<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4Jo3Fq_0wDTalze00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4Jo3Fq_0wDTalze00" width="1083" height="720" ><figcaption>Jimmy Simmons, left, and Steve Rumberger pose with their grouse harvest. Submitted</figcaption></figure>It’s sometimes referred to as the king of the game birds. It also holds the title of Pennsylvania’s state bird. But if you’re heading out to the woods expecting to see one, you might be out of luck.Pennsylvania’s ruffed grouse population has declined about 70% since the 1960s, researchers say.While some of this can be attributed to the usual culprits of habitat loss and increased predation, the main cause of the steep decrease is West Nile virus.“We’ve been seeing long-term population declines for several decades now, but those declines are really exacerbated by the introduction of West Nile virus in the early 2000s,” said Reina Tyl, a wildlife biologist with the Pennsylvania Game Commission.Tyl said 2018 was a low point for grouse numbers in the state, but the past few years have been more positive.Grouse prefer a young forest habitat that doesn’t have too many mature trees or thick brush.And when the ideal habitat is created, Tyl said grouse will occupy new areas, so with the right conditions, populations should be able to recover fairly well.Most of the grouse population is in the northern forested area, also known as the Pennsylvania Wilds, where West Nile is less prevalent due to higher elevations. Grouse populations in other areas were hit hard by the virus.“They’re definitely not where they used to be or perhaps where we’d like them to be, but we are seeing some signs of recovery, which is very promising,” Tyl said.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1jffY2_0wDTalze00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1jffY2_0wDTalze00" width="541" height="360" ><figcaption>A harvested ruffed grouse lays on a table next to a shotgun. Submitted</figcaption></figure>Clinton County is part of the core grouse area in the state. And while long-time hunter Jimmy Simmons still sees grouse in the area, it’s not like it used to be.Simmons has been hunting grouse for 30 years and has a cabin in the county.“The areas we’ve found have always been successful,” Simmons said. “It definitely did vary, but the opportunity was there.”Simmons remembers many hunting trips where he’d see 20 to 30 grouse flushes — meaning a hunter has stumbled upon a grouse, causing it to scare and emerge from its cover. In more recent times, Simmons typically only gets one or two flushes.While the grouse population has seen some increases, Tyl said it’s unlikely to return to numbers like Simmons would see when he first started hunting the birds in the 1990s.“It can be difficult to compare what we have now to the ‘60s or ‘70s or ‘80s because those just might be unrealistic benchmarks,” Tyl said.West Nile virus — which is spread by mosquitoes — first made its way to Pennsylvania in 2000, and grouse proved very susceptible to the disease.It can be hard to predict what will be a bad virus year, but Tyl said it often comes along with extreme weather — either too wet or too dry.Overly wet years mean more pools of water, a mosquito’s ideal breeding ground. And while one might think a dry year would limit mosquitoes, it’s actually the opposite.Extremely dry years can cause what should be a running stream to dry up, creating pooled water instead.In addition to an overall decline in grouse population, there has also been a drop off in grouse hunters.“We’ve been seeing long-term declines in small game hunters now for a long time,” Tyl said. “With grouse hunting specifically, there’s no doubt that just population declines have also led to fewer people being interested in pursuing grouse. Having to put in more effort to be successful can be a big deterrent.”For Gavin Robinson, the extra effort had nothing to do with his decision to stop heading out in the woods to flush grouse.“With their numbers down I didn’t feel great hunting them,” Robinson said. “I know they’re around, it’s just not like it used to be.”Robinson used to hunt in the Kutztown and Scranton areas, and most recently in the State College area, but he stopped hunting grouse over five years ago.He said he’ll hear the birds in the spring time while out fishing around State College and always thinks about heading back out into the woods come fall, but he hasn’t gone back yet.“Hopefully there is maybe a return,” he said. “That would be great. It’s our state bird. It was a lot of fun hunting them.”The Pennsylvania Game Commission shortened the grouse season in 2017, closing the time that used to be open after Christmas and into January.Grouse are in season Oct. 19 to Nov. 29 and Dec. 16-24.The Game Commission also has a relatively strict limit on the number of birds a hunter can take. The daily bag limit is two, and the total possession limit is six.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=06VsBH_0wDTalze00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=06VsBH_0wDTalze00" width="1083" height="720" ><figcaption>From left, Tate Simmons, Jim Simmons, Jimmy Simmons, Steve Rumberger, Jimmy Hale and Dennis Rivera pose after a grouse hunt in Clinton County, Pa. Submitted</figcaption></figure>“The goal is to make sure that our behavior and the hunting opportunity that we provide is not having any sort of negative effect to (ruffed grouse) survival,” Tyl said.While the total limit is six birds, Tyl said that most grouse hunters are happy taking only one or two, even though they see more than that in a season.“They’re very passionate and they care about the resource a lot,” she said.Simmons, the Clinton County hunter, said his group is just happy to be out in the woods, regardless of the number of birds they end up with.“It’s the funnest hunting I think I’ve ever done in my life,” Simmons said. “It’s just an amazing game bird — not only being beautiful, but the excitement you get. That kind of hunting is great. Let alone the fact that they’re absolutely delicious to eat.”<h2>Newsletter </h2></div></body>

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Pennsylvania’s State Bird Shows Signs of Recovery as Ruffed Grouse Hunting Season Kicks Off

It’s sometimes referred to as the king of the game birds. It also holds the title of Pennsylvania’s state bird. But if you’re heading out to the woods expecting to see one, you might be out of luck. Pennsylvania’s ruffed grouse population has declined about 70% since...