Date: 1/21/26 5:14 am From: Brenna <dbgaldenzi...> Subject: Re: [VTBIRD] State Wildlife Action Plan
Hi Jared,
Sage was a typo. Spruce grouse are found in a few pockets in Essex County. Perhaps prohibiting hunting of ruffed there would protect spruce from being mistaken.
Also, it seems that Vermonts bag limit on ruffed exceeds neighboring states but that’s a separate issue.
Brenna
www.ProtectOurWildlifeVT.org
Sent from my iPhone, which has been known to mess with me.
> On Jan 21, 2026, at 6:11 AM, Jared Katz <jdkatzvt...> wrote:
>
> Hi Brenna,
>
> You mention Roughed, Spruce and Sage Grouse in your email. Do you mean Roughed and Spruce?
>
> I “hunt” Roughed Grouse, which means my dog and I flush them and I shoot approximately 3 per ten years if I’m fortunate. In Richmond, I think there are no Spruce Grouse. I’ve never seen one here or, for that matter, anywhere in VT. They look distinctly different to me, but I can understand how one might confuse them. I didn’t think there were any instances of Sage Grouse this far east.
>
> Thanks for your thoughtful message.
>
> Kind regards,
>
> Jared
>
> Sent from my irresistible flat thing.
>
>>> On Jan 20, 2026, at 21:32, Brenna <dbgaldenzi...> wrote:
>>>
>> 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.
>>
>> You can read the Wildlife Action Plan here:
>> https://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/sites/fishandwildlife/files/documents/About%20Us/Budget%20and%20Planning/WAP2025/6.%20SGCN%20Lists%20%26%20Taxa%20Conservation%20Summaries%20(2025%20Draft).pdf >>
>> You can share your concerns here:
>> https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=O5O0IK26PEOcAnDtzHVZxihNRyJb-odNvvBQA0ZXNFlUQVhYVU1ZT08xNkk4QkRZN1FVSUlTUEtSMC4u&route=shorturl >> I had only been reviewing mammal species since that's my area of
>> focus/expertise, but when a colleague raised the spruce grouse concern, I
>> took a look and shared his concern. Maybe you will as well.
>>
>> Brenna Galdenzi
>>
>> *President*
>> *Protect Our Wildlife **POW *
>>
>> *A Vermont Non Profit Organization*
>>
>> *www.ProtectOurWildlifeVT.org <http://www.ProtectOurWildlifeVT.org>* >>
>>
>> *Only if we understand can we care. Only if we care will we help. Only if
>> we help shall they be saved.*
>> ~Jane Goodall
