April Snowstorms Affect On Grouse Nesting

I don’t know much about ruffed grouse nesting. I know last year was supposed to be the first year of the cycle upswing based on drumming counts but cold wet weather in the spring took its toll on broods and the season proved pretty poor for many. 

With much of grouse country buried in a couple feet of heavy wet snow here in mid-April and the cold continuing through April to keep much of the snow around, will ruffed grouse delay nesting until enough of the snow is gone? Can they even nest with so much widespread snow cover? Will they abandon the idea of nesting if we get beyond a certain point on the calendar and still haven’t been able to nest? Will the cold weather and deep snow have a negative affect on the physical condition of nesting hens and their ability to produce? 

Anybody have the answers to these questions?

I was just stating my observations. I'm no weekend warrior, I spend a similar amount of time in the woods as you

Dont forget the major bird warning we have right now So no doubt there will be no woodcock either this year. Since they have all died due to the recent snows. More hogwash!! Local birds, are gone before the season even opens. The birds we see come season are in migration!!  Dont believe it? Come run my bear baits with me mid august. You will see so many woodcock. You might have to go to the ER with Viagra symptoms. Yet, by mid September those birds are long gone. How can that be, LOL Fake news comes in many forms. This is just one of them. Again, I will never lie to you. Just to make a buck. Does me more harm than good. If my truth hurts feelings of some. So be it. Rather it be that way. They be known as a liar!!

Should not have to, but it seems so. I live here up north. Spend 300 days in the woods a year.  When asked about those drum surveys by a good friend, and grouse hunting partner. I said, do those folks know the difference in a woodpecker pecking, and a grouse drumming. At that point had not heard a one. Thats will running bear baits 4 hours a day minimum 4 days a week until the 2nd week of june. Daily after that. Never seen a brood in my 90 mile bait run. Or, during any of my scouting.  None during my morning bike rides which go 50-60 miles by the end of june. Some of my bear baits that I always bust birds going in on. Did not have a single bird last year. So please explain to this simple minded PH!! How weekend warriors at best are seeing more than I do.  Quite simply they are not. Those drum counts were BS!!  Yet, they did have folks coming here in large numbers. Only to be disappointed!  The WNV theory really dont hold water. 1 bird in the UP was found to have it. OMG!! Not one bird we harvested or seen last year. Showed any sign of it at all.  I guess the 2000+ sq miles I hunt in. Must be some sort of special bubble.  Now isnt that a bit of a stretch to things! But, I wont lie to you. Just to make a buck Think about that!!

But, numbers seemed to be down everywhere.  Wouldn't something like wnv be more regional?

From a guy living in the woods of northern Iron County, I believe the published counts were accurate. What has me concerned is, I heard lots of drumming. I saw lots of chicks in early summer. Saw lots of coveys in late summer. I had high hopes for the fall and then nothing. So there might be some merit to the WNV theory

I doubt the drum counts are fictional.  The RGS is a heavy participator, so I understand, and I see no reason for invested parties to ruin their credibility with fictional counts.  While some here might blame short sighted greed theyre are enough checks and balances to keep the science as honest as possible.  

I met a guy last year from Pennsylvania and he claimed WNV has all but destroyed the grouse population. I hope it was a wet spring......

Birdyboy - I know you and I are both very passionate about chasing the up-north birds and want to keep this civil:). 

I do believe the drumming counts were on target and not fictional.  What happened after that to me is more of the conversation.  The number were way down last year, including for myself.  My grouse flushes were down 43.2% from 2016 and 64% from 2015.  Something significant happened.  Two theory's and I think BOTH are a contributing factor.  The wet spring certainly did not help.  But the X factor I believe is West Nile Virus.  I have been discussing with the DNR biologist and there info in WI is inconclusive, due to lack of data.  MI has better data and is a little scary. 

What has me concerned in 2018 is the woodcock, on top of the WNV.  Folk have been finding very weak woodcock this past week and if they don't get a break soon, I am afraid they will die, just like the robins are right now. 

I know a retired DNR employee that still does a drumming count in Oneida. Last year on the day he did it on, it was ideal conditions. His count was way up from previous years. That's fact. We had a ton of rain in May and June and cool temps. Not good for nesting bird survival.

Not worried so much about the snow and cold.  We have the polar vortex two years in a row in 2014 and 2015 and I saw more birds those seasons than I did last year.  I'm more concerned if we get three straight weeks of rain like we did last year.  That washed out the nests and killed plenty of chicks in the process.  Several of the birds we shot last fall had really tiny fantails which tells me the birds were hatched later in the season after re-nesting.  

And I agree on the drumming counts.  Fictional.  The guys I know well up north were concerned in spring and summer because they were not hearing any drumming at all.  Turns out they were right to be concerned.

6 months from the opener.  I will be in the woods once way of the other no matter.  Pray for a drier spring.

Late April would be the earliest for nesting. Normally it's May, and June.  April snow is fairly common up here. 

As for feeding, and body condition.  Actually now they are doing much better than February.  Trees are budding giving them plenty of food. Some spots have opened up on the ground. Giving them access to other foods at times. Now not one of those times for sure.

So they should be just fine. Unless we get another really wet May. Still say the drum counts were fictional!