A Information to Looking Sage Grouse

Sage grouse looking is a privilege that comes with important duty.

Every September, an inexplicable reverence stirs inside me as I patiently await the prospect to roam Wyoming’s boundless public lands in pursuit of the chicken that holds my coronary heart—the long-lasting sage grouse. There’s one thing nearly religious about getting into the huge sea of sagebrush and feeling the panorama’s timeless pull. 

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For a lot of hunters, pursuing these majestic birds is a uncommon, once-in-a-lifetime journey, typically meticulously deliberate months or years forward. Preparation and data are key with a purpose to respect and succeed on this journey.

The place Can You Hunt Sage Grouse?

Sage grouse populations stretch throughout eleven western states—Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. But solely seven states nonetheless allow sage grouse looking, and season lengths and bag limits are fastidiously managed. 

Amongst these seven, three locations stand out as sage grouse strongholds, owing to the abundance of huge stretches of sagebrush inside their borders that these birds rely on: southeastern Idaho, jap Montana, and central Wyoming—the very coronary heart of the place I hunt and reside. Nonetheless, one state reigns supreme relating to sage grouse numbers and looking alternatives: Wyoming. 

Wyoming holds roughly 38 p.c of the world’s sage grouse inhabitants, and with extra public land open to looking than anyplace else, it’s really the crown jewel for these pursuing this treasured sport chicken.

Sage Grouse Identification

Figuring out birds within the area could be difficult, particularly when looking species you’re unfamiliar with. One useful resource I at all times advocate is the free All About Birds information from The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Its “4 keys to identification”—measurement and form, general colour and sample, habits, and habitat—are extremely useful for studying to tell apart birds.

When figuring out the Higher Sage-Grouse, measurement is among the finest indicators. As the biggest grouse in North America, they’re identified for his or her giant, plump our bodies, small heads, and lengthy, pointed tails. Grownup males are nearly twice the dimensions of grownup females, and their measurement and look can change drastically throughout shows. In comparison with different extra readily identified birds, they’re bigger than a pheasant however smaller than a wild turkey.

Sage grouse sport a coloration of mottled darkish brown and grey with a particular black stomach, a key function that each men and women share. Nonetheless, males could be recognized by their white breast ruff, black throat, and yellow eye combs. Females have a dusky cheek patch highlighted by white markings behind their eyes, and juveniles and yearlings are sometimes smaller, paler variations of their grownup counterparts. Wing feathers and molt stage are the easiest way to point younger birds’ ages.

In Wyoming, it is not uncommon to come across sage grouse and dusky grouse throughout the similar habitat. At many elevations, they could even be discovered intermingling throughout their morning feedings. This makes it essential to know their variations earlier than pulling the set off. The starkest variations can be of their bellies and tails. Dusky grouse have shorter, even, square-tipped tails and lack the black stomach of sage grouse. Duskies are additionally smaller.

In some states, hunters may want to tell apart sage grouse from sharp-tailed grouse and hen pheasants. Sharp-tailed grouse are considerably smaller and have a browner look, a pale or buff stomach, and a brief, pointed tail. Whereas comparable in measurement to sage grouse and having lengthy, pointed tails, hen pheasants are extra buff-brown in colour, making them simpler to inform aside. Whereas the variations could seem minimal, with observe, you’ll quickly shortly study to tell apart these birds from each other. 

Sage Grouse Conduct Throughout Looking Season

For a lot of the 12 months, sage grouse are straightforward to miss. Not like different grouse species, sage grouse don’t roost in timber; they roost and loaf on the bottom, counting on sagebrush for canopy. Like most different Western upland birds, the most effective looking alternatives happen three hours after dawn and three hours earlier than sundown. Throughout these home windows, they transfer between roosting and feeding areas, leaving loads of scent for chicken canine to trace.

Sage grouse could seem gradual and deliberate on the bottom, however they’re spectacular fliers. Despite the fact that they’ve slower wing beats than different grouse, sage grouse can attain as much as 50 mph in stage flight, permitting them to soar lengthy distances as soon as airborne. On the bottom, they often favor to stroll, sometimes overlaying lower than a mile per day. Because of their brief legs, they not often run. As an alternative of sprinting away from hazard, they often depend on their wonderful camouflage or take flight to evade threats. Meaning when you’re after a mature chicken, or a “bomber,” listen through the covey rise. Look ahead to the biggest, darkest chicken of the bunch. 

Because the looking season progresses and stress will increase, sage grouse could turn out to be extra skittish. You might discover they unexpectedly flush wild, providing you with little probability to do something apart from marvel at them as they soar past gun vary. However don’t fear if the primary flush takes you unexpectedly. Keep prepared—there’s typically a second flush of stragglers who have been initially too cautious to take off with the remainder of the covey. 

What Does Sage Grouse Habitat Look Like?

Sage grouse thrive within the huge sagebrush flats that stretch throughout the American West, as this distinctive habitat is the one one they name dwelling. In Wyoming, hunters typically discover success on giant parcels of public land, freed from timber, the place uninterrupted areas of sagebrush sprawl at elevations starting from 5,000 to 9,000 ft.

