Management of the Ruffed Grouse 371 



Restocking of Grouse. The hberation of game birds is usually done 

 in order to build up a population that has, presumably, been over- 

 shot, or has for some other reason been reduced below a safe sur- 

 vival level; or at least what the sportsmen think is a safe level. There 

 are many questions concerning the efficacy of this restocking which 

 we may not take time to discuss now, but it is clear that it can be 

 carried out successfully only with species that are easily produced 

 on game farms at a low cost per head. This is not true of the ruffed 

 grouse. It may conceivably be the case some day, but it is far from 

 true in the present state of our knowledge of grouse propagation, 

 and the prospects do not seem much brighter for the near future. 

 Thus we must dispense with any notion of building up the native 

 stock of grouse by liberations of more birds. Fortunately this is 

 seldom needed with this species for it has a great ability to recover 

 its numbers even when reduced to a remnant. 



There is one place where the stocking of grouse is warranted; 

 namely, on areas of formerly good grouse range where the species 

 has been extirpated, where the cause of its extirpation has been re- 

 moved or corrected, and where there is no reasonable probability of 

 infiltration of grouse from surrounding range. Under these circum- 

 stances the reintroduction of grouse may prove well worth while. 



As an example we can cite the occasional area of hilly or moun- 

 tainous land that has been subjected to repeated, complete burning 

 of the forest with consequent elimination of the grouse. If, in sub- 

 sequent years, people have left the region or have changed their 

 habit of burning the land so that this destructive influence no 

 longer prevails, it may be feasible to attempt the re-establishment 

 of the ruffed grouse. 



In restocking such lands, either wild-trapped or hand-raised 

 grouse may be used. They will be expensive in either case. As far 

 as we know, either type is able to establish itself provided the speci- 

 mens are in good health. This is absolutely essential. If the birds are 

 even shghtly droopy or lazy when hberated they are almost surely 

 doomed. 



The best time to stock grouse is at the very first break of spring. 

 At least four pairs should be stocked together in order to give fair 

 assurance of mating and nesting in the approaching spring season. 

 Since the birds will inevitably move away some distance, a few hun- 

 dred yards to several miles from the point of release, several pairs 



