LANSING — Just in time for the start of Michigan’s ruffed grouse and American woodcock hunting seasons, hunters now have a new way to share information from their hunts. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has launched the Michigan Ruffed Grouse and Woodcock Dashboard, an electronic survey dashboard where hunters can report the number of grouse and woodcock they flush during trips afield.

Michigan hunters have a long history – going back to the 1950s – of cooperating with the DNR to share information on their ruffed grouse and woodcock season experiences. The new cooperator survey gives hunters the opportunity to view near real-time information from other grouse and woodcock hunters on flush rates per hour throughout the season. The new online format replaces the longtime paper survey, which had seen limited response in recent years.

“Grouse and woodcock hunters have always been some of our most dedicated partners in monitoring upland game birds,” said Adam Bump, DNR upland game bird specialist. “By recording flushes per hour, hunters can compare their experiences with others across the state, while also helping us track how each season is shaping up. This tool makes it easier than ever to contribute.”

Flush rates per hour offer hunters a standardized way to evaluate activity in different areas. By submitting their observations, hunters can see how their experiences compare with others in their favorite counties for hunting and across Michigan.

Participation is voluntary, and the survey is designed to be quick and easy to use. Many grouse and woodcock hunters already keep track of flush rates, so reporting requires little extra effort. The dashboard will remain blank until the 2025 season opens and hunters begin entering their reports, making early participation essential.

How to report

Open the Michigan Ruffed Grouse and Woodcock Dashboard.

Select Submit a Report to begin a report.

Enter hunt details: Add the date, county, hours hunted, information on use of dogs or accompanying hunters, and the number of flushes you observed for each species.

Check your entries, then tap Submit.

Use the dashboard to view totals by county and compare flushes per hour across Michigan. See grouse, woodcock or both species’ flush rates. Compare with hunters who use dogs, or with those who don’t. This standardized metric helps hunters compare their own experiences with those of others.