Learn Where and How to Hunt Sage Grouse Out West

The screen on my Garmin Alpha hand-held dog tracker indicated Cameron, my hunting Weimaraner, was on point about 65 yards ahead. This was good news because the massive maze of sagebrush that lay before me had completely concealed the dog, and I was wondering where he could be.

When I moved forward and spotted Cameron on point, I then slid to the side and slowly crept in. In a blur of wings and the kek-kek-kek sound of alarmed sage grouse, numerous birds launched out of the dense brush and began gliding away over the tops of the sage maze. Luckily, my swarm of 12-gauge shot found its mark and a bird plummeted back to Earth. At the shotgun’s report, Cameron disappeared into the sage brush but soon re-appeared with a hefty greater sage grouse in his mouth.

If you like hunting and walking—make that lots of walking—then sage grouse hunting could be for you. If you like the challenge of pushing through a dense maze of never-ending sagebrush, sneaking through brush-choked canyons, scrambling up steep hillsides and walking for miles, then pursuing sage grouse is definitely for you. Of all the upland bird species in North America, the greater sage grouse, also known as “bombers” because of their size and the way they fly or glide, can be the most difficult to hunt and bag. If you hunt sage grouse and do find success, your reward is a native grouse species nearly as large as a common barnyard chicken that makes great table fare.

WHERE TO FIND THEM

When looking for sage grouse, start your search in Nevada, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Oregon, eastern Montana or central Idaho. All those states have hunting seasons, and with the exception of Idaho, which offers a $75 permit for one bird that hunters must apply for, licenses can be purchased over the counter. Nearly all sage grouse hunting seasons are open in September, or from the middle of the month until the last day.

Once you decide where you want to focus your efforts, visit the state wildlife department website for reports about sage grouse habitat projects and payments made to landowners and ranches under cooperative agreements and conservation easements. While some of those sites may not provide access, you could study maps and find public hunting lands nearby. Another great resource is the Bureau of Land Management’s BLM Sage Grouse Plans (blm.gov), which contains maps, information on habitat work being done and the locations where bird population surveys have been conducted. Once you have the big picture, focus on habitat and population survey work on state-owned and private lands. You’ll soon be able to pinpoint locations on maps, as well as access points.

Most habitat notes include mention of sprawling fields of flat or rolling sagebrush, but I’ve also found them holed up in deep, brush-choked canyons, hiding on steep hillsides and lurking in timber. The big birds seem to rest in shade and near water during the middle of the day. These birds can also sometimes be found in the brush along irrigation ditches. Look for expansive sagebrush and sources of water in your search.

Sage grouse can fly up to 6 miles at a time and at speeds up to 50 miles per hour when disturbed. I have noticed that bombers tend to always go downhill and glide across any ridges nearby to drop out of sight. Once they land, they can run and be very difficult to relocate.

GROUSE GEAR

As noted previously, plan for a good deal of walking in your pursuit of sage grouse. The huge birds live in wide-open spaces where there are few roads and little human activity. This calls for comfortable and durable footwear. Two personal favorites are Irish Setter’s Terrain and Lowa’s Tibet GTX boots, both of which feature all-leather uppers and aggressive soles for good traction. A durable boot material like leather prevents tears or punctures by sharp and low-to-the-ground sage brush limbs. Tuck your tied bootstrings into the top of your boots or wear gaiters over your lower legs to prevent snags and tripping as you hike.

Plan to wear a binocular around your neck and use it often, as you can sometimes spot sage grouse sitting atop rock outcroppings and milling about in open, grassy areas. Don’t, however, expect to see sage grouse pecking gravel along roads because the birds have a unique digestive system and do not use grit like other birds to grind up seeds or other foods. Sage grouse, however, do regurgitate a black, oily substance known as “tar,” which is easy to spot on the ground because the masses are black, shiny and about the size of a 50-cent piece.

As for shotgun choice, a lighter weight gun is generally a good idea. I typically carry my 20-gauge Benelli Ethos if I’m going to be hunting remote regions far from the access point. Consider No. 6 shot as the minimum size to bring the birds down; No. 5s and 4s also work well.

You’ll certainly want a vest to carry any birds you manage to shoot. I like an open harness system attached to a sturdy fanny pack with a padded waist belt for early-season hunting because it allows me to stay cooler than a full vest does. Once the daytime temperature starts to drop, I switch to a standard hunting vest or a daypack.

Taking along a hand-held GPS and marking the location of your vehicle before leaving can also be helpful. What looks like a sprawling, nondescript sagebrush flat can often be disorienting once you’re in it. Once you drop over a previosuly unnoticed ridge or into a gully, then the terrain can really become confusing. A GPS can help simplify the trek back to the parking site, and this will be welcome by you and your dog.

COOKING CONSIDERATIONS

• Sage grouse can make for a tasty meal, if prepared correctly.

Like many game birds without much body fat, sage grouse breasts can easily become dry and tough when grilled or baked. One solution is to wrap the breasts (skin removed) in a strip of bacon before grilling. Consider affixing the bacon to the breast with wooden toothpicks. Various marinades that combine lemon juice, olive oil, garlic cloves and other spices to suit your taste can add to the dining pleasure. You can also try cooking the breasts and drumsticks in an InstaPot pressure cooker. Sauté the breasts, toss in some chopped onions and bell pepper, then add about a cup of chicken broth. Close the lid tightly and cook for about 25 minutes. Diners at my table have confused the results with chicken.

Side note: In many areas inhabited by sage grouse, you will find wing collection barrels or buckets. You’ll often notice these brightly colored receptacles at rural intersections with instructions attached about wing donation. Do everyone a favor and drop in a wing if you find success. Biologists use the wings to determine the age and sex of birds that have been shot by hunters, data that helps them understand reproductive success and population trends.

CANINE CARE

• Keep your dog comfortable and in the hunt when the temps rise.

If you will be hunting with dogs during the September sage grouse season, when oppressive heat is still a very real possibility, start early in the day, take enough water for the dog(s) and yourself and plan on half-day adventures. In much of the West, it’s common for temperatures to soar to 90 degrees in the afternoon on bright, sunny, early-fall days, which is uncomfortable for humans and dangerous for dogs. I like to wet a handkerchief and tie it around my dog’s neck when the thermometer reaches 80 degrees or higher. Pausing to let a dog splash or bellyflop in a creek can also help it fight the heat.

It’s important to know the signs of heatstroke in dogs, such as heavy panting, excessive drooling, vomiting and becoming unresponsive. If you are a traveling hunter, it also pays to research veterinary offices near the locations where you will hunt, and have a phone number ready in case of an emergency.

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• This article was featured in the September 2025 issue of Game & Fish magazine. Click to subscribe.

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