As publishedSep 12, 2026 - Jan 3, 2027 (restricted area)
Season is limited to a restricted area (northern/wooded ND, e.g.Turtle Mountains/Pembina Hills region) rather than fully statewide; exact zone boundary not captured in this pass, recommend cross-checking full PDF map before publishing a zone claim.
2026 spring drumming count: statewide population up 21%, masking regional divergence — Turtle Mountains +40%, Pembina Hills -15%. Despite the Pembina Hills decline, populations remain above the 20-year average (following bumps in 2019-2020).
ND Game & Fish attributes annual population swings broadly to weather rather than disease ("mild winters and warmer, drier June-July conditions benefit populations" — Jesse Kolar); no ruffed-grouse-specific driver was separately named beyond that general framing.