Sage-grouse harvest season and tag proposals, 2024-2025
Idaho Fish and Game is seeking comments on its sage-grouse harvest season and tag proposals.
Please review the season proposals below and submit comments by July 14, 2024.
The sage-grouse tag allocation is designed to limit harvest to no more than 10% of the estimated fall population in each of 12 reporting zones. In each zone, a fall population index was calculated based on spring 2024 lek counts and recruitment estimates derived from juvenile:adult ratios observed during the previous 3-years harvest. Sage-grouse lek counts increased 22% in 2024 from 2023, and increases were observed in all zones. Sage-grouse populations exhibit periodic increases and decreases in abundance in approximately 6- to 10-year cycles and Idaho sage-grouse are currently in the upward portion of that cycle.
To generate proposed 2024 tag numbers for each zone, Department staff used a targeted harvest of 8% of the fall population index in most zones (5% in two zones, description below) and assumed a 60% harvest success rate. The assumed harvest success rate used for 2024 tag calculation (60%) is closer to actual statewide harvest success rates observed over the last three harvest seasons (31-46%) than the assumed harvest success rate that was used to calculate tag numbers in 2022 and 2023 (75%). Therefore, the change in tag numbers between 2023 and 2024 depicted in the table below reflects both the increase in sage-grouse counted on leks in spring 2024 and a change in the assumed harvest success rate used to estimate 2024 tag numbers.
Sage-grouse Firearm Season all zones: September 21–October 31, 2024
Sage-grouse Falconry Season all zones: August 15, 2024–March 15, 2025
Number of tags all zones: 2
Zone
Tag Quota
11 – North Owyhee
54 105
2 – South Owhyee
642 1,044
3A – Jarbidge
352 567
3B – Shoshone Basin
290 446
4A – Camas Prairie
243 418
4B – Craters
310 474
5B1 – Bear Lake Plateau
18 45
6E – Sand Creek
358 584
6W – Medicine Lodge
159 331
7A – Lost River
118 249
7B – Salmon-Challis
146 285
8 – Big Desert
268 543
Statewide
2,958 5,091
1Harvest limited to 5% of the fall population index in 2024 due to small overall population size (Bear Lake Plateau) or recovery post-wildfire (North Owyhee).
Public Comment Instructions
We welcome comments on the 2024-2025 sage-grouse harvest season and tag proposals. Please review the proposals and acknowledge if you support or do not support. You may provide additional detail in the "general comments" section.
Thank you for your participation!
The public comment period closes on July 14, 2024.
Idaho Fish and Game is seeking comments on its sage-grouse harvest season and tag proposals.
Please review the season proposals below and submit comments by July 14, 2024.
The sage-grouse tag allocation is designed to limit harvest to no more than 10% of the estimated fall population in each of 12 reporting zones. In each zone, a fall population index was calculated based on spring 2024 lek counts and recruitment estimates derived from juvenile:adult ratios observed during the previous 3-years harvest. Sage-grouse lek counts increased 22% in 2024 from 2023, and increases were observed in all zones. Sage-grouse populations exhibit periodic increases and decreases in abundance in approximately 6- to 10-year cycles and Idaho sage-grouse are currently in the upward portion of that cycle.
To generate proposed 2024 tag numbers for each zone, Department staff used a targeted harvest of 8% of the fall population index in most zones (5% in two zones, description below) and assumed a 60% harvest success rate. The assumed harvest success rate used for 2024 tag calculation (60%) is closer to actual statewide harvest success rates observed over the last three harvest seasons (31-46%) than the assumed harvest success rate that was used to calculate tag numbers in 2022 and 2023 (75%). Therefore, the change in tag numbers between 2023 and 2024 depicted in the table below reflects both the increase in sage-grouse counted on leks in spring 2024 and a change in the assumed harvest success rate used to estimate 2024 tag numbers.
Number of tags all zones: 2
541056421,04435256729044624341831047418453585841593311182491462852685432,9585,0911Harvest limited to 5% of the fall population index in 2024 due to small overall population size (Bear Lake Plateau) or recovery post-wildfire (North Owyhee).
Public Comment Instructions
We welcome comments on the 2024-2025 sage-grouse harvest season and tag proposals. Please review the proposals and acknowledge if you support or do not support. You may provide additional detail in the "general comments" section.
Thank you for your participation!
The public comment period closes on July 14, 2024.