Cool Weather Slows Sage Grouse Opener

Cool and windy weather greeted hunters on the first day of the sage grouse hunting opening weekend across southern Idaho-Sunday brought better weather and hunter success. Idaho Department of Fish and Game biologists in the Magic Valley region report: The number of hunters checked on opening weekend was relatively unchanged from last year despite the weather. Sage grouse harvest decreased 19 percent from last year and was similar to the harvest in 2003 and 2004. This year, 1,001 hunters took 672 birds. The effort required-about 5.89 hours per bird-was less than the long-term average, but more than last year. The number of grouse observed per hour also remained higher than the long-term average. Last year, 989 hunters shot 833 birds at 4.97 hours per bird. The long term average is 2,049 hunters, 1,607 birds harvested, and 6.69 hours in the field per bird shot. The best hunting was north of Kimama and in Shoshone Basin. The lowest success rates were from hunters checked on the Bliss-Hill City Road. At the Southeast region's American Falls check station, 83 hunters checked in with 61 birds. That's more hunters and the most birds in the past five years-up by 45 percent from last year. But it took more effort this year, averaging 3.9 hours per bird. Last year 59 hunters took 42 birds in 3.3 hours per bird. On the east side of Bear Lake, no hunters or sage grouse were found, but there was 3 inches of snow on the ground. In the Upper Snake Region, 595 hunters shot 379 sage grouse at an average effort of 5.69 hours per bird. Not quite as good as last year when 627 hunters shot 463 birds, averaging 5.19 hours per bird. Upper Snake regional biologists report that overall, sage grouse seemed to be fairly dispersed, and most hunters reported seeing fewer sage grouse than last year, but a few hunters reported seeing 100 or more sage grouse. At Red Road check station most hunters reported almost stepping on birds to get them to flush, but at Sage Junction hunters said the birds flushing wild. Despite the nasty weather, most hunters seemed to enjoy their hunting experience. Data show that fewer hunters were out, fewer sage grouse were taken, a lower percentage of hunters shot a grouse, and the time spent hunting was slightly more than last year. The weather conditions may have been a contributing factor to hunter numbers and harvest. There were no results from the Southwest region. An emergency closure in Owyhee County meant no sage grouse season opener. The season here was closed because of high sage grouse mortality from West Nile virus.