Turkey and grouse counts down because of wet weather

Ohio's spring wild turkey and fall-winter ruffed grouse hunting seasons are history, but that is no reason to stop hunting either of these regal gamebirds -- minus the shotgun, of course.

Between now and Aug. 31, put your boots on the ground and go looking for turkey and grouse broods, then duly report your findings to Mike Reynolds, the state turkey and grouse biologist. An excellent, easy-to-complete report is available online by visiting www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/TurkeySurvey.

"Why [the brood survey] is important is that over the last decade, the hatching index has been closely correlated with the spring gobbler kill two years later," said Reynolds. "Newly hatched poults become the gobblers two years later that make up the core of the season."

The spring 2011 hunting season reflected the 2009 survey, which reported 7,861 turkeys, including 898 gobblers, 2,380 hens, and 4,037 poults for a reproductive index of 1.7. The 2010 survey reported 9,275 birds, including 997 gobblers, 2,617 hens, and 5,167 poults for an index of 1.97, slightly better than 2009's results and an uptick in the preseumptive forecast for 2012 spring hunting. The latter, of course, assumes normal spring weather, not the disastrous rat-drowner of a spring just past, which greatly reduced the bag [down 21 percent] and possibly harming the 2011 hatch success.

As of Monday, turkey-brood watchers have reported 1,002 birds, including 234 gobblers, 418, hens, and 298 poults for an index of just 0.71. Watchers have till the end of August to send in reports.

As for grouse, Reynolds noted: "We know that ruffed grouse have been in decline for 30 years, but the surveys give an indication of the remaining range and where they still are common. It is one more tool that helps us keep track of the declining numbers."

The biologist explained that maturing woodlands has eliminated the brushy habitats preferred by grouse and that efforts are under way to alter some habitats to encourage a grouse return.

In 2009, grouse-brood watchers found 262 birds overall, including 145 adults and 117 chicks for a reproductive index of 0.81. A year ago they found 208 birds, including 98 adults and 110 chicks for an index of 1.12. So far this year, they report 12 birds, 8 adults and 4 chicks, for an index of 0.5.

Michigan reinstates deer baiting

The Michigan Natural Resources Commission has voted 4-3 to lift the current deer baiting and feeding ban in the lower peninsula. The ban had been in place since 2008, when Chronic Wasting Disease was detected in a deer at a private deer breeding facility in Kent County. No further cases have been detected to date. Baiting still will be prohibited in deer management unit 487, the six-county bovine tuberculosis zone in the northeastern lower peninsula. The counties where baiting will continue to be prohibited are Alcona, Alpena, Iosco, Montmorency, Oscoda, and Presque Isle. The NRC approved a proposal to allow baiting in limited quantities from Oct. 1 to Jan. 1. Hunters may place any type of bait, no more than two gallons at a time, across a 10-foot by 10-foot area per hunting location. The NRC also reinstated recreational feeding of deer in the lower peninsula, with the exception of DMU 487. Property owners may place two gallons of bait on their property within 100 yards of their residence year-around. The NRC also placed a three-year sunset on the regulations, which means it will reconsider the baiting issue again in 2014. Aside: This column will have a lot more to say about this decision to allow deer hunting on the cheap sometime soon.

●A kids fishing derby is set for Saturday, 10 a.m. to noon, at Van Buren State Park, State Rt. 613 east of I-75, north of Findlay. Meet at the west end of the lake by the dam. Age categories are 4 through 7, 8 through 12 and 13 through16.

Prizes are planned for biggest fish in each age category. Some bait and poles provided while they last. Registration begins at 9:30 am. For details call naturalist Natalie Miller at 419-832-7662.

Contact Steve Pollick at: spollick@theblade.com or 419-724-6068.