FRIDAY, September 4, 2026|
Photo – Sage Grouse – Courtesy Stacey Jarrett
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department reported an anticipated decline in sage grouse numbers.
Every year, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department monitors roughly 90 percent of the state’s 1,700 known sage grouse leks. Game and Fish sage grouse and sagebrush biologist Nyssa Whitford explained that a lek is a specially chosen site where the birds congregate to reproduce.
Last week, Wyoming Game and Fish released the 2026 sage grouse numbers. Whitford explained that this year, 13 percent fewer sage grouse visited known lek sites around the state. She added that the decline follows an expected population trend.
Whitford said Carbon County saw a 12 percent reduction in sage grouse numbers compared to 2025.
The Game and Fish biologist said it’s unknown why sage grouse populations rise and fall in predictable patterns. Although, she said the cause may be tied to the weather.
Whitford said the unusually warm winter and dry summer are likely to further lower sage grouse numbers by reducing the new plant growth and insects the chicks need to survive.
The Game and Fish biologist highlighted the cultural and ecological importance of the well‑known birds.
In the past, Game and Fish has adjusted sage grouse hunting seasons in response to the population cycle. Whitford said no changes are expected this season, which begins later this month, as bag limits are already low.
Game and Fish will place sage grouse wing‑collection barrels throughout Hunt Area One, which covers the majority of Carbon County. Hunters are asked to deposit one wing from each bird they take. Whitford said state biologists use the wings to assess the health of the sage grouse population.
Whitford reminded hunters that they need a sage grouse hunting permit, available for free online or at any regional Game and Fish office, before taking any of the birds. Sportsmen will also be asked to complete a harvest survey at the end of the hunting season.
