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On July 17, the New Jersey Fish and Game Council unanimously voted to close the ruffed grouse hunting season statewide, effective immediately, citing declining populations due to lack of suitable habitat, as well as predation, weather and disease.
According to the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife, “hunting is not the cause of the decline” as the number of grouse hunters in the state has also decreased.
The Division is currently working on a habitat management and population recovery plan to determine what conditions must be met before a hunting season will reopen.
For more information, visit state.nj.us/dep/fgw/.
