8911318 total results

A closeup of an American woodcock on the forest floor.

While no records were broken in 1981. the overall season was reasonably good for most hunters. Compared to 1980, the grouse harvest was down 4 percent with a take of 723,620 birds in 1981 versus·756,660 in 1980. The 1981 harvest of 251,440 woodcock represents a 16 percent drop from the 1980 figure of 299,590. Ruffed grouse hunter numbers in 1981 decreased 2 percent, and the average bag per hunter was down only slightly. During 1981, an estimated 1,741,470 hunter days were spent in pursuit of "old ruff." The ruffed grouse continues to be the number one game bird in the state.

Ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) and American woodcock (Scolopax minor) are popular forest game birds that are pursued by about 103,000 Michigan hunters annually. Hunters spend an average of seven to eight days hunting grouse and woodcock each year, adding up to almost a million days of recreation in Michigan annually. The number of ruffed grouse flushed per hour by cooperators in 2003 (1.63) increased 13.2% statewide compared to flush rates from 2002 (1.44); an estimated 358,000 grouse were harvested in Michigan during 2003. The number of woodcock flushed per hour by cooperators in 2003 (1.51) increased 8.6% statewide compared to flush rates from 2002 (1.39). Approximately 43,000 hunters harvested about 139,000 woodcock while spending 301,000 days afield in 2003.

Report on the results, hunting and conditions of the 1964 grouse season, with notes on prospects for future seasons.

This report presents estimates of small game harvest and hunter numbers in Michigan for the 1987 small game seasons and any extensions of those seasons into the 1988 calendar year. The questionnaires were sent to a random sample of individuals who purchased one of six license types giving them authority to hunt small game in 1987. A total of 304,141 people hunted small game during the 1987 seasons compared to 298,283 in 1986. More hunters took to the field for pheasant, grouse, woodcock, rabbits, hares, and squirrels in 1987 than in 1986. Hunter take also increased for those species. Only the number of duck hunters and their take declined. The pheasant harvest increased 33 percent from 1986, and cottontail rabbit and squirrel harvests were the highest since 1981 and 1975, respectively.

Report on the conditions and results of the 1953 grouse, woodcock and jack snipe season.

This report presents the results of a mail survey to individuals who purchased one of six license types giving them authority to hunt in Michigan during the 1988 small game seasons and any extensions of those seasons into the 1989 calendar year.

This report contains estimates of number of hunters and harvests for the 1979 ruffed grouse and woodcock season. Hunter numbers (231,200) were up slightly, about three percent, over 1978. The grouse harvest increased 2.8 percent over 1978 with 723,910 birds harvested. The woodcock kill, in spite of a poor flush record, increased 4.1 percent with 321,830 birds taken.

In 1994, Michigan had 193 cooperators that filled out special hunter report cards to gather additional information about ruffed grouse and woodcock hunting. Cooperators spent an average of 40 hours hunting last fall which was five hours more than in 1993. The average grouse hunter spends 18 hours afield each fall. Flush rat 35 per hour of hunting for ruffed grouse were up 37 percent statewide, and up 42 percent and 22 percent in Regions I (Upper Peninsula) and II (Northern Lower Peninsula) respectively. For woodcock, the flush rate statewide was down 8 percent (1.30 birds per hour) - down 15 percent in Regions I and II.

Report on the habitat, species and hunting numbers on the Prairie Farm area in Saginaw County.

This report presents the results of a mail survey to individuals who purchased one of six license types giving them authority to hunt in Michigan during the 1989 small game seasons and any extensions of those seasons into the 1990 calendar year.

Results of the 1961 drumming grouse, grouse brood and woodcock singing censuses at Gratiot-Saginaw State Game Area.

A sample of small game license buyers was contacted after the 2003 hunting seasons to estimate the number of people hunting upland game and waterfowl, their days afield, and harvest. Grouse and squirrel hunting seasons were expanded in 2003; thus, additional estimates were calculated for both the expanded and entire seasons. The survey also was used to check whether migratory bird hunters registered with the Harvest Information Program (HIP) and to determine the preferred date for the opening of the 2004 duck hunting season in Michigan.

Overview of the 1946 hunting season, covering small game, waterfowl and deer.

Early season reports from ruffed grouse and American woodcock cooperators allow biologists to quickly assess hunter success and local field conditions across the state of Michigan at the beginning of the grouse season. This report is a summary of their responses for September 15-18, 2014.

Report on the 1952 grouses and woodcock season, with hunting conditions and harvest numbers.

This report presents the results of a mail survey to individuals who purchased one of six license types giving them authority to hunt in Michigan during the 1990 small game seasons and any extensions of those seasons into the 1991 calendar year.

Hunter cooperator surveys, spring breeding surveys, and mail harvest surveys are conducted each year to monitor Ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) and American woodcock (Scolopax minor) populations.

Several surveys are conducted each year to monitor ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) and American woodcock (Scolopax minor) populations, including hunter cooperator surveys and spring breeding surveys. Hunter records were available from 251 cooperators who hunted in 2004. The average number of ruffed grouse flushed per hour by cooperators (1.18) decreased 28% compared to flush rates from 2003 (1.63). The average number of woodcock flushed per hour (1.38) decreased 9% compared to flush rates from 2003 (1.51). Ruffed grouse drumming counts were conducted statewide along 98 surveys routes in April and May 2005. A statewide drumming surveys was also conducted in 2004, which provided data from 107 routes. There was no difference between the number of drums heard per route in 2004 (8.2) and 2005 (8.5). Analysis at the regional scale indicated there was a significant increase in the number of drums heard per route in 2004 (7.9) and 2005 (9.9) in Zone 2 (Northern Lower Peninsula). No significant differences between years were detected in Zone 1 (Upper Peninsula) or Zone 3 (Southern Lower Peninsula). Significant changes in the Michigan woodcock index based on the singing-ground surveys from 2004 to 2005 were not detected. Woodcock banders spent approximately 1,600 hours afield in 2005 and banded 869 chicks. In 2005, there were 75.8 chicks observed and 54.2 chicks banded per 100 hours of search time, compared to 74.8 observed and 54.6 banded in 2004.

Results of grouse nest and brood surveys, with comparisons to previous years.

Report on the results, hunting and conditions of the 1973 grouse and woodcock season, with analysis on prospects for future seasons.