Temperate species occupying habitats at the northern limit of their geographical distribution are limited by weather and climatic conditions. Such conditions often directly affect population dynamics, and thus, influence shifts in distribution via changes in demographic parameters. We examined this question by following three distinct populations of wild turkeys inhabiting areas exposed to a gradient of meteorological conditions at the northern limit of the species distribution. Four years of radio‐telemetry on 181 birds and monitoring of 95 nests revealed that population demographics of wild turkeys were influenced by snow depth, winter temperature and summer rainfall. During winter, survival of turkeys decreased drastically when snow depth remained >30 cm for >10 days and also decreased as temperatures got colder. In the spring, snow persistence delayed nest initiation, whereas nest survival was negatively affected by rainfall. Our findings show that the effects of critical meteorological factors such as snow and temperature can be compounded when both reach the limit of a species tolerance simultaneously.

Adequate cover is a critical component of ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) habitat during the brood‐rearing period when chick mortality is high. We assessed habitat use by ruffed grouse during the brood‐rearing period by comparing characteristics of tree, shrub, and ground layers at ruffed grouse brood and random locations. We captured and radiomarked 29 females with broods in 2 forest settings of the Réserve faunique de Portneuf, Quebec, Canada. We described grouse habitat using ground surveys and forest maps, and we identified the used habitat characteristics using analysis of variance and logistic regression. Females with broods used mixed and regenerated clearcut stands that were 1.5–7 m tall and 11–20 years old. Compared with random locations, grouse locations had higher lateral obstruction (76% vs. 68%), higher small‐stem density (29,085 stems/ha vs. 19,340 stems/ha), and were closer to roads and trails. Percentage of coverage by ground vegetation was not higher at grouse locations as often reported in previous studies. Results from this study will help orient ruffed grouse habitat management on Quebec public land and elsewhere in nordic—temperate mixed hardwood—softwood forests to maintain suitable brood habitat after logging operations. Forest management should promote growth of young mixed stands with high horizontal and vertical cover provided by high small‐stem density, which offers protection against aerial and terrestrial predation. Edges such as roadsides are also important in brood habitat as they provide food and cover.

We determined the categories of roost sites used by ruffed grouse ( Bonasa umbellus (L., 1766)) during daytime in winter from 245 radiotelemetric locations of 26 adult females. We conducted our study in the Réserve faunique de Portneuf, located in a mixed nordic-temperate softwood–hardwood forest in Quebec, Canada. We evaluated the effects of weather, snow, and habitat variables on the incidence of snow burrowing, tree roosting, and on-snow roosting using mixed multinomial models, ANOVA, and logistic regressions. The best logistic regression model of snow burrowing probability was identified using the Akaike path. The incidence of each category of roost sites was 41.2% tree roosts, 36.3% snow burrows, and 22.4% on-snow roosts. Coniferous canopy closure and depth of fluffy snow were the variables that influenced roosting behavior the most. Probability of snow burrowing increased with compaction depth and decreased with coniferous cover. Probability of tree roosting increased with temperature. On-snow roosts had a denser lateral obstruction than snow burrows, whereas tree roosts had a greater coniferous basal area, stem density, and canopy cover than snow burrows. Stand type also influenced the incidence of each category of roost sites, snow burrows dominating in deciduous stands and tree roosts dominating in mixed and coniferous stands.

We compared 2 net-propelled devices to capture eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris). One device, the rocket-net, employs explosives for propulsion and is currently the most effective and widespread method used to capture this species. The second device, the net blaster, works with compressed air instead of explosives. During 2009-2012, we captured 344 wild turkeys using rocket-nets (n ¼ 30 attempts) and net blasters (n ¼ 15 attempts). Both devices had a similar capture success rate; but malfunctioning was twice as common with the rocket-net as with the net blaster, as was the rate of injuries to captured wild turkeys. However, rocket-nets did not have a higher rate of capture-related mortality. The net blaster was more difficult to handle, more expensive, and did not work when temperatures were below À208C. Overall the net blaster proved to be more efficient capturing wild turkeys and was safer than the rocket-net. Ó 2014 The Wildlife Society.

Ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) is a popular small game species in northeastern North America. We assessed female ruffed grouse habitat characteristics during winter of 2001‐2002 and 2002‐2003 in a region dominated by mixed softwood‐hardwood forests by comparing used and random locations. We followed 23 radiotagged adult females in 2 forest sites of the Réserve faunique de Portneuf, Québec, Canada, from late November to mid‐April. We described grouse habitat using ground surveys and identified selected habitat characteristics using analysis of variance and logistic regression. Females preferred mixed softwood‐hardwood stands > 17 m tall and 61‐120 years old. Compared with random locations, grouse locations had more well‐developed total canopy cover (>4m;75%), canopy (>4m;35%), midstory (1‐4 m tall; 35%), and lower‐story (<1 m tall; 23%) coniferous cover, and higher coniferous stem density and tree basal area (dbh > 9 cm; 343 stems/ha and 9.0 m2/ha, respectively). Forest management should maintain mature mixed softwood‐hardwood stands (50% coniferous), which are adequate winter habitat for ruffed grouse.