152 



Game Survey of the North Central States 



Population Density and Fluctuation. Hundreds of inquiries during 

 the survey netted only two observations reducible to number of ruffed grouse per 

 acre. 



During the high year of 1924, W. W. Cooke made a covey count on 20 acres 

 of his land near Spider Lake, Sawyer County, Wisconsin. He found five covies of 

 six each, or 30 birds, or 1.5 birds per acre. The area was so small, however, that 

 the count can hardly be admitted as valid evidence of maximum density. The 

 count may have represented a temporary concentration of the kind common on 

 small areas in all gallinacious birds. 



During the low year 1929, Clyde Terrell estimated 25 to 40 birds on 50 

 acres of woodlot cover on his farm in Waushara County, Wisconsin. This is one 

 bird per 4 to 6 acres. 



TABLE 27. Per cent of mortality in ruffed grouse, Wisconsin 



1 The legal limit. Birds plentiful enough to have made possible a much larger kill. 



