The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation says it wants hunters to participate in a survey of popular game birds during this fall's hunting seasons. Ruffed grouse and American …
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The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation says it wants hunters to participate in a survey of popular game birds during this fall's hunting seasons.
Ruffed grouse and American woodcock are widely distributed across New York State. These species prefer habitats in an early stage of succession such as young forests, shrublands, and old orchards and fields. As New York's forests grow older, these preferred habitats are waning, resulting in a decline in grouse and woodcock numbers since the 1960s.
This survey asks hunters to record their daily grouse and woodcock hunting activities in a log, recording the number of grouse and woodcock flushed and the number of hours hunted. Grouse and woodcock share many of the same habitats, so the information provided will help monitor populations of both of these great game birds as habitats change both locally and on a landscape scale.
Hunters are uniquely positioned to assist DEC's wildlife managers by providing data on changing wildlife populations and habitats. Citizen science efforts such as these are a great way for hunters to partner with DEC while enjoying their hunting heritage.
Those interested in participating can download a hunting log from the DEC website. Detailed instructions can be found with the form.
Survey forms can also be obtained by calling (518) 402-8886 or by e-mailing fwwildlf@gw.dec.state.ny.us (type "Grouse Log" in the subject line).