North American Forest Grouse Harvest Regulations

• Main Authors: Chelak, Melissa, Small, Justin, Dahlgren, David K
• Other Authors: Utah State University Extension
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: Hosted by Utah State University Libraries 2020
• Subjects: North American forest grouse; harvest regulations; sooty grouse; dusky grouse; ruffed grouse; spruce grouse; Life Sciences; Canada; Pacific; Yukon; Alaska
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/extension_curall/2143; https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3163&context=extension_curall

This bulletin reviews North American forest grouse harvest regulations. Forest grouse are a highly sought-after wildlife resource across North America, both for their intrinsic value and as game species. Their unique breeding displays and the habitat they rely on are part of North America’s incredible natural heritage. Most forested landscapes in the upper latitudes of North America have the potential to provide habitat for one or more forest grouse species. This includes a large variety of vegetation types including the aspen forests of the upper Midwest, the coniferous boreal forest of Canada, the Pacific coastal rain forests that extend from Alaska to California, the Intermountain Rockies as far north as the Yukon and as far south as New Mexico and Arizona, and the mixed forests of the southern Appalachians. Across nearly the entire distribution of these forest grouse species, states and provinces have regulated harvest. Eastern states and provinces generally have shorter seasons and non-aggregated bag limits compared to western states and provinces, which tend to have more liberal season lengths, earlier start dates, and most often have aggregated bag limits for multiple forest grouse species. North American forest grouse species have different life-history strategies and yet, in many cases, harvest regulations are combined. Thus, harvest management strategies for forest grouse, especially for western states and provinces, may warrant increased evaluation to ensure appropriate harvest management and conservation of these species into the future.