Date: 1/20/26 4:17 pm From: Brenna <dbgaldenzi...> Subject: [VTBIRD] State Wildlife Action Plan
Hi all, As a group of folks who share a passion for birds, it's important for us to be aware of Vermont Fish & Wildlife's state wildlife action plan.
Ruffed and spruce grouse are listed as Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN). Spruce grouse are listed as a high priority and there is no hunting season on them. Even though ruffed grouse are listed as a medium priority SGCN, VT F&W still allows a very generous hunting season that lasts three months and allows hunters to possess eight sage grouse DAILY.
The problem is that it's next to impossible to differentiate between a ruffed and a sage grouse in the field. F&W needs to close the season for ruffed grouse to protect the imperiled spruce grouse.
Vermont's Spruce Grouse population is very small, state-endangered, and exists in an isolated area (Nulhegan Basin in Essex County), with estimates fluctuating from around 100 to 300 birds, facing threats from habitat loss and fragmentation.
