The best source of information on the population status of Ruffed Grouse is the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS). Although the northernmost portion of its range is poorly covered, precision of trends is high. The national BBS trend indicates a long-term trend of little change in abundance since the early 1970s, with a slight increase over the past decade. Little change has occurred in most Canadian Bird Conservation Regions where reliability is at least medium, but moderate declines have been observed in the Prairies, Pacific Coast and south-central British Columbia. The Christmas Bird Count (CBC) also provides data on Ruffed Grouse with medium reliability, although at a time of year when there is less vocalization. Consistent with the BBS, CBC data also show little change in population size across Canada.

The goal for Ruffed Grouse is to maintain its population at or above the level it was at in the early 1970s, based on the Breeding Bird Survey. Recent data show that the population is within its goal range.