Once caught and removed from the trap, grouse are fitted with a necklace style radio transmitter. Weight, sex, age class and general condition of trapped birds are noted. Each grouse is also fitted with a reward leg band. Grouse are then released at the trap site within 20 minutes after removal from the trap. Study objectives are to place radios on 40 grouse during each fall trapping season.
All grouse are to be monitored twice per week throughout the year using radio telemetry equipment.
All locations of birds are estimated by taking at least three compass bearings from known tracking locations. Bearings are mapped to determine approximate bird locations. All radio transmitters are equipped with motion sensitive switches. These switches activate when the radio has not moved for eight hours. It is assumed that a grouse is dead if the activity switch has been activated.