2026 Sage Grouse Numbers
Sage-grouse lek attendance decreased in 2026 according to data from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s lek tallies from this past this spring. Lek attendance was down 13% compared to 2025. Officials observed an average of 27 male sage-grouse per active lek. A little more than 27,000 male sage-grouse were observed on 91% of known, occupied leks.
The annual observations are carried out by Game and Fish, agency partners, consultants and volunteers. Leks are observed from a distance from the ground and air during the birds’ spring mating. The appearance of fewer birds at leks is thought to be due to the natural population cycles of sage-grouse combined with habitat conditions.
Wyoming’s sage-grouse population cycles every 7-9 years and a decrease was expected this year as Wyoming enters the downward portion of the population cycle. The downward trend in population can last from 3-7 years. The cause of these cycles is thought to be influenced by weather and climate, which impacts the availability of food and cover in the sagebrush ecosystem.
External factors, such as extreme drought, wildfire and poor habitat can contribute to the trends too. Short-term weather trends, habitat fragmentation and increasing invasive annual grass coverage also negatively impact sagebrush habitats. Sage-grouse are a sagebrush obligate species and cannot survive without intact ecosystems. Well-timed moisture and available habitat are key to robust sage-grouse populations, and in much of the state, this past winter was abnormally dry, which continued on into the summer.
Game and Fish also monitors the percentage of known active and inactive leks throughout the state. A lek is considered inactive if no birds or signs of strutting are observed under ideal conditions during mating season. The percentage of active leks decreased to 75%; in line with a downturn in the population cycle. Game and Fish also considers the variation of population size over time, which includes a conservative hunting season which is reviewed each year. Game and Fish has adjusted sage-grouse hunting seasons in recent years, including adding a required free, annual sage-grouse permit for all licensed hunters. The permit is available on the department website and at regional offices.