On Wednesday June 27th, the Wisconsin DNR Resources Board voted to abbreviate this fall’s grouse season in the northern “A” zone (most of the state). Look for a November 30th closure vs. the standard Jan 30th once the DNR invokes an emergency rule. The decision lacks definitive science based justification and alone may not make much difference. Pennsylvania’s Game Commission took the decision last fall to eliminate their Jan 2018 hunt and continue with abbreviated seasons.
Watch for reduced bag limits at some point. Until then consider some self restraint on how many birds you strive to put in the bag. In parts of MN, WI and MI heavy rains, mosquitoes and WNV could significantly limit grouse recruitment this year.