2014 Sage-grouse Season Set

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission has approved a restrictive season for sage-grouse. The 2014 season will run from September 20 - September 26, with a daily bag limit of one bird, and a possession limit of two birds. Sage-grouse are proposed for listing under the federal Endangered Species Act; primarily due to habitat loss from wildfire, human infrastructure and invasive plants like cheat grass. Sage-grouse experts have determined that carefully regulated hunting is not a primary threat to populations. Fish and Game closely monitors sage-grouse annually to ensure hunting will not compromise the population. Current sage-grouse lek data indicate that many populations can be hunted at the "restrictive" level. The Department follows guidelines that allow the flexibility to consider local issues of concern, such as insufficient data, isolated populations, or impacts of wildfire and West Nile virus. The 2014 season will take place in most of the same areas as last year's hunt with the exception of a new closure in the Greater Curlew Valley, which covers most of Power and Oneida Counties, and a portion of Cassia County. Males at sage-grouse leks in this area have declined 53 percent since 2011. The Sage-grouse Seasons and Rules brochures, including a map of areas open to sage-grouse hunting, will be available soon at all license vendors, Fish and Game offices, and on Fish and Game's website: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov