2023 Wing Counts Indicate an Increase in Sage Grouse Reproduction

Early estimates from Wyoming’s 2023 sage grouse wings indicate increased sage grouse reproduction. According to information from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, wings from harvested chick and hen sage grouse are collected from hunters  primarily in central and southwest Wyoming, who voluntarily contribute wings by dropping them off at designated collection points during the hunting season. Hunters deposited wings from 1,551 chicks and 852 hens in collection barrels. In a preliminary analysis, Wyoming’s 2023 chick-to-hen ratio was 1.82 chicks/hen. It’s an increase from previous years when the reproduction ratio was at 0.8 chicks/hen. Based on these numbers, male lek attendance is expected to be slightly higher this spring.

Thirty-eight percent of the world’s sage grouse is in Wyoming, and the state supports more than 1,700 known, occupied leks. A full analysis for 2023 bird populations will be available in the sage grouse job completion report, posted on the Game and Fish website in the spring.