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Pine Creek/Dave
PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2019 11:00 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 17 Mar 2017
Posts: 2787
Location: Endless Mountains of Pa

Dogchaser37,

Thank you sir very much, RGS has made some mistakes in the past. I am hoping the new management will return the RGS to its former glory. I only wish some of the old RGS members were still alive to see it happen, at one time we had a world class organization, dedicated to increasing the Grouse population for Grouse hunters, using many different tools.
Our membership was 95% Grouse hunters, it was not really a conservation organization in the beginning, it was a Grouse hunting organization. Trying to be a politically correct conservation organization has hurt RGS big time.

Please rejoin and support the RGS, it is a worth while organization for Grouse hunters.

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man

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tramroad28
PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2019 11:16 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 20 Jul 2011
Posts: 625
Location: Ohio..where ruffed grouse were

I run hot and cold on the RGS....I have been cold the last few years.
They are a bit centered upon the sweet spot in the country for ruffed grouse and clearly missed the boat a number of years ago regarding entering a respected opinion with NF management and the long-established Public access to some Corporate acreage.
While, at times, each can be seemingly off their focus a tad.....they understood too late that they missed two open doors to possibly help the bird.
Also, their position on the National woodcock stamp spoke far too much of home-cookin' interest, to me....shame on them.
On the other hand, a number of years ago, they initiated a grouse permit on MeadWestvaco lands in WV...post deer season on deer leased acreage. It was an attempt at win-win-win. Well considered but very poorly installed and managed. Still, they tried and deserve a pat on the back, regardless of outcome.

I normally belong to PF but believe membership has lapsed.
Thanks for reminding me to re-up.

Of course, the difficulty and struggels of each organization are widely different...little comparison in any regard but banquet tables.
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pudelpointer
PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2019 11:27 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 14 Jan 2006
Posts: 1007
Location: Lancaster county, Pa

The Biologist for New England is Andy Weik. I would Guess the project in Conn. was a local chapter project that ran out of funding. RGS doesn't do much actual habitat work it is usually contracted out on a large scale. They offer the biologists and know how to design and get the project up and running usually in conjunction with a state agency.They own Equipment that they lend to different state agency's. If it was a state piece of ground and the project was not followed through with. We really have to push and manage the project from a chapter level. A couple of our projects were done over 3 or 4 years. What happens to grouse and woodcock cover in 10 years? that;'s the challenge you can't stop and pat yourself on the back you have to keep going. The fruits of your labor are very short term. In 15 years most covers are grown back out. That's why they work so hard with states on forest management practices so that rotational cutting leaves different age classes and constant new cover. New England grouse numbers were highest when all the farms were reverting back to forest now we don't have that phenomena it has to be cut. RGS's mission is to educate and influence forest management on a very large scale they really can't make enough habitat to matter without private landowners and state governments doing it. Andy is really a good guy go to the RGS website and reach out to him about the project in Question he may be able to get you answers or help to get it restarted..
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16'er
PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2019 1:01 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 08 Oct 2006
Posts: 1393
Location: Tappahannock, Virginia

DU Sponsor, Member RGS/AWS and Quail Forever.

RGS and QF are send in the check memberships. I figure having another name on the roster helps them some with lobbying and saves a few Quail/Grouse.

(Also NAVHDA and VDD-GNA member. I must like getting magazines with pictures of Birds, Dogs and Shotguns... Smile )
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Chicago
PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2019 3:51 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 12 Aug 2007
Posts: 1376
Location: Northern Illinois

I have been a member of the RGS since the late 70’s and others have covered the changes over the years. It is still the only organization I am aware of working to help the ruffed grouse and while it may not always be perfect I think it still helps. I am also a member of Pheasants Forever for pretty much the same reason. They both put out good magazines and one could argue the print alone is worth the membership fee.

Good Hunting,
Mike
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Pine Creek/Dave
PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2019 9:40 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 17 Mar 2017
Posts: 2787
Location: Endless Mountains of Pa

Chicago,

Got to agree the RGS Magazine is now a top shelf magazine, well written and published. I only get 3 Magazines now, the Shooting Sportsman, NRA Hunter and the RGS Magazine. Terminated the rest for their repeat type articles.

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man

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David Spear
PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2019 11:07 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 04 Apr 2018
Posts: 40
Location: ESKY

I just joined RGS and I signed my son up for a youth membership for AWS. living in the U.P. it seems like a good thing to do.
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Pine Creek/Dave
PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2019 2:08 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 17 Mar 2017
Posts: 2787
Location: Endless Mountains of Pa

David Spear,

I agree however no matter where you happen to live, if you are a Grouse & Woodcock hunter, it's a good idea to join and support RGS/AWS. As was said just receiving the RGS/AWS magazine is worth joining, now a professionally done magazine with lots of good information. Further it helps increase the Ruffed Grouse population so a man can if he is a good shot and has some luck end up with some Great dinners and an incredible Grouse Mount for his home or place of business.


Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man

Big Grouse like this are not easily taken however, and usually it takes a great Grouse Dog, and some very fine gunning.

Kenny Graft with his Potter County big Grouse.
[URL=http://www.jpgbox.com/page/56218_800x600/] [/URL]


Last edited by Pine Creek/Dave on Sat Feb 09, 2019 2:22 pm; edited 4 times in total

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Chicago
PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2019 5:10 pm  Reply with quote
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Joined: 12 Aug 2007
Posts: 1376
Location: Northern Illinois

David Spear wrote:
I just joined RGS and I signed my son up for a youth membership for AWS. living in the U.P. it seems like a good thing to do.


I Yoosta Be a Yooper. I lived in Marquette through the 80’s/early 90’s and I still rent a cabin every fall for most of the grouse season. It’s tough to beat the U.P. if you enjoy the outdoors and all the public/private land that is available to hunt and roam. The grandkids are down here and wild horses are not getting my wife away from them, so a couple of months a year has to suffice.

Good Hunting,
Mike
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WyoChukar
PostPosted: Wed Feb 06, 2019 6:51 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 16 Jul 2015
Posts: 2124
Location: Hudson,Wy

Benefits? A bunch of people working to help the birds we love to hunt ranks pretty high as a benefit in my book. They all include nice magazines as well. These are my two favorite reasons to be a member of any of these fine organizations,

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Rpm150
PostPosted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 4:33 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 01 Dec 2018
Posts: 21

Pine Creek/Dave wrote:
Rpm150,

I have been a RGS member sense 1961, was a sponsor and Guide for many years also. It's not the great program that it started out to be, however they are recovering from some bad management. In the beginning RGS was formed by men who wanted to assure the there would be Grouse in large numbers to hunt. Unfortunately today it was become a Conservation program. In the beginning Conservation was one of many tools used by RGS to propagate large Grouse numbers for the members to hunt.

I am still a member and try to get to the HQ banquet as much as I can. I still recommend you stay as a member, participate where you can, we still do a lot of good with habitat management. Not always in the area that you might live however.

The new Magazine is fantastic also. The people you can meet and learn from are still around, but in much smaller numbers than when I was a boy. If you have a local RGS chapter in your area, its a good place to learn about actual Grouse hunting, dogs, and ethics and tradition.

If you get out to Pa some time, I will be glad to help you become a 1st class Grouse and Woodcock hunter.

I do not belong to Pheasant Forever any longer.

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man

Grouse hunting and Fly Fishing is our family traditional way of life here in the endless mountains of Pa. RGS is still worth while.

[URL=http://www.jpgbox.com/page/56008_800x600/] [/URL]


Ironically, I’m from South Central PA and went to the banquet this year for my local chapter with a friend from work. It was a nice event for sure!

Ryan.
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df
PostPosted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 6:17 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 01 Oct 2007
Posts: 962
Location: Minnesota

I’ve been a member of pheasants forever for several years. By good magazine, and a good resource for improving habitat on my property.
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Bret
PostPosted: Wed Feb 13, 2019 5:02 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 28 Dec 2017
Posts: 87
Location: Northern Utah

I am a member of PF and sit on the board of our local group the Utah Chukar and Wildlife Foundation I'm also a member of SFW, and several waterfowl groups. As Wyochukar stated the benefits are more birds, but getting involved in these organizations is also an excellent way to meet good hard working like-minded friends.

We are doing a bunch here locally for birds. Right now more is happening than ever before, at least in my lifetime. It's very exciting. We are planting winter cover and food plots for Pheasants and quail on public lands and always installing more guzzlers in the desert for chukar and other wildlife. It's a good time to be involved here in Utah. the best thing is we have cooperation between the major organizations. We could use some growth in ruffed grouse management. With all the fires out in the west, much could be done.

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pudelpointer
PostPosted: Wed Feb 13, 2019 8:40 am  Reply with quote
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Joined: 14 Jan 2006
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Location: Lancaster county, Pa

RPM150 where in central PA? We are having a shoot march 23rd at Elstoneville sportsman's club in Lancaster county. Check the RGS website for details would love to see you there.
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Rpm150
PostPosted: Wed Feb 13, 2019 5:59 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 01 Dec 2018
Posts: 21

pudelpointer wrote:
RPM150 where in central PA? We are having a shoot march 23rd at Elstoneville sportsman's club in Lancaster county. Check the RGS website for details would love to see you there.


Altoona. I used to live in Lancaster after college actually. Out on Oregon pike haha small world.
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