Why Shorten Maine’s Grouse Season?
June 6, 2007
Yesterday the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife sent out a press release informing all of us of planned public hearings to discuss the possibility of shortening the ruffed grouse hunting season in Maine to a closing date of November 30 instead of December 31st.
Today, John Holyoke of the Bangor Daily News, covers the proposal more thoroughly. According to Holyoke, two groups submitted petitions to the MDIFW requesting that the season be shortened. It appears the reasoning for this is an attempt to do something about a reduced ruffed grouse population.
The two petitions are believed to have originated in the Houlton area – one out of Aroostook County and the other out of Washington County. Brad Allen is a wildlife biologist and heads the bird group with MDIFW. He says that he thinks the intentions of the petitioners are good but that they don’t understand the science behind the problem.
According to Brad Allen, a wildlife biologist who serves as the DIF&W’s bird group leader, those who filed the petition are trying to address recent years of subpar grouse seasons by limiting the kill of birds in December.
That doesn’t mean Allen thinks the idea is a good one, however.
“I think their perception is that the population is so low that it needs any help it can get to come back around,” Allen said. “And I believe in their hearts they believe that hunting in December keeps the numbers down, but it has no impact.”
According to Allen the problem with a reduction in grouse numbers, particularly in Aroostook and Washington Counties, has more to do with several years with poor spring weather. That has the biggest impact on grouse numbers come fall than does any hunting of grouse in December.
Allen claims and I think most of us can attest to the fact, that very few hunters take grouse during the month of December. Nearly a decade ago, the season was lengthened as a means of creating more hunting opportunity. I think the opportunity was created but the number of birds harvested is so minimal that it has virtually no effect on grouse populations.
So why shorten the grouse season by eliminating December? Good question. It seems all very silly to request the ending of a season that would yield no positive results for the grouse season.
Allen explained that the number of grouse seen and shot by Maine hunters during December is very small.
“December is all about hunting opportunity. We kill so darned few [during that month], it’s all about opportunity,” Allen said.
Because of that, he said, “the gun has nothing to do with the next spring’s population,” and “biologically, their impact on the grouse population is negligible.”
An interesting note about the petition is that it calls for the elimination of the December hunt statewide, not just in the northern areas of the state. With that, Allen said he would not support such a change in the season.
If the petitioners can show that the December hunt is actually having a negative affect on the grouse population, then I would support the change. To change it for no good scientific reason is wasting license buyer’s money to hold public hearings, etc. to discuss the change.
We know we cannot control the weather and that the weather will have its ups and downs. Allen admits that in the past we have had several bad springs that have been detrimental to the grouse population. He says the last couple of springs have been better and should begin reflecting in more grouse come fall.
If grouse populations fail to recover quickly enough, then MDIFW needs to consider making changes in the grouse hunting season that would actually have an effect. Stopping the December hunt will have no effect at all.
Tom Remington
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