Hunters can see the season proposals and comment online for the 2020 sage-grouse hunting season. Statewide sage-grouse populations are up slightly from last year, but down from the 2016 peak. Most proposed seasons will allow for 7-day, or 2-day, hunting seasons depending on the area. Deadline to comment is Aug. 10.
The sage-grouse hunting season would be open from Sept. 19-20 for the 2-day season and Sept. 19-25 for the 7-day season.
Idaho Fish and Game and partners monitor sage-grouse breeding populations by counting males at leks each spring. A lek is a traditional display area, which is typically located in an open area in or adjacent to sagebrush-dominated habitats. Statewide, lek counts indicate a 2.5 percent increase in males at leks in spring 2020, compared to 2019, but trends were variable. Sage-grouse numbers are down 53 percent from the peak counts in 2016, with stronger declines north of the Snake River.
