Poor outlook for quality upland game bird hunting
As we get closer to October’s hunting season, it’s notable that with the decline in pheasants, grouse now provide about the only traditional upland bird hunting game in the state. While many enjoy grouse (and woodcock, if available) hunting, maturing habitat (and perhaps bad nesting weather and predation) seems to be taking a toll on this once abundant game bird. Note below the average statewide grouse harvest per participating hunter (3 birds) for the entire season.
Some interesting data during the 2009-10 hunting season was gathered by DEC using a voluntary grouse hunting log format. In all, 284 hunters participated in the Cooperator Ruffed Grouse Hunting Log. Grouse log participants reported data from over 3,000 hunting trips across the state, from the lower Hudson Valley in the south, to the Adirondacks and St. Lawrence Valley in the north, and the Lake Plains and Allegheny Plateau in far western New York. They spent over 8,200 hours afield and flushed over 10,400 grouse (about 1.2 flushes/hour). Some general findings from the 2009-10 season include:
Hunters participating in the survey averaged about 29 hours afield during the 2009-10 season. They took about 11 trips afield for the season and spent about 3 hours afield per trip.
Grouse log participants averaged about 37 grouse flushed per hunter for the 2009-10 season and had to spend about 48 minutes hunting in order to flush one grouse. In addition, hunters averaged almost 3 birds harvested for the season and had to invest about 9 hours of hunting effort to harvest one grouse. On average, one out of every 11 grouse flushes resulted in a kill.
About 70 per cent of the effort expended by hunters occurred during the first half of the season (September - November; Table 1). In addition, about 80 per cent of the grouse flushed and 79 per cent of the grouse harvested occurred during this early part of the season. The flush rate was higher during the first half of the season (1.4 vs. 1.0), but varied by month with a peak in November (1.5 flushes/hour).
The effort expended by hunters was similar on public and private lands, but hunters saw and killed more grouse on public lands. Over the past three seasons the flush rate has been similar on public and private lands.
Overall, there was far more effort expended in the southern grouse season zone (over 70 per cent of the total), but the flushing rate was higher in the northern season zone (1.5 vs. 1.2 grouse flushed/hour.
Hunting effort was well distributed across major geographic regions of New York State. About 45 per cent of the hunting effort took place in western New York (39 per cent Appalachian Hills & Plateau Ecozone, 6 per cent Lake Plains Ecozone), about 30 per cent in northern New York (15 per cent Adirondacks-Tug Hill Ecozone, 9 per cent St. Lawrence Valley Ecozone, 5 per cent Champlain Valley Ecozone), and about 25 per cent in the southeastern part of the state (14 per cent Catskills-Delaware Hills, 12 per cent Mohawk Valley-Hudson-Valley-Taconic Highlands).
The highest number of grouse were flushed and harvested in the Appalachian Hills & Plateau Ecozone, followed by the Adirondacks-Tug Hill, Catskill-Delaware Hills, and St. Lawrence Valley ecozones.
The flush rate was highest in the Catskills-Delaware Hills and Adirondacks-Tug Hill ecozones (1.6 grouse flushed/hour), followed by the St. Lawrence Valley (1.5 grouse flushed/hour), and Appalachian Hills & Plateau (1.2 grouse flushed/hour) ecozones. Flush rates in the Champlain Valley, Mohawk Valley-Hudson Valley-Taconic Highlands, and Lake Plains ecozones were below the annual statewide average of 1.2 grouse flushed/hour.
2010 Spring Gobbler Harvest Declines
The DEC estimates the wild turkey harvest during spring 2010 was 25,800 birds, well below the 10-year average (about 34,000). This is a decrease of about 25 per cent from spring 2009, and may be a result of poor nesting during summers 2008 and 2009. Chenango County’s spring harvest was 852, down from the 986 birds taken in spring 2009. Chautauqua County led all counties with 1,350, well down from the 2,012 taken in 2009.
Pharsalia Woods Management Plan Public Meeting
The DEC will hold a public meeting at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 29, at the DEC Rogers Environmental Education Center to outline a draft Pharsalia Woods Unit Management Plan (UMP) and gather public input. The draft plan proposes management activities on the Chenango County unit for the next 20 years and defines goals and objectives for various issues, including biodiversity, timber and public recreation.
Oxford Club hosts sportsmen’s weekend event
Oxford Rod & Gun Club at 214 Ingraham Rd., Oxford, NY will hold its “Fifth Annual Sportsmen’s Weekend” Saturday, September 18 from 8AM to 5PM and Sunday, September 19 from 8AM to 2PM. Both days will feature vendors, displays, door prizes, raffles and shooting events. An all you can eat breakfast will be served from 7:30 to10:30 AM. Lunch will be available. Saturday’s events include trap shooting, speed shooting competition, running deer slug shoot, air rifle carnival, trapping displays and seminars. Sunday’s events include a 3-D archery tournament, novelty shoots, running deer archery shoot, horseshoe tournament at 11 AM, a knife sharpening booth and more. Admission is free.
