Wisconsin's skies and woodlands hinted at a feathered renaissance, as new data from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) suggested an uptick in pheasant numbers, while the drumming of ruffed grouse held steady. The annual spring surveys released by the Wisconsin DNR highlighted a continuous rise in pheasant sightings, with 2025 figures reaching 0.81 pheasants per stop, a leap from the 0.62 of the previous year and soaring above the five-year average.
Biologists eagerly make use to regularly monitor an abundance index, gauging the pulse of Wisconsin's wild pheasant population. Northwestern Wisconsin emerged as a stronghold for the birds, while the east-central region's numbers trotted behind. The DNR extends gratitude to the agencies and volunteer groups who gathered this valuable data from roadside surveys, allowing hunters and conservationists to better navigate their pursuits and strategies. Further details on pheasant hunting and management can be fetched from the DNR's dedicated webpage.
Conversely, the ruffed grouse—emblems of the Wisconsin wild—saw a mere 6% dip in drumming activity, which, considering 2024's surprising 57% drumming surge, leaves the population on high ground. Alaina Roth, the DNR's ruffed grouse specialist, revealed in her statement that "although we observed a decrease in drumming activity statewide, this slight decline still exceeded our expectations for this year," signaling optimism for the upcoming hunting season, as mentioned on Wisconsin DNR.
The dry conditions of late might have played a hand in bolstering the ruffed grouse's numbers previously, suggesting that maybe, nature's caprices sometimes swing in favor of these woodland drummers. The meticulous work of organizing and analyzing survey data into priority areas, based on the Wisconsin Ruffed Grouse Management Plan 2020-2030, also bore fruit. Each region displayed contrasting rhythms of activity, with a notable 250%* increase in drumming in the Driftless area, as per the DNR's findings. Once again, the department lauds its partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, tribal partners, and volunteers, who all contributed to these insights.
