Draft Owyhee Sage Grouse Plan Available

The draft Owyhee sage grouse conservation plan is available for public review, according to state upland bird manager Tom Hemker. The plan is a product of the Owyhee Sage Grouse Local Working Group, which includes representatives of county government, Owyhee County residents and ranchers, representatives of sportsman and conservation groups, as well as representatives from state and federal government agencies. Other Local Working Groups are addressing declining sage grouse populations in other parts of Idaho. Collectively, they make up the Idaho Sage Grouse Task Force. Sage grouse populations are down in Idaho and the rest of the west, and wildlife agencies are trying to learn what is causing the decline so that it can be stopped before the birds are listed under the federal Endangered Species Act. Listing could bring restrictions on many activities and uses of public land. The draft plan calls for research to determine lek sites; locations of nesting, brood-rearing and wintering habitat. It also proposes improvement of habitat in locations where it may help, fire protection and improvement of habitat. The draft proposes reducing numbers of juniper trees in some sage grouse habitat; study of predator impacts and possibly predator control; evaluation of the state's hunting program and continuing research and monitoring of sage grouse. The draft plan is available at the Fish and Game headquarters office and will be on the agency web page by Jan. 14. Comments are requested by January 31.