Drumming?

[RustySasquatch]

What time of year does the drumming start and how does the DNR go about getting volunteers to count the drumming males?

[corncob]

Haven't heard any yet.

[bopper4]

I have been hearing it here since last weekend.

[Archerysniper]

I have been hearing them for the last 2 weeks from east of hinkley all the way down to New Richmond Wis.

[Tator2k]

I was hearing it over Easter weekend in Itasca Co.

[life=outdoors92]

north of grand rapids, have heard them all week. all day. its nuts before sunset. non stop drumming. have been seeing them running around everywhere too. this is gonna be another peak year, and its living up to its "super peak" cycle spot. gonna be another great fall

[tacklejunkie]

north of grand rapids, have heard them all week. all day. its nuts before sunset. non stop drumming. have been seeing them running around everywhere too. this is gonna be another peak year, and its living up to its "super peak" cycle spot. gonna be another great fall

Remember, though, that drumming counts only measure the number of males that survived winter.

I've been hearing a good amount of drummers, too. But if this spring continues as it is it could be a tougher fall season

[MJ1657]

I heard alot of drumming when I hunted b turkey season in Isanti county.

[Ely Lake Expert]

Have heard lots of drumming over the last couple weekends by Makinen, MN

[life=outdoors92]

Remember, though, that drumming counts only measure the number of males that survived winter.

I've been hearing a good amount of drummers, too. But if this spring continues as it is it could be a tougher fall season

like i said though, i have been seeing them running around everywhere. i go down a dirt road, they are there. i take a walk in the woods, i see them. males are very reluctant to get off their logs during this time of year, especially this peak time of drumming.

i don't think it will be a tougher season. grouse had a perfect winter to survive through. i have seen the woods this wet many times, and unless it rains or is this wet in june, it will not matter that much.

[tacklejunkie]

Don't forget to factor in the cycle.

[lichen fox]

Not sure how they go about getting the volunteers, but I do know it's usually this time of year...(mid to end of April-early May)...they make their routes usually around sunrise and they count all drums for 4 minutes at each stop...then they tally up all the stops and make their "estimate" of population levels....They've been drumming pretty good up here in NW MN for the past couple of weeks...I counted 4 drums inside of 4 minutes at our hunting camp and I had 2 drums in 4 minutes at my house!

[tacklejunkie]

Seems like a lot of drumming this spring even with the cold. No doubt they had a good winter

[RustySasquatch]

After hearing your first hand reports I would say the grouse did well over winter. I kind of expected they would as there was a ton of snow.

The whole grouse cycle seems strange that you can just predict up and down years by a 8 or 10 year cycle. I think 2009 was our last peak, but this last year was not too bad in my opinion.

[tacklejunkie]

I predict that this fall's season will be comparable to 2008

[RustySasquatch]

There was a good grouse story in the Strib today:

http://www.startribune.com/sports/outdoors/121012184.html

[surewood]

I've been in the woods scouting deer and I've saw and heard as much drumming as I can remember in any year. I would say a great season in 2011. I've also had more deer ticks on me then I can remember.

[tacklejunkie]

Anybody know how long a cold spring has to go for before chicks get negatively affected?

[JIvers]

I heard a lot of drumming this morning as I was trout-fishing in Fillmore County; more than I've heard in quite a while.

[brittman]

Most chicks will not hatch for atleast another week with many nests not hatching until early June.

Let's say hen starts visiting drummer around April 20th.

Starts laying an egg a day around April 23rd.

12 eggs ... brings us to May 5th ...

21 day incubation ... brings hatch date to around May 26th ...

Some nest earlier, many much later, add in renesting efforts ....