New regulations for upland game bird hunters
For Blue and Ruffed Grouse
by Wyoming Game & Fish
August 25, 2014
With the September 1 opener for upland game right around the corner, bird hunters are alerted there are some significant changes in the hunting regulations for this fall.
Beginning September 1 the combined daily bag limit and possession limit for blue and ruffed grouse has been eliminated and upland game bird hunters will be allowed to take a daily bag limit of three blue grouse and a daily bag limit of three ruffed grouse. The possession limit for each species will be nine.
Now that hunters are allowed to take separate daily bag limits of blue grouse, ruffed grouse, chukar partridge, gray (Hungarian) partridge or sharp-tailed grouse, hunters will need to retain evidence of species on all game birds in their possession while in the field. The new regulation states that, excluding pheasants, one fully-feathered wing shall remain naturally attached to the carcass of ANY upland game bird in the field and during transportation. Hunters have always had to retain evidence of sex and species on each pheasant harvested by having the feathered head, feathered wing or foot naturally attached to the carcass of a pheasant while in the field and during transportation.
"There are no wild pheasant hunting in southwest Wyoming, but hunters do have the opportunity to hunt blue and ruffed grouse, as well as chukar partridge, gray partridge and sage grouse," Green River Wildlife Management Coordinator Mark Zornes said. "The new law requires that hunters keep one fully-feathered wing naturally attached to the bird carcass in the field and during transportation for identification purposes. This is a change from previous years and we just want game bird hunters to be aware of the new regulation."
Sage grouse hunters are reminded that Game and Fish biologists collect wing information each year from harvested birds. Sage grouse hunters are asked to place one wing from each harvested sage grouse in wing barrels for data collection. So, remember to leave one wing attached to the carcass and please put the other wing in the barrel.
The statewide hunting season for blue and ruffed grouse opens September 1 and closes November 30, 2014. For chukar and gray (Hungarian) partridge the statewide season opens October 1, 2014 and closes January 31, 2015. The sage grouse season in Hunt area 1 opens September 20 and ends on September 30.
If hunters have any questions regarding the upland game bird regulations they are encouraged to contact their local game warden, wildlife biologist, or the Green River Game and Fish Regional Office at 307-875-3223.
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