As a result of their food plan is intently tied to their habitat, figuring out what sage grouse are feeding on makes it simpler to find them. Within the winter, they primarily depend on sagebrush leaves for survival, whereas within the spring and summer season, they complement their food plan with forbs, flowers, and bugs like grasshoppers. Within the early fall as their diets are transitioning, sage grouse are sometimes present in moist meadows close to springs, particularly these adjoining to giant swaths of sagebrush. These areas are likely to have taller and extra strong sagebrush that creates a denser cover, providing ample cowl. 

Hunters may also discover luck working sagebrush attracts main from inventory ponds or small reservoirs. When scouting a promising space, indicators like feathers and droppings could be key indicators of sage grouse presence. Recent sage grouse scat is distinctive, however you will need to know that their droppings shift in look as they transition from consuming forbs and bugs to a food plan of 100% sagebrush. Fall scat can differ from single, extra liquid-like greenish-white droppings to a pile of scat that seems like Cheeto’s accompanying tar-like droppings.  Discover recent scat, and also you’ll discover sage grouse. It’s a positive signal that birds are close by. 

It’s a little-known undeniable fact that sage grouse are the one animals that may survive on a pure sagebrush food plan. Whereas sheep, elk, and pronghorn eat sagebrush, all of them eat it with different vegetation to thrive. As a result of the sage grouse’s digestive system is uniquely outfitted to deal with sagebrush’s unstable oils, their tar-like scat, often called cecal tar, is a byproduct of their specialised intestine, which permits them to separate and excrete these oils.

What You Want To Hunt Sage Grouse

Like all out of doors journey, having the proper gear could make all of the distinction. My high tip? Deliver extra water than you suppose you have to, then double it. Each you and your canine will want loads of hydration, particularly for the reason that Western prairies in early fall are sometimes sizzling and arid. Sage grouse are sometimes present in treeless areas, which suggests no shade, and each you and your canine will sweat and dehydrate sooner than you notice. Packing electrolyte dietary supplements alongside along with your water is one other nice method to keep forward of dehydration.

Sage grouse looking will also be unpredictable. You may bag your restrict straight out of the truck or spend all the day mountaineering underneath a blazing solar, and you’ll by no means know which choice you’ll be dealt. Subsequently, I’m an enormous advocate for investing in a superb pair of light-weight, uninsulated boots paired with wool socks and good brush pants. 

My clothes suggestion is continuously met with skepticism. Positive, you can hunt in denims, a t-shirt, and any ol’ pair of mountaineering boots, however after just a few miles, if you’re drenched in sweat, your legs are chafing, and your ft are sore, you’ll want you had higher gear. High quality brush pants shield your legs from the tough brush and maintain the stickers and cactus out, whereas light-weight boots make the miles extra bearable.

Whereas carrying blaze orange isn’t a authorized requirement for chicken looking in Wyoming, I at all times advocate carrying no less than one merchandise for security, particularly because you’ll doubtless be sharing the realm with large sport hunters. By late September, deer and pronghorn archery seasons are in full swing, and rifle season for pronghorn opens in some areas on September 1. For me, the peace of thoughts that comes with carrying somewhat blaze orange far outweighs any threat of an unintended encounter with different hunters.

If you wish to benefit from a DIY hunt, I can’t advocate a superb e-scouting instrument like OnX Maps sufficient. Pre-hunt analysis is essential, particularly when looking wild birds in a restricted season window. Digital scouting is extremely useful for pinpointing areas with promising habitat and close by water sources, saving you and your canine numerous frustration and providing you with a greater shot at success. Scouting is essential, and placing within the effort beforehand can imply the distinction between coming dwelling empty-handed and having the prospect to shoulder your gun in a first-rate location.

Pointing Canine Versus Flushing Canine

Finding sage grouse is usually a time-consuming endeavor, typically burning hours of time and miles mountaineering throughout an in any other case empty prairie. Given the vastness of sage grouse nation, I favor a wide-ranging pointing canine. 

Early season situations, with intense warmth and lack of shade, dictate that these canine should know tempo themselves from the get-go to keep away from burning out or affected by heat-related accidents. I particularly worth canine that may not solely find birds effectively but in addition maintain a gentle level till the hunters are able to flush. In the sort of hunt, endurance and endurance are as essential as pace.

Shotguns and Shot Sizes

Whereas 12- and 20-gauge shotguns are the go-to for a lot of upland hunters, I personally love carrying my 20-gauge O/U RFM SK Feather from Upland Gun Firm. As a passionate wild chicken hunter in Wyoming, I discover a versatile, light-weight gun is value its weight in gold. It permits me to remain out longer and canopy extra floor with out getting weighed down. The flexibility to shortly change out shot sizes and chokes makes it excellent for every little thing from giant sage grouse to the fast-flying Hungarian partridge.

For sage grouse, I favor #6 shot with a modified shotgun choke within the first barrel and an improved modified choke within the second, which provides me extra flexibility for each shut and lengthy pictures within the wide-open terrain. One tip I share with hunters, particularly these coming from the East, who’re used to looking in tighter quarters, is to embrace longer pictures. The vastness of the panorama and the wariness of sage grouse typically require taking pictures past what it’s possible you’ll be accustomed to, so don’t be afraid to push your vary a bit.

