454 



ARTIFICIAL PROPAGATION OF GROUSE 



acres of excellent grouse cover. This was composed of pine, hemlock, laurel and hard- 

 woods. Every effort was made to keep the pens disease-free. No poultry had ever pre- 

 viously occupied the site and none was permitted close by. Yet, of the birds liberated therein, 

 disease and predators took a heavy toll. Nor was egg production, fertility or the general 

 condition of these birds as good as has been obtained with grouse held on wire. 



'•>' 



Gardiner Bump 



THE INTERIOR OF A PEN USED 10 H VISE CROL SE U\ THE SEMI-NATURAL METHOD 

 AT THE CATSKILL STATION 



The first year 15 wild grouse were secured earlv in A])ril through the courtesy of Mr. R. W. 

 Tufts of Nova Scotia. Two died in transit and ten were paired on the ground in 9 foot x 12 

 foot segments of the pens described above. The remaining three, together with two locally 

 trapped birds, were liberated in the rest of the enclosure, totaling an acre and a half. Only 

 one female nested, laying bul four eggs, all of which were infertile. A single bird, hand- 

 raised the year before and confined in another ])en with a wild-trapped male, laid 25 eggs. 

 Only three of these proved to be fertile. 



The second year, ten wild-trap|)cd grouse, placed in these pens in December and January, 

 laid 41 eggs, 65 per cent of which were fertile. A similar number of hand-reared females pro- 

 vided real encouragement by producing 165 eggs. 68 per cent of which were fertile. 



An indication that the ground possessed no uimsuallv stinudaling powers which could not 

 likewise be brought to bear on birds held on wire came from Ithaca where Dr. Allen was 

 experimenting with thus raising grouse. From one group of his breeders held on wire, 96 

 per cent of the eggs produced, proved to be fertile. Likewise, at the Research Center females 

 have since laid up to ."^6 eggs each in a single year although their feet had never touched the 

 ground. 'M 



With the above picture in mind, one may wonder why, on succeeding pages, the natural 

 cover method of raising grouse is described at all. Though the difficulties inherent in it have 

 engendered in the author a firm belief that no large number of grouse can be raised by this 

 method over a period of years, a description is included for the sake of completeness and for 

 those who are willing to chance the risks in this method. Furthermore, there are game 

 breeders who still recommend it. 



