Dusky/Blue Grouse Population Cycles

[Eagle]

Curious as to what some of you have experienced regarding population cycles for dusky grouse in the mountains? I hunted an area of Wyoming for mule deer in 2015 that was loaded with grouse, and was wondering if they cycle similar to ruffed grouse (10 year cycle from what I've read) or if their populations are more stable?

 

[Eagle]

Anybody?

 

[Stalker69]

Not sure, where I hunt I never see an abundance of them. Normally a few every couple days, and it’s been that way for years. Some times I will go week or so and not see any. I do know I generally see them in the same areas from year to year.

 

[Rob5589]

No idea but, what we have seen in Idaho is, every other year seems to be awesome. The off years we rarely see them. Take that fwiw.

 

[Eagle]

Sounds like they may just maintain relatively stable populations. I'll talk with the biologist for the area I plan to hunt in Wyoming and see what he says and update the thread.

 

[Eagle]

Bio basically said they have no idea, as they have no good way of checking the trends on these birds. Cold wet springs can cause a population drop, but that's pretty standard for all birds.

 

[Baddog]

I’ve always attributed year to year fluctuations on the spring time weather/hatch.