Game and Fish Encourages Hunters to Submit Sage-Grouse Wings

CHEYENNE — The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is urging sage-grouse hunters to contribute to conservation efforts by submitting wings from harvested birds.

 

Hunters are requested to deposit one wing from each sage-grouse they harvest into designated roadside collection barrels.

 

To do this, remove one wing at the elbow joint and place it in the nearest wing barrel.

 

Handle the wing carefully to ensure the data collected is accurate.

 

It's important to note that, by law, the other fully-feathered wing must remain attached to the bird while in the field and during transport.

 

“The collection of sage-grouse wings provides crucial data for monitoring population health and making informed management decisions,” said Nyssa Whitford, Game and Fish sage-grouse and sagebrush biologist.

 

“Wildlife biologists gather data from wings that would otherwise be difficult to obtain and offer important information about reproductive success.”

 

In 2023, hunters deposited wings from 1,551 chicks and 852 hens into collection barrels statewide.

 

Preliminary analysis indicated a chick-to-hen ratio of 1.82 chicks per hen, a significant increase from previous years.

 

This suggests improved reproductive success and a positive trend in sage-grouse populations.

 

Collection barrels are strategically placed during hunting season in specific locations within the sagebrush steppe regions, primarily in central and southwest Wyoming.

 

They are often located along primary exit roads near popular hunting areas and wildlife management areas, or in cooperation with local landowners and conservation organizations.

 

If a barrel isn't conveniently located, hunters can drop off wings and the respective harvest locations at a roadside hunter check station or a Game and Fish regional office.

 

“We appreciate hunters taking the time to deposit one wing from each harvested bird,” Whitford said.

 

“It is important to us that wings get deposited and they are not removed from the barrels by the public.”

 

After the hunting season, Game and Fish biologists analyze the collected wings to estimate reproductive success.

 

By examining the length and wear of the primary feathers, each wing is aged as a chick, yearling, or adult, and sex is determined by the size or measurement of the wing.

 

“This data helps us determine the average number of chicks per hen that were produced for the year and, used in conjunction with spring lek counts, gives us insight into the overall health of sage-grouse populations and trends,” Whitford explained.

 

“The trends we detect help to guide long-term conservation efforts and on-the-ground habitat improvement projects.”

 

As a reminder, all licensed sage-grouse hunters—daily, annual, Pioneer, and lifetime license holders—are required to carry a free, annual sage-grouse hunting permit.

 

This permit aids Game and Fish in surveying hunters about their experiences and is available at Game and Fish offices and online through the department's website.

 

By participating in the wing collection program and adhering to permit requirements, hunters play a vital role in the conservation and management of Wyoming's sage-grouse populations.

 

For more information on hunting regulations and conservation efforts, visit the Wyoming Game and Fish Department's website.