Man's Relation to the Grouse 269 



in suitable grouse range anywa}'. When woodlands are pastured it 

 is detrimental to grouse and when this pasturing is intense enough 

 to create a visible "cattle line" it renders the woods practically non- 

 inhabitable to grouse regardless of its other attributes. 



It should be pointed out that open-field pasturing is a means of 

 maintenance of balanced conditions almost as effective as cultural 

 operations. When accompanied by proper pasture management 

 measures for the prevention of woody plant encroachment, it is fully 

 eflFective in excluding grouse and in maintaining woodland edges 

 outside the pasture fence. 



Man's pets, particularly dogs and cats, are of some shght signifi- 

 cance as grouse predators. His poultry may conceivably play a part 

 in aiding the spread of disease in grouse but contacts between 

 grouse and chickens are not common. In many small ways, the ani- 

 mals that are particularly associated with man affect the lives and 

 homes of the grouse. 



Man's Woodcutting Activities. Beginning after the land-clearing 

 work has been completed and the extent of potential grouse range 

 thus delimited, man's most significant consequence to the grouse is 

 his work in the woods with ax and saw. Potentially he can make the 

 area most unproductive by clearing the remainder of the woods; or 

 poorly productive by allowing all the land to return to mature forest 

 (see Plate 6B). Actually he does neither of these things, but many 

 of his activities between these extremes determine the types of cover, 

 hence the character of the grouse range. With respect to man as a 

 woodcutter even more than man as a hunter may it be said that the 

 future of the grouse rests with him. 



As a lumberman he may clear out extensive forest areas; or he may 

 cut selectively by species, by size limit, or for certain products as 

 tanning bark, alcohol wood, mine props, etc. Each of tliese methods 

 affects the grouse range differently. As a farmer he may take out 

 fuel wood, fence posts, or barn lumber, or he may contract with an 

 operator to skin the area. Again he may be interested in the trees 

 for themselves and not cut anything. Whatever he does fixes the 

 value of the cover which supports the birds. We have discussed 

 these shelter and food values in the cover in Chapters IV and V. 

 We will consider the deliberate use of woodcutting methods as a 

 tool in managing grouse in the last chapter. But since the ordinan 



