Sage Grouse Season Still Closed in Owyhee County

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game reminds upland bird hunters that the sage grouse season in Owyhee County west of the Bruneau River is closed. The sage grouse hunting season opened elsewhere in the state on Saturday, September 16, and remains open. The area was closed in response to mortality from West Nile virus in three parts of the county. Fish and Game biologists have found unusual numbers of radio-marked sage grouse dead this year, and there have been numerous reports of dead sage grouse from the public. The hunting season on the Duck Valley Indian Reservation, adjacent to Owyhee County on the Idaho-Nevada border, was closed in August after a number of sage grouse died from West Nile virus within the reservation. Only two birds infected by West Nile have been found outside of Owyhee County, and there have been no reports of unusual numbers of dead sage grouse this summer. Hunter check stations, run by department personnel in many areas, will collect blood and wings from harvested birds to help monitor sage grouse health and numbers. West Nile virus is a mosquito-transmitted disease, and hunters should protect themselves from mosquitoes while hunting. As always, wild game, including sage grouse, should be cooked thoroughly before it is eaten to ensure that any bacteria or viruses are killed. Hunters are reminded that a permit to hunt sage grouse is required in addition to a valid 2006 hunting license. The permit costs $1.75 and is available at Fish and Game license vendors.