Sage-grouse Hunting Season Proposed

Idaho Fish and Game officials will present sage-grouse hunting season recommendations to the Idaho Fish and Game Commission at their August 24 meeting. Fish and Game is not recommending any changes from the 2010 season, except as per 2010 commission action the season will open on October 1. Following the guidelines, the proposed seasons are:

• Restrictive: Seven-day, one-bird limit statewide within sage-grouse range, except in designated closed areas. The season would be October 1 through October 7.
• Closed: East Idaho Uplands area in southeastern Idaho; Washington and Adams counties; and eastern Owyhee County and western Twin Falls County Recommendations follow the hunting season and bag limit guidelines as laid out in the state plan for sage-grouse. These guidelines compare the current three-year running average of males counted at leks to counts from 1996-2000 when Idaho began intensified surveys statewide. The guidelines also allow the flexibility to consider local issues of concern, such as insufficient data, isolated populations, or impacts of wildfire and West Nile virus.

Sage-grouse is currently a candidate for listing under the federal Endangered Species Act. In 2010, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service found listing sage-grouse was warranted but precluded by other, more pressing, needs. Candidate species are still state-managed species and hunting is legal. Hunting of sage-grouse is allowed in nine of 11 western states where the birds are found. Fish and Game is soliciting for public comments on these recommendations before the August 24 commission meeting. The proposal will be available later this week on the Fish and Game website at: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov or contact a regional Fish and Game office for specific information and to provide comments.