If your organization or business is related to outdoor sports activities such as hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, boating or other related activities and you would like to set up a booth or table to promote yourself, you are welcome to do so at no charge. Flea market merchandise must be related to outdoor sports activities. Unlimited outdoor space is available but you must supply your own tents and tables. For more information contact Jim at 656-8882 or e-mail jvpvsv@aol.com .
Some interesting data during the 2009-10 hunting season was gathered by DEC using a voluntary grouse hunting log format. In all, 284 hunters participated in the Cooperator Ruffed Grouse Hunting Log. Grouse log participants reported data from over 3,000 hunting trips across the state, from the lower Hudson Valley in the south, to the Adirondacks and St. Lawrence Valley in the north, and the Lake Plains and Allegheny Plateau in far western New York. They spent over 8,200 hours afield and flushed over 10,400 grouse (about 1.2 flushes/hour). Some general findings from the 2009-10 season include:
Hunters participating in the survey averaged about 29 hours afield during the 2009-10 season. They took about 11 trips afield for the season and spent about 3 hours afield per trip.
Grouse log participants averaged about 37 grouse flushed per hunter for the 2009-10 season and had to spend about 48 minutes hunting in order to flush one grouse. In addition, hunters averaged almost 3 birds harvested for the season and had to invest about 9 hours of hunting effort to harvest one grouse. On average, one out of every 11 grouse flushes resulted in a kill.
About 70 per cent of the effort expended by hunters occurred during the first half of the season (September - November; Table 1). In addition, about 80 per cent of the grouse flushed and 79 per cent of the grouse harvested occurred during this early part of the season. The flush rate was higher during the first half of the season (1.4 vs. 1.0), but varied by month with a peak in November (1.5 flushes/hour).
The effort expended by hunters was similar on public and private lands, but hunters saw and killed more grouse on public lands. Over the past three seasons the flush rate has been similar on public and private lands.
Overall, there was far more effort expended in the southern grouse season zone (over 70 per cent of the total), but the flushing rate was higher in the northern season zone (1.5 vs. 1.2 grouse flushed/hour.
Hunting effort was well distributed across major geographic regions of New York State. About 45 per cent of the hunting effort took place in western New York (39 per cent Appalachian Hills & Plateau Ecozone, 6 per cent Lake Plains Ecozone), about 30 per cent in northern New York (15 per cent Adirondacks-Tug Hill Ecozone, 9 per cent St. Lawrence Valley Ecozone, 5 per cent Champlain Valley Ecozone), and about 25 per cent in the southeastern part of the state (14 per cent Catskills-Delaware Hills, 12 per cent Mohawk Valley-Hudson-Valley-Taconic Highlands).
The highest number of grouse were flushed and harvested in the Appalachian Hills & Plateau Ecozone, followed by the Adirondacks-Tug Hill, Catskill-Delaware Hills, and St. Lawrence Valley ecozones.
The flush rate was highest in the Catskills-Delaware Hills and Adirondacks-Tug Hill ecozones (1.6 grouse flushed/hour), followed by the St. Lawrence Valley (1.5 grouse flushed/hour), and Appalachian Hills & Plateau (1.2 grouse flushed/hour) ecozones. Flush rates in the Champlain Valley, Mohawk Valley-Hudson Valley-Taconic Highlands, and Lake Plains ecozones were below the annual statewide average of 1.2 grouse flushed/hour.
2010 Spring Gobbler Harvest Declines
The DEC estimates the wild turkey harvest during spring 2010 was 25,800 birds, well below the 10-year average (about 34,000). This is a decrease of about 25 per cent from spring 2009, and may be a result of poor nesting during summers 2008 and 2009. Chenango County’s spring harvest was 852, down from the 986 birds taken in spring 2009. Chautauqua County led all counties with 1,350, well down from the 2,012 taken in 2009.
Pharsalia Woods Management Plan Public Meeting
The DEC will hold a public meeting at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 29, at the DEC Rogers Environmental Education Center to outline a draft Pharsalia Woods Unit Management Plan (UMP) and gather public input. The draft plan proposes management activities on the Chenango County unit for the next 20 years and defines goals and objectives for various issues, including biodiversity, timber and public recreation.
Oxford Club hosts sportsmen’s weekend event
Oxford Rod & Gun Club at 214 Ingraham Rd., Oxford, NY will hold its “Fifth Annual Sportsmen’s Weekend” Saturday, September 18 from 8AM to 5PM and Sunday, September 19 from 8AM to 2PM. Both days will feature vendors, displays, door prizes, raffles and shooting events. An all you can eat breakfast will be served from 7:30 to10:30 AM. Lunch will be available. Saturday’s events include trap shooting, speed shooting competition, running deer slug shoot, air rifle carnival, trapping displays and seminars. Sunday’s events include a 3-D archery tournament, novelty shoots, running deer archery shoot, horseshoe tournament at 11 AM, a knife sharpening booth and more. Admission is free.
If your organization or business is related to outdoor sports activities such as hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, boating or other related activities and you would like to set up a booth or table to promote yourself, you are welcome to do so at no charge. Flea market merchandise must be related to outdoor sports activities. Unlimited outdoor space is available but you must supply your own tents and tables. For more information contact Jim at 656-8882 or e-mail jvpvsv@aol.com .
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