Grouse Drumming Counts

DNR is reporting a 57% increase in the drumming count for 2017. Some of the best drumming numbers over the last two decades. Happy for the pup given the spotty pheasant numbers over the previous 3-4 years. He is at his peak physically so can see us spending a lot of time in in the woods this year.....
 
Most of the "big" increases were in one zone (NE) - which has been recently reconstructed to be one very large zone. The others had smaller increases. Something in the data seems a little mysterious for that NE zone, we will see ... I have some good areas in that region. Years 7, 8, 9 and 0 are usually pretty solid in numbers ... then again my harvest seems to be consistent high or low drum count.

Pheasant hunting in MN has been consistently pretty good the past 5 years. This year should be a step up.
 
You Minnesota boys better watch out, the quail hound is seriously contemplating a trip up to the grouse woods with my mutts this year.:cheers:
 
Most of the "big" increases were in one zone (NE) - which has been recently reconstructed to be one very large zone. The others had smaller increases. Something in the data seems a little mysterious for that NE zone, we will see ... I have some good areas in that region. Years 7, 8, 9 and 0 are usually pretty solid in numbers ... then again my harvest seems to be consistent high or low drum count.

Pheasant hunting in MN has been consistently pretty good the past 5 years. This year should be a step up.

A few years ago they reconfigured the grouse range boundries by specific habitat types instead of more arbitrary boundaries that followed geographic boundries (counties etc.). The NE has always been the core of the grouse population but the new configuration just enhances that fact.

Don't see how it would change the comparison of statewide counts much though. 2.1 drums per stop statewide is right there with some of the best harvest years in the late 80's. Unusual because the peak is usually closer to a "9" year.

Could be a statistical anomaly, could be an early peak or could be some potentially great hunting over the next few seasons.....
 
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