Citation. Huempfner, R. A.; Maxson, S. J.; Erickson, G. J.; Schuster, R. J. 1975. Recapturing radio-tagged ruffed grouse by nightlighting and snow-burrow netting. Journal of Wildlife Management 39(4):821-823.   [1342  CC]

Abstract. This paper describes two new techniques for capturing ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus). Use of these and several established methods makes capture of radio-tagged grouse possible throughout the year. From April 1969 to may 1973, three telemetry studies of ruffed grouse were conducted at the Cedar Creek Natural History Area in Anoka and Isanti counties, southeastern Minnesota. One goal was to monitor individual, radio-tagged grouse for periods longer than the three-month normal battery life, which required recapture for replacement of batteries. Three known techniques used for recapturing grouse were baited funnel (lily-pad) and mirror traps (Gullion, J. I Wildl. Manage. 1965 29[1]:109-116 ) and nest traps (Weller, J. Wildl. Manage. 1957 21[4]:456-458, Coulter, 1958 Bird-Banding 29[4]:236-241). These methods did not work well for grouse in summer (June-September) and winter (January-March) periods. Therefore, two additional methods to capture grouse nightlighting and snow-burrow netting - were developed. By combining these 5 techniques, we caught 165 individual ruffed grouse a total of 325 times and were able to record 9,917 grouse-days of telemetry data.

Keywords. ruffed grouse, Bonasa umbellus, radiotelemetry, capture techniques