Georgia Grouse Study. DNA Samples Needed.

[Killer Kyle]

I'm not sure if it is common knowledge out there or not, but DNR and UGA are partnering together to conduct a five year study of ruffed grouse genetics in north Georgia. They really need samples of various types from harvested birds. I believe they are looking for blood, feather, and muscle tissue samples.

Please, please, PLEASE collect samples and get them to DNR or to UGA. DNR and UGA are issuing DNA sample collection kits, and they can get them to you.

As you all know, Georgia grouse need all the help they can get. Please take part in this valuable research and let's work together to help this population of game bird. Participation in studies such as this drive conservation efforts, and we need participation from every Georgia grouse hunter out there.

You can contact Emily Rushton (DNR grouse biologist) at:
emily.rushton@dnr.ga.gov
706-557-3264

You can also contact Clay Delancey from the UGA Game Lab at:
Clayton.Delancey@uga.edu

If you live anywhere in Region 2, you can also contact me here and I can get the kits to you.

Please see the attachments here for additional information. I will try to find a direct link to this information and post it here in this thread soon. Thank you for the help and cooperation. Please have a safe and blessed new year and remainder of the season. Good luck fellas!

 

[lampern]

What is the point of collecting genetics?

 

[Killer Kyle]

That would be a question for Emily or Clay. I'm not a biologist! Wish I had a better answer for you!

 

[lampern]

Glad somebody is doing something for small game

 

[Killer Kyle]

Glad somebody is doing something for small game

Me too lampern! I'd love to one day see a flourishing grouse population. I don't even hunt grouse, but I enjoy seeing them in the woods a lot. I flushed one about a month ago while hunting (in a bunch of mature Virginia pines of all places) and it was the first time one has startled me in a while. It felt good to hear that beating of wings!

 

[Duff]

I’ll get this info to a friend of mine. He stays after them. Thanks for posting!

 

[Killer Kyle]

Awesome! Thanks Duff!

 

[Rebel's Dad]

What is the point of collecting genetics?

Bingo.

With all due respect to them, it's not like they don't know what needs to be done to increase grouse numbers on the National Forest--habitat improvement by creating more early successional habitat--in places that will create good cover, not bone dry areas. But that's a long, hard, difficult, politically dangerous slog.

I used to help with the spring drumming count survey but DNR stopped that years ago.

What they need to do is ask for more hunter participation in Forest Service requests for comment on timber sales and management. The "preservationists" comment on proposals far more than hunters do.

For what it's worth, 4 samples have been turned in so far this season.

 

[lampern]

Its the same in NC.

Hunters want more forest management but the tree huggers and tourism industry go bonkers.

Viewing leaves changing in the fall is serious business.

 

[bany]

A few outlaws with electric chainsaws could help the grouse flourish. Deer too most likely.

 

[quaildoc]

Thanks to Killer Kyle for posting the information. I am the scientist (James Martin) leading the study along with Emily and Clay. Clay is my research coordinator. We also have a geneticist and population ecology on board.

The question was asked about the point of collecting genetics. Valid question. Two main reasons for this particular case. First, if the population has reached a critical low threshold genetically speaking it may not be able to recover EVEN if habitat was restored at some large scale. We need to know that. Secondly and relatedly, we are looking at the connectivity of the populations to help inform where habitat restoration could be most effective. Let's face it the entire grouse range in GA isn't going to be restored for grouse so picking the best places to do so will be important.

We have also been doing drumming surveys similar to what DNR used to do and they are likely going to start those back up again. DNR does care about grouse populations and grouse hunters. They have limited control on affecting change however.

I am a bird hunter and want to see more grouse in GA and try to inform policy and management actions as much as possible. Be glad to answer anymore questions. I hop on here from time to time.

 

[Foster]

Guys, You are missing out if you love upland game and don't follow Martingamelab on Instagram.

 

[NCMTNHunter]

Thanks to Killer Kyle for posting the information. I am the scientist (James Martin) leading the study along with Emily and Clay. Clay is my research coordinator. We also have a geneticist and population ecology on board.

The question was asked about the point of collecting genetics. Valid question. Two main reasons for this particular case. First, if the population has reached a critical low threshold genetically speaking it may not be able to recover EVEN if habitat was restored at some large scale. We need to know that. Secondly and relatedly, we are looking at the connectivity of the populations to help inform where habitat restoration could be most effective. Let's face it the entire grouse range in GA isn't going to be restored for grouse so picking the best places to do so will be important.

We have also been doing drumming surveys similar to what DNR used to do and they are likely going to start those back up again. DNR does care about grouse populations and grouse hunters. They have limited control on affecting change however.

I am a bird hunter and want to see more grouse in GA and try to inform policy and management actions as much as possible. Be glad to answer anymore questions. I hop on here from time to time.

I’ve said for years that all the habitat work in the world is useless if there’s not a grouse around to find it. Out of curiosity, what does it look like if the population is critically low or is close to it? Could ESA or something similar force USF&W and USFS into some kind of real recovery effort?

 

[coachdoug87]

Thanks to Killer Kyle for posting the information. I am the scientist (James Martin) leading the study along with Emily and Clay. Clay is my research coordinator. We also have a geneticist and population ecology on board.

