These sites are most often in pole or small sawtimber stands, but are usually within 100 feet of fields, road or trail edges, old homesites, or breaks in the forest canopy such as logged areas or old log landings. Dense stands of woody regeneration, grape tangles, small pine plantings and cedar clumps provide winter habitat. Grape thickets form protective pockets for winter shelter as well as some fruit which may persist on the vine. Both grape and bittersweet should be encouraged to grow for winter food and cover. A few trees may need to be cut to allow sunlight to reach the vines.
Nesting habitat is the most plentiful in Missouri.
Proper forestry management practices will help provide the other three habitats where these are lacking. Large, continuous stands of mature or pole-sized timber and large conifer plantations do not provide ruffed grouse habitat. The ideal program for both deer and grouse would include five to twenty acre clear-cuts scattered through a timber tract. A rule of thumb might be to clear-cut around 10 percent of the forested area every ten years. The openings created will allow regeneration on the forest floor.