Weather Conditions in Relation to Grouse 193 



somewhat more snow in February than usual, but not a serious 

 amount; April had very high rainfall and was somewhat colder 

 than usual; May was very cold, its rainfall high, and sunshine lack- 

 ing; June was somewhat colder than the normal. Its first half was 

 very cold. The previous year, 1923, was not notable for any extremes, 

 although June was very cloudy and the late winter was quite cold. 



The most recent minor decline in New York began in 1935. Dur- 

 ing the critical months from February through June all weather 

 factors were normal or favorable. The cloudburst and flood of early 

 July (see page 187) offers the only apparent correlation of weather 

 with this decline. Since this catastrophe was effective over ten 

 counties in the best grouse range of the state, it probably offers the 

 explanation for the rather small decrease that was revealed in the 

 state hunting kill, as well as for the severe drop on Connecticut 

 Hill within the flood area. 



The 1935 decline indicates how an individual short-lived storm 

 may affect great numbers of grouse. If such a phenomenon was con- 

 nected with any of the previous drop-offs we were unable to single 

 it out. It must be recognized though that if such a storm did occur 

 it might well explain some of the failures to correlate more general 

 weather conditions with drops in the grouse population. 



If there is any certain connection between adverse weather and 

 grouse decimations, it apparently is tied in with excessive snow in 

 February and March, usually linked with extremely low tempera- 

 tiu-es, or with low temperatures in June, especially during the early 

 part, often supplemented by heavy rains and lack of sunshine, or 

 both. All of the notable grouse declines in New York since 1890, 

 when the weather records began, can be explained by these condi- 

 tions. If the correlations indicated are only accidental, then there 

 were probably other years having these same weather characteristics 

 but which failed to show widespread grouse declines. 



An examination of the corresponding records for all the years 

 since 1890 reveals very low June temperatures (mean below 61.6°) 

 in 1897, 1902, 1903, 1916, 1926, and 1927. Of these 1902 is the only 

 one definitely not of a poor grouse year. It was not preceded by a 

 bad winter. Years of low, but not extremely low, June temperatures 

 (below 63°) were 1907, 1910, 1912, 1918, 1924, and 1928. Of these 

 1907 and 1924 coincided with grouse decreases and in both, the 

 early June thermal record was very severe. The years 1918 and 1928 