The question was asked about the point of collecting genetics. Valid question. Two main reasons for this particular case. First, if the population has reached a critical low threshold genetically speaking it may not be able to recover EVEN if habitat was restored at some large scale. We need to know that. Secondly and relatedly, we are looking at the connectivity of the populations to help inform where habitat restoration could be most effective. Let's face it the entire grouse range in GA isn't going to be restored for grouse so picking the best places to do so will be important.

We have also been doing drumming surveys similar to what DNR used to do and they are likely going to start those back up again. DNR does care about grouse populations and grouse hunters. They have limited control on affecting change however.

I am a bird hunter and want to see more grouse in GA and try to inform policy and management actions as much as possible. Be glad to answer anymore questions. I hop on here from time to t

Thanks to Killer Kyle for posting the information. I am the scientist (James Martin) leading the study along with Emily and Clay. Clay is my research coordinator. We also have a geneticist and population ecology on board.

The question was asked about the point of collecting genetics. Valid question. Two main reasons for this particular case. First, if the population has reached a critical low threshold genetically speaking it may not be able to recover EVEN if habitat was restored at some large scale. We need to know that. Secondly and relatedly, we are looking at the connectivity of the populations to help inform where habitat restoration could be most effective. Let's face it the entire grouse range in GA isn't going to be restored for grouse so picking the best places to do so will be important.

We have also been doing drumming surveys similar to what DNR used to do and they are likely going to start those back up again. DNR does care about grouse populations and grouse hunters. They have limited control on affecting change however.

I am a bird hunter and want to see more grouse in GA and try to inform policy and management actions as much as possible. Be glad to answer anymore questions. I hop on here from time to time.

I have a question. If it is determined that the population cannot recover even with better habitat, would that be the end of it or would grouse need to be captured from other areas and released in Georgia? I know that has been done successfully with other species. I agree that the entire range can't be restored, but I do believe the northernmost tier of counties is salvageable.

 

[quaildoc]

I have a question. If it is determined that the population cannot recover even with better habitat, would that be the end of it or would grouse need to be captured from other areas and released in Georgia? I know that has been done successfully with other species. I agree that the entire range can't be restored, but I do believe the northernmost tier of counties is salvageable.

Good question. I honestly don't think this is what we will find but it is possible. If we do find this, population augmentation via translocation is an option or developing habitat corridors with northern populations in NC are possible options. I also believe that the populations is the northern most counties are salvageable but that is based mostly on faith and hope than data.

 

[quaildoc]

I’ve said for years that all the habitat work in the world is useless if there’s not a grouse around to find it. Out of curiosity, what does it look like if the population is critically low or is close to it? Could ESA or something similar force USF&W and USFS into some kind of real recovery effort?

Good question. Probably best for me not to speculate on the legalities on this platform. I would point to a few similar examples of recent judgements on gopher tortoises, prairie chickens, and the constantly evolving issues with sage grouse.


Our recent paper (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/wlb3.01017; should be free to you to read) points to a relatively low population (I am sure that doesn't surprise you all) but probably enough to respond to habitat restoration.

 

[quaildoc]

I would add that we really appreciate the samples we have gotten thus far. We knew it was risky proposition collecting samples from GA given the density of birds and number of grouse hunters but it was worth a shot.

 

[Rebel's Dad]

Thanks to Killer Kyle for posting the information. I am the scientist (James Martin) leading the study along with Emily and Clay. Clay is my research coordinator. We also have a geneticist and population ecology on board.

The question was asked about the point of collecting genetics. Valid question. Two main reasons for this particular case. First, if the population has reached a critical low threshold genetically speaking it may not be able to recover EVEN if habitat was restored at some large scale. We need to know that. Secondly and relatedly, we are looking at the connectivity of the populations to help inform where habitat restoration could be most effective. Let's face it the entire grouse range in GA isn't going to be restored for grouse so picking the best places to do so will be important.

We have also been doing drumming surveys similar to what DNR used to do and they are likely going to start those back up again. DNR does care about grouse populations and grouse hunters. They have limited control on affecting change however.

I am a bird hunter and want to see more grouse in GA and try to inform policy and management actions as much as possible. Be glad to answer anymore questions. I hop on here from time to time.

Thanks for chiming in. If they start the drumming surveys again please make an announcement here.

For what it's worth it seems to be a little better year--I flushed five in Georgia a couple of weeks ago. I left them all quite healthy but I scared one pretty bad.

I hope the Forest Service can get over their obsession with the Foothills project and start doing more work like what's happening on the Nantahala NF.

I've been accused of harping on habitat habitat habitat, but it's the main factor in the equation we really have control over.

And again, hunters need to start commenting on FS projects and sales--they don't hear from us in the numbers they hear from preservationists.

 

[Dixiegrouse]

I appreciate your efforts quaildoc. I would think to get a clear drumming count in the Northern WMA you should have papers or such to fill out during turkey season at the checking station. Just my 2 cents. I heard more drumming last spring than I heard in many many years. While on a annual turkey hunt week long trip that I have taken for many years. .

 

[lampern]

I think Missouri is trying grouse translocation and restocking:

MDC and Wisconsin DNR partner to restore Missouri’s ruffed grouse

MDC’s plan is to trap and relocate 300 grouse from northern Wisconsin to east-central Missouri over a three-year period (2018-2020).

mdc.mo.gov

Only thing DNRs in the south could do is shorten seasons at the back end but I don't think enough people hunt grouse for that to matter?

Pennsylvania shortened its season.