Hunters: Fish and Game Wants Grouse Wings

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is asking 1,000 sage-grouse and sharp-tailed grouse hunters to mail in one wing from any bird they harvest. These hunters will receive a packet in the mail with directions and a pre-paid return envelope. Every year Fish and Game collects wings at hunter check stations and in "wing barrels" at popular access routes in which hunters are asked to place wings from hunter-killed birds. By examining the shape, condition, length and color patterns on wing feathers, biologists can to determine the bird's sex and whether it was an adult or juvenile. If the bird was an adult female, biologists can even tell if she successfully produced chicks that year. Unfortunately, check stations and wing barrels often miss sage- and sharp-tailed grouse hunters in more remote areas of the state. Therefore, the mail-in wing program targets hunters from eastern Idaho that may not pass by a check station or wing barrel. Any additional wings received from the mail-in wing program will help Fish and Game's management program. Hunters, who did not receive a mail-wing envelope, can still participate by contacting a regional Fish and Game office. Any person hunting sage or sharp-tailed grouse must have in possession a valid Idaho hunting license with a sage, sharp-tailed grouse permit validation, which costs $1.75. Hunters are encouraged to check the current upland game rules for details.