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Idaho Fish and Game

Season Opens on Idaho Grouse

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This year, starting Saturday, October 1, upland bird hunters will be able to hunt all five grouse species in addition to chukar and gray partridge and quail within the same week. There is no season on mountain quail The last time hunters could participate in the "Idaho grand slam of native grouse" - dusky, ruffed, spruce, sage- and sharp-tailed - was in 1997. To mark the occasion, Idaho Fish and Game would like to recognize the first successful upland bird hunter who harvests one of each native grouse in Idaho. Photos and the hunter's story will be posted on the Fish and Game website. (Fish and Game reserves the right to reject unsuitable photographs.) Successful hunters may submit their photos to idfg-staff@idfg.idaho.gov. The sage-grouse season is open from October 1 through 7, with a one-bird daily limit and two-bird possession limit. For details, please refer to the 2011 Sage-grouse Seasons and Rules brochure, available at license vendors and online at: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/docs/rules/uplandSage.pdf. The sharp-tailed grouse season is open in eastern Idaho from October 1 through 31. Hunters are advised to check the upland game bird rules for areas that are open to sharptail hunting, either in the printed brochure or online at: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/hunt/rules/?getPage=67. The daily bag limit is two birds, with a possession limit of four after the first day of the season. Anyone hunting sage- and sharp-tailed grouse must have a sage/sharp-tailed grouse permit at $4.75, in addition to a hunting license. The season for forest grouse, which includes ruffed, spruce and dusky grouse, opened August 30 and runs through December 31, except in the Panhandle Region where the season runs through January 31. The daily limit is four, whether all of one or mixed species, and eight in possession after the first day. Hunters need only a valid hunting license to hunt quail, chukar, gray partridge and forest grouse. The chukar and gray partridge seasons run from October 1 through January 31, with a daily bag limit of six chukar and six gray partridge. The possession limit after the first day is 12 chukar and 12 gray partridge. The bobwhite and California quail seasons runs from October 1 through January 31, with a daily bag limit of 10 total. The possession limit after the first day is 20 total. Area 1 in eastern Idaho is closed. All hunters need a valid 2011 Idaho hunting license. Hunters will find upland hunting rules and shooting times in the 2011-2012 Upland Game, Furbearer & Turkey Seasons and Rules brochure at license vendors, Fish and Game offices and online at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/hunt/rules/?getPage=67.