Keep Protected In Sage Grouse Nation

Preparation and consciousness are key to having fun with the uncooked great thing about sage grouse nation whereas protecting your self and your canine protected. 

The excessive desert and sagebrush steppe, that’s, sage grouse nation, is an extremely dramatic, distant, and principally untouched panorama. Its rugged, remoted nature calls for further warning. You’ll doubtless cowl miles of tough terrain, and your health will instantly influence how a lot floor you possibly can cowl. In case you are in mountainous terrain, you may additionally face important elevation adjustments, so being in good cardiovascular form is crucial. 

In case you are coming from decrease altitudes, particularly from close to sea stage, know that the thinner air at excessive altitudes could make bodily exertion really feel harder, leading to altitude illness. With the proper precautions, you possibly can handle this by consuming loads of water and electrolytes and consuming gentle, nutritious meals. If you happen to suppose adjusting to elevation is likely to be robust, take into account arriving a day early to present your physique time to acclimate earlier than your hunt.

September climate within the West, particularly in mountainous areas like Wyoming, could be wildly unpredictable. I typically equate it to a toddler studying to work by means of the steps of emotional regulation. Cool, frosty mornings continuously give method to scorching afternoons. It’s best to decorate in layers to adapt to altering temperatures and at all times pack a rain jacket for sudden thunderstorms or wind bursts. 

One often-overlooked tip: pack allergy medicine. The wind right here carries numerous mud and pollen, and also you by no means know the way it may have an effect on you.

Rattlesnakes are one other issue to concentrate on, significantly on sizzling afternoons when they’re most lively. Even when you don’t see them, they’re round. Rattlesnake avoidance coaching for canine is very advisable. Whereas opinions on the rattlesnake vaccine differ throughout the chicken canine group, I personally favor to vaccinate all my information canine yearly. I at all times inform folks to do what they view is finest for them and their canine however for me, it’s about prevention. You recognize that saying, an oz. of prevention is value a pound of treatment? I’m no knowledgeable in veterinary science, however I’d relatively really feel ready upfront than should query my choices on the again finish if my canine faces a life-threatening scenario within the area.

Different hazards embody badgers, porcupines, skunks, and cactus. Whereas the danger is low, you will need to maintain your canine from chasing badgers. Not solely may a badger chew may result in a hunt-ending harm nevertheless it may doubtlessly transmit illness. Trapping can be quite common out West, carrying cable cutters in case your canine encounters a trapper’s snare is a good suggestion. Additionally, you will need to have hemostats for porcupine quills and tweezers for cactus spines. I additionally advocate for having a pre-mixed bottle of skunk odor remover in your truck as a result of there’s nothing worse than sharing quarters with a canine that has been sprayed.

Sage Grouse Looking Ethics

I spend a rare period of time within the prairies. Most of that point is spent strolling and watching. I get immense pleasure from easy commentary. Remark permits me to gather information in regards to the birds, the panorama, the out there assets, and the interactions of different species and people. I exploit this information to strategize how and once I work together, if in any respect, with this delicate species. Being linked to each the birds and the land offers me an overarching sense of pleasure that I maintain sacred.  

As hunters, we’re stewards of the land and the wildlife we pursue, and as such we should at all times be reflecting on our influence. Given the unsure future of sage grouse looking, I urge each hunter to method their hunt with a eager sense of ethics. The duty to guard these birds by means of aware looking stress and selective harvest is paramount. Looking with the proper intentions and balancing consumption with conservation, is crucial to safeguarding the long-term livelihood of this species. This can be an expertise that can etch itself into your reminiscence for a lifetime to come back. Know that when you get the prospect to hunt these iconic birds, it’s a priceless expertise to be cherished, revered, and revered. 

As you attempt to make your hunt unforgettable, you’ll inevitably end up able through which it’s essential to make deliberate moral choices, a lot of which is able to revolve round how selective you’ll be in your taking pictures and take. These choices revolve round evaluating your moral stance on re-flushing coveys, taking pictures a number of birds from a single covey, revisiting the identical looking grounds a number of occasions, and contemplating what you’d do when you wound a chicken you can not get better. When looking such a fragile species, the ideas of truthful chase turn out to be much more essential. Your moral compass ought to be stauncher with sage grouse than it would in any other case be with different upland birds. 

Every sage grouse harvested ought to be treasured, not solely as a sport chicken however as a relic of a singular panorama and time, a fragile and majestic piece of the American West. Recognize the chance it’s important to harvest them by leaping on the chance to take excellent care of your birds post-hunt with good meat care practices and tasteful photographs. 

The chance to traverse the huge sagebrush landscapes of Wyoming and different sage grouse strongholds is a privilege that comes with important duty. The way forward for sage grouse looking is unsure, however with a touch of luck and cautious administration and conservation efforts, it’s my hope that this custom can be handed down for generations to come back. The journey by means of sage grouse nation is a testomony to the fantastic thing about wild locations and the enduring connection between hunter and nature—a legacy of those iconic birds to be cherished, revered, and handed down with pleasure.