MONTPELIER — The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department needs grouse hunters to collect blood and feather samples from the ruffed grouse they harvest during the hunting season in Vermont. The ruffed grouse is an iconic game bird of Vermont that is widely recognized and enjoyed by hunters and non-hunters alike, but wildlife biologists are concerned that grouse populations across the Northeast have declined over the past 30 years. This trend has prompted ruffed grouse research on potential causes, including eme … (read more)
