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On October 1, 1931, a three and a half day open season on one 
or more varieties of arouse was declared by the conservation commis- 
sion in 29 northern and central counties. Sharp-tailed grouse and 
prairie chicken coveys begin to band together at this time, and birds 
were for the most part wild and hard to get. Ruffed grouse were not 
on the roads to any extent October 1 and consequently were equally 
hard to secure, due to the dense cover of the season. According to 
census reports, approximately 100,000 birds of the three varieties 
were legally taken during 1931. The results of a qustionnaire to 
all wardens and game observers last Yovember indicate that less than 
10 per cent of the grouse population was taken, however, during the 
open season. Observers in some northern counties have estimated the 
kill as low as two per cent. 
There is no doubt of the interest that the 1931 season has 
aroused. Winter feeding stations have jumped from less than 500 to 
several thousand. Douglas county alone erected 63 hopper feeding 
stations and fed approximately 40,000 pounds of Rrain to sharp-tails 
at these stations. Interest in propagation has doub2ed. Ease of 
enforcement has improved in many localities. 
Because of the fact that grouse do die off by tens of thousands 
at the peak of each cycle, the conservation department believes that 
wherever possible an open season should be decl.red on these birds 
when they have reached that point on the upgrade of the cycle that 
a short open season will not endan.ger the seed stock. The department 
is also of the belief that a reat many counties can now stand at 
least a five and a half day open season beginning October 1, without 
in any way endangerinr the 1933 breeding stock in those counties. 
England and Scotland, who manage their grouse shooting much 
better than we do, make it a point to kill from 40 to 60 per cent of 
their total grouse crop each year. ilthough they have cycles in 
Eng land and bcotland, they are seldom of more than two years' duration.

The logical reason is that grouse are never allowed to reach a really 
high peak in those countries, althouph their prouse population is 
many times that of ours. It is perhaps logical to assume also that 
by preventing our 'Jisconsin birds from reachinP the hip2h peak that 
they have in the past, due to concentration of many birds, that we 
can round off the peak of our cycle so that it will eventually take 
fewer years for a comeback. It is doubtful, due to the habits of 
grouse from October 1 on, and'with the cover at that time, that it 
would be possible to kill off more than 25 to 50 per cent in any 
county. 
If, due to local conditions, disease, lack of feed or cover, or 
because of law violations, grouse of any variety are down in numbers 
to such an extent that an open season would ordan,er a normal number 
of breeding birds the followinp year, no open season should be recom- 
mended.