The grouse population cycle is on the upswing, and while this leads to more hunters in the woods, it also results in more opportunities for hunters. Photo by Tim Lesmeister.

It is a dilemma all ruffed grouse hunters face. The problem originates from the fact these birds are such fine table fare that you hate to see one get away. So, we wrestle with the dichotomy of whether we should be true sportsmen and flush the birds to only shoot them on the wing, or take on the role of hunter and gatherer if given the opportunity to take a shot at the birds on the ground.

Some of us change the rules based on the grouse population. If the numbers are low, we temporarily waive the purist amendment of our hunting constitution and ratify the section on ground swatting. When nature only provides a couple of opportunities, the path to success may force incorporating a few more options.

Fortunately for hunters who prefer to flush the grouse they shoot, this year will provide many opportunities. According to Gary Zimmer, regional wildlife biologist for the Ruffed Grouse Society, the curve of the grouse cycle is near the peak.

"In the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and in Wisconsin, the peak of the grouse cycle occurs in the years that end in a '9'," Zimmer said. "In Minnesota, it's a year earlier. This can vary one year either way, but the cycle is consistent. So, you can see we're getting close to the peak of the cycle in these three states."

But aren't there other factors -- such as snow cover, poor weather during nesting and predation -- that can alter the cycle? "Actually, habitat is the key for grouse overall," Zimmer said. "The management for grouse is managing for habitat to reduce predation. That's really what we're doing.

"The grouse have adapted well to survive our winters," continued Zimmer, "but they have not adapted well to survive from predators. They're not only a great meal for hunters, they're a great meal for the species that utilize a medium-sized prey, like a grouse. You think of all those things that like to eat grouse. We have high populations of many of those species, both mammal and avian predators. We have a lot of concerns out there when it comes to predators."

Looking back on last winter, it would seem the lack of snow in some parts of the Midwest and some cold snaps in others could have affected the number of grouse that carried over to nest this spring.

"What we've had the last two winters -- except for a two- to three-week period this past winter -- is we didn't have a lot of snow in the grouse's region, but we had pretty mild weather," Zimmer said. "We had a couple of weeks of real cold without much snow cover, but that was the most stress the ruffed grouse has had in the winter for the last two years. It wasn't enough to hurt their numbers. They just hunkered down and tried to do their best to get through it. If they had some food nearby, obviously they utilized that. In most cases, we didn't lose any birds.

"Now if we had repeated scenarios like this followed by an icy spring, which causes an ice crust that prevents or hinders feeding, that would have been disastrous," he continued. "But one cold spell didn't faze the birds. It definitely didn't kill birds, although it may have reduced some of the productivity for nesting this past spring."

So, what is the best habitat when it comes to grouse survival?

"Aspen is the key for ruffed grouse," Zimmer said. "While they utilize other habitat, research has shown they can have four times the population in aspen habitat as they can in other forest habitat. Ruffed grouse require dense stem densities and young forests, and their optimum habitat is 5- to 20-year-old aspen stands because it is providing them with secure cover during the spring, summer and fall months. They have to hide. They don't survive by any other method than hiding. That's where they feel comfortable, that's where they feel secure and that's where they like it."

The problem is there are fewer pockets of this cover in the Midwest grouse range because of the way we manage forests today.

"The aspen forest type is declining by about 1 percent per year," Zimmer said. "It has been that way for the last 12 years now. That's because it's getting older and maturing, and we're doing nothing to regenerate it. The choice is being made to move it into an older type, like a hardwood stand or pine.

"I'm not against old forest," Zimmer stressed. "The Ruffed Grouse Society is definitely not against old forest and managing for the white pine resources. We just feel there should be a balance instead of priorities that call for older forests, big trees and beautiful scenic areas. We also look at the same thing for young forests and managing our aspen habitat. It's just as crucial to maintain that habitat for a long time. So, I'm not saying the whole forest should be aspen, but we need to consider the species that use that type of forest for habitat."