With the sage-grouse season in Idaho just around the corner, Fish and Game reminds upland bird hunters of new sage-grouse and sharp-tailed grouse requirements for the 2021 hunting season. Hunters are now required to purchase a zone-specific tag for sage-grouse hunting, in addition to a hunting license. A separate permit is required just for sharp-tailed grouse hunters, along with their hunting license.
While sage-grouse tags for most zones have sold out, more than 100 tags were still available across three zones as of Sept. 9. It is also possible that some sage-grouse tags in sold-out zones could be returned and would become available in the next returned tag sale on Sept. 16. Any returned sage-grouse tags would be listed on Fish and Game’s Returned Sold-Out Tags webpage on Sept. 14.
Hunters who purchased a combined 2021 sage-grouse/sharp-tailed grouse permit prior to the change going into effect – between Jan. 1 and June 30 – need to be aware that the combined permit is no longer valid to hunt sage-grouse, and they will need to purchase a tag to hunt them.
For hunters who purchased a combined permit between those dates and plan to only hunt sharp-tailed grouse, their permit remains valid and no action is required.
Any hunter who bought the previous combined sage-grouse/sharp-tailed grouse permit may receive a credit towards the new sage-grouse tag if they only want to hunt sage-grouse. Hunters can do this at any Fish and Game Regional Office, and the credit will be applied to the purchase of the new sage-grouse tag.
Fish and Game will also provide refunds to customers who bought the combined permit just for hunting sage-grouse and do not want to pay the higher fee for a sage-grouse tag, or who no longer want the permit because it will not accommodate both species.
The new tag and permit structure was passed by the 2021 Legislature, but is not reflected in the printed 2020-21 Idaho Upland Game, Turkey and Furbearer seasons and rules. A separate Sage-grouse 2021 Seasons and Rules brochure is available on Fish and Game’s website.
Sage-grouse season kicks off on Sept. 18 and runs through Oct. 31. Sharp-tailed grouse season, which is limited to Eastern Idaho, runs from Oct. 1-31.
