Management of Ptarmigan in North America
Weeden RB. 1963. Management of Ptarmigan in North America. The Journal of Wildlife Management. 27(4):672-683
Ptarmigan are monogamous, territorial game birds of arctic and alpine tundras. They are gregarious and migratory or nomadic from late summer until spring. Sex-segregation occurs in winter. Populations of rock (Lagopus mutus) and willow ptarmigan (L. lagopus) fluctuate widely from year to year; whether the fluctuations are rhythmic is not known. Breeding densities commonly range from 1 to 10 pairs per square mile. Ptarmigan habitat is usually free from human disturbance. Most ptarmigan harvested in North America now are killed primarily for food; the main harvest occurs in winter. Sport hunting exists on a small fraction of ptarmigan range. The only active management of ptarmigan is through regulation of harvest. Present regulations are set with no knowledge of ptarmigan numbers, the kill, or the effect of one on the other. Lack of access to ptarmigan range restricts the harvest. Greater future demand for ptarmigan as a recreational resource is expected; research is needed to establish a basis for an intelligent management program.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Weeden, Robert
- Units
- ARCN , CAKN , DENA , GAAR , WRST , YUCH
- Keywords
- Birds, Grouse, Habitat Use, Lagopus lagopus, Lagopus mutus, Movements