, Canada geese, American kestrels, and wild turkeys were reported in multiple counties. Spring surveys, in combination with hunter harvest statistics, provide evidence that the ruffed grouse population cycles at approximately 10-year intervals. Results from 2018 showed 12% of Minnesota grouse submitted for testing had been exposed to the virus. The first surveys of ruffed grouse in Minnesota occurred in the mid-1930s, and the first spring survey routes were established along roadsides in 1949. Map shows recreation opportunities within the state forest, public and private ownership boundaries, and Gafvert Campground. Ruffed grouse populations and habitat are strong in Minnesota, and the future of grouse in the state is bright. Participant. Some states have been battling with emergency closures of hunting seasons out of concern for the grouse population. The population can vary greatly between areas just like pheasants. Photography by Chip Laughton The WI Scout-N-Hunt Digital map is terrific, now I see what I’ve been missing.