Agricultural Science Digest
PURDUE UNIVERSITY
Vol. 12, March - April 1970

RUFFED GROUSE STUDIED IN STATE

A century ago ruffed grouse (Bonasa um-
bellus) were reported in 58 Indiana counties,
but since then the birds have been confined to
the less populated hills of south-central Indi-
ana. Now, evidence mounts that the ruffed
grouse is holding its own, if not actually
thriving, in the managed public forest lands.

To aid management practices, Purdue
University conservationists concentrated
studies of the bird’s habits on an 840-acre
tract of the Hoosier National Forest in Mon-
roe County in 1968-69. The area includes
second-growth hardwoods over four distinct
types--a 19-year-old burn, old abandoned
fields, pine plantations and wildlife openings.

During the summer of 1968, the research-
ers found an even ratio of adult to juvenile
birds. Of 80 that were flushed, 38 were juv-
eniles, 37 were adults and five were not iden-
tified. They also found that broods averaged
only three chicks to one hen instead of the six
to eight young found there in 1965. They con-
cluded that excessive rainfall in May probably
contributed to a high chick mortality.

Of all broods flushed in the summer, 86
percent came from burned-over hardwoods,
the remainder from the pines. Slopes and
valley bottoms produced 70 percent of the
flushes.

During September the birds were fre-
quently found on ridge tops. In October the
birds moved to the edges of the pine planta-
tions, the most dense protective cover in the
area. In midwinter, the grouse began to
spread back into the dense hardwood vegeta-
tion, feeding on the sumac fruit. During the
early spring the grouse again used the slopes
and ridge tops, and the males moved upward
to more mature timber to establish drum-
ming territories.

Journal paper 3856, John P. Muehrcke
and Charles M. Kirkpatrick, Department of
Forestry and Conservation.

RED PINE STRENGTH TESTED

Landowners in the Central States region
have for several years restocked worn-out
farm land by planting hardwood and softwood
seedlings. One of the softwoods generally
recommended in Indiana is red pine (Pinus
resinosa Ait.) and much of it is now reaching
small sawlog size.

Although a great deal is known about the
qualities of red pine grown in its natural
range in southern Canada, the Lake States
and the northeast, little is known of its qual-
ities when grown outside the natural range.

Purdue University researchers designed
an experimental method to study the strength
and related characteristics of red pine wood
from two Indiana locations. The results
were compared to similar wood from Wis-
consin.

Information derived from the study indi-
cated that strength and related properties of
immature red pine grown in Indiana are com-
parable to those of similar age grown inside
the natural range.

Mill-run 2x4 members proved stronger
than standard specimens of clear wood when
both were subjected to bending tests.

However, as the Indiana red pines con-
tinue to grow and increase in diameter, fur-
ther research will be necessary to determine
the suitability of the Indiana-grown wood for
beams, floor joists, rafters and other struc-
tural material of widths greater than four inches.

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