Public comment opportunity for proposed 2026 sage-grouse season, deadline July 5

Fish and Game is seeking comments on the 2026-27 sage-grouse seasons and tag proposals. Staff are proposing a decrease in sage-grouse tags offered and a recurring opening date of Sept. 15. Hunters and other interested parties can comment on the public comment webpage until Sunday, July 5 at midnight.

Lek counts down from 2025

Statewide, counts of males on leks decreased from 2025 and tags numbers decreased from 5,030 in 2025, to 4,280 in 2026. To generate proposed 2026 tag numbers for each zone, department staff used a targeted harvest of 5% of the fall population index and the prior 3-year average harvest success rate in each zone. The change in tag numbers between 2025 and 2026 reflects both the change in male sage-grouse counted on leks in spring 2026 in each zone and the prior 3-year average zone-specific success rate.

Proposed recurring opening date, Sept. 15

Staff are also proposing to establish a recurring start date of Sept. 15 for the sage-grouse season. Currently the sage-grouse season opens on the third Saturday in September, so the opening date changes annually. This proposed change would provide a consistent season opener for sage-grouse, that aligns with the Sept. 15 start date for chukar and gray partridge, and quail. The proposed sage-grouse season in all zones is from Sept. 15-Oct. 31. This proposal does not affect season dates for falconry (Aug. 15, 2026-March 15, 2027) established by the Commission in January.