maine grouse

S

skinnerme

New member
hearings in Maine this year to shorten grouse grouse season by a month. if they are concerned about the population why not take off October when most are killed instead of December when fewer hunters are out.
 
I don't know. Last year I shot only 2 grouse and a bunch of woodcock. The grouse are few and fare between. I do have a secret spot that holds at least a dozen flushes every time i go there, but I usually go there and take one bird just for a snack. I think they really need to push the predator hunting too, Mostly on coyotes. The yotes have taken over around here found 3 deer kills in the last several months. I use to see lots of rabbits and foxes around here now I just see coyote crap.
 
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looks good from my point of view. biologists and wardens say hunting not hurting populations of grouse as the weather in nesting season and right after birds hatch, we do not need to lose any more hunting time. the average person would have 4 saturdays in dec of which they would lose at least one to the weather and another to xmas so not a lot of pressure from my view.
 
A friend of mine is a Biologist for Virginia, and he says that the decline of Partridge is due to the growing Turkey population. They have the same problem in VA with the quail. I think too that's why the woodcock population and limits are down as well. The toms in the spring will find the partridge nest or any other ground nesting bird and destroy it out of competition. Plus turkeys drive them out of their natural areas from lack of food. I'll say on here like I have every other place. The turkey in Maine is as avassive to Maine woods as Milfoil is to our lakes... I hate them!!!! I wish to helllll I could shoot every last on of them. Just like the coyotes!!!!

Pete
 
I love turkey hunting in the spring but they are destroying the Grouse population in Va and TN. Quail are just about a thing of the past for the last 20 years in this region. I would gladly give up the Turkeys for the Quail and Grouse hunting to be back like it was in the 60's and 70's. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
Changing habitats is the cause of the decline in quail populations nationwide, it dang sure is not turkeys. As far as I know, the whole thing about turkeys eating quail chicks/eggs is based on a single study in Florida where quail were found in the crop of one turkey.
 
BigHorn!..... Read the post again, I said nothing about them eating the eggs!!! They do it out of competition, and to keep the females wanting to breed.... If you ever tasted a real grouse like the oned we have in the north, you would probably change your mind too! The turkey can't even begin to compare in flavor!

P
 
Sorry I do not want to start anything so...I know nothing of grouse or woodcock I totally admit that and I'm sure they are mighty tasty. But quail were brought up. Most people think that the reason turkeys are booming in areas that quail once thrived in is because the turkeys in some way destroy/eat quail nest. However what it comes down to is the changing habitats nationwide that is causing the decline in quail populations. Quail need a mixture of early successional stage habitats and later successtional stage habits, but due to the fire suppression habitats are changing into the later successional stages i.e. stands of mature timber which are preferred by turkeys. In many areas farming practices are also causing declines in quail. I will do some more reasearch, what your friend said may be true, I am also a state biologist and I would like to see if there is validity to what your friend said.
 
The turkeys are in all my bird covers([beeep] me off)..... I think they are driving the birds(grouse)out also... But the turkeys still have not figured out how to "bud"...(I think lol)
 
Frank

You got that right bud! They would starve to death befor they would figure out what a poplar bud was!!! LOL!!!! I keep praying for the starvation myself...LOL!!!!

Big horn, That makes sense. However up here, they are everywhere. As far as the big timber goes, the partridge roost just like the turkey. Big trees. Please do check it out. I think you will find if you truely are a State Biologist, that Turkeys are strickly herbivors, besides what insects they eat. Remeber in Bio class, all animals, birds included, that eat meat have eyes together on the front of their face. Those that don't eat meat, have eyes on the sides of their head. Turkeys up here on the sides.??????

Let me know, you guys down there might have a terradactdal(sp)turkey???? LOL!!!! Just kidding bud!

Pete
 
The only reason anyone is allowing a reduction in the grouse season is because it was added on a few years ago and there really is very little hunting that goes on in December. The population declines are mostly attributed to the 10 year cycle that is very much real and the fact that our springs have been less than conducive to the breeding of grouse. Too wet and too cold.

Up north the turkey population is very low to non-existent and the same decline is being observed up there. We should be about 5-6 years away from the top of the cycle.

Just so you do not get to far off with your meat eaters theory many birds eat other birds chicks, including blue jays and sharks very clearly have eyes on the sides of their heads and I have first hand seen a red squirrel carry off a baby robin. So maybe it is the over abundance of red squirrels that is causing the declines.

Where are all you guys from, I am in South China. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Riccur,

I am in Stetson! Just outside of Newport. Your are right about the Bluejays and Red squirrels. Turkeys on the other hand are not like that though. Sharks are all together different. That is just the way they are made. FREAKS! LOL!!!! You know, you could be right about the red squirrel thing too??? The springs do factor in a bit! This year was very dry and warm? I have only seen about 4-5 brewds of birds this year. Not very good. You usually see alot of young ones dead in the road this time of year as well. As far as up north, I would disagree with that for sure. Shot quite a few up there around the Reality Road last year. Saw a bunch on the Golden road. Slayed em on the Stud mill road out of Milford. You are in prime country for birds just like I am. Old farming lands. Lots of apple and hawthorn trees. NO BIRDS! Turkeys like a lot of pasture for the insects in the grass/hay. Hense the reason for the lack of them up north. I use to be a wing shooter under my dogs(2 GSP). Now I take em anyway I can get em. The gas is killing me though.

Good luck!

Pete
 
I usually hunt The Forks on the Enchanted Road, gas is a killer though for those road strafing trips. We have seen a pretty steady decline in this area for the last few years. Of course there are more and more people heater hunting these birds so it may be a combination of too much traffic forcing the birds off the roads and too many hunters. Watch out for the motorized birds.

I hunt over a GSP right now. We focus on the woodcock with the occasional partridge, he is not real patient when the bird gets up and walks away.

Waiting for October,

Rick
 
Having the same problem here with few to no grouse. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif Used to kick up coveys every other step 10 years ago, now your lucky to see one at all. I liken to the overwhelming # of red-tails anymore. A short trip to Albany from here and you lose count how many and thats just the roosted ones. Also yote and fox seem to be increasing every season. Also rarely see cotontails unless your right in town. I would imagine things will work out on there own at some point. When the food supply dwindles the critters should scale back naturaly and allow the birds and bunnies to re-populate on there own.

Shure would be nice to cook up a pile of grouse again!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif


Dave
 
The trend in MI & WI has been longer grouse seasons the last 5 years. This is even with the current low but climbing(hopefully) numbers. Most studies seem to show that hunter harvest is minor on overall populations compared to predators & nesting weather. Hawks, coons, skunks, fox ,etc & even the potential of west nile virus. It is rather common to see a long tailed type hawk(coopers??) watching over a logging road up north. Hunting grouse is one of my favorite activities. With the longer season & 5 bird limit if I get one or 2 in an afternoon that is fine. I just like to get enough so the dog knows what we are after.
 


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