FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Bob Hanson, DNR Wildlife Biologist
Robert.Hanson@wisconsin.gov
DNR Announces Sharp-Tailed Grouse Hunting Season For Fall 2025
For the first time since 2018, Wisconsin will host a sharp-tailed grouse hunting season.
Photo credit: Wisconsin DNR
MADISON, Wis.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has officially announced that a sharp-tailed grouse hunt will take place this fall, marking the first season since 2018. The hunting season is scheduled from October 18 to November 9, 2025.
An application period for entry into a limited-drawing lottery will be open from June 30 to August 1. Preference points accrued in previous years will be honored.
Wisconsin has a rich history with sharp-tailed grouse. However, since the 1990s, state biologists have observed a consistent decline in their population. The primary factors contributing to this decline are believed to be habitat fragmentation and loss, particularly of pine barrens.
In 2019, the Sharp-tailed Grouse Advisory Committee recommended a zero-hunting quota, leading the DNR to forgo a hunting season that year. Each subsequent year, the DNR has reviewed data and the committee’s recommendations to determine the viability of a hunting season.
The advisory committee, which includes DNR biologists, federal agency representatives, and conservation group members, aimed to see a population increase before endorsing a hunt. Over the past few years, the DNR and its partners have focused on enhancing habitat restoration efforts on both public and private lands. These efforts aim to restore and reconnect the fragmented habitats essential for the sharp-tailed grouse’s survival, which should contribute to population growth.
Thanks to these restoration initiatives and the dedication of conservation partners in northwest Wisconsin, the sharp-tailed grouse population has been on the rise. This year, the Sharp-tailed Grouse Advisory Committee determined that the population had sufficiently recovered to allow for a limited harvest.
Bob Hanson, a DNR wildlife biologist with extensive experience working with the sharp-tailed grouse population, has played a vital role on the advisory committee.
“The Sharp-tailed Grouse Advisory Committee evaluated several criteria to determine if the population could sustain a hunt. We considered lek survey numbers, winter survival rates, nesting and brood-rearing success, weather forecasts, and habitat metrics,” said Hanson. “The data we’ve observed indicates that all metrics were met, suggesting the population is robust enough for a limited hunt.”
The reopening of the hunting season is a significant achievement for conservation efforts, culminating years of dedicated habitat work in the Northwest Sands region.
“I hope to see the population numbers continue to rise,” Hanson added. “As we create new barrens habitat and connect fragmented areas, we should witness ongoing population growth.”
For more information on sharp-tailed grouse hunting, visit the DNR’s Sharp-tailed Grouse Hunting webpage. To learn about sharp-tailed grouse management efforts and public involvement opportunities, check out the DNR’s Sharp-tailed Grouse Management webpage.
Source: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/newsroom/release/110591
