CHEYENNE — Sage-grouse lek attendance increased according to data from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department lek counts this spring. In 2025, lek attendance increased by 11 percent compared to last year. The appearance of more birds at leks is thought to be due to the natural population cycles of sage-grouse combined with good moisture that benefited sagebrush habitat.
This spring, officials observed an average of 31 male sage-grouse per active lek. More than 30,000 male sage-grouse were observed on 86 percent of known, occupied leks. Annual observations are carried out by Game and Fish, agency partners, consultants and volunteers. Leks are observed from a distance from both the ground and air during their spring mating.
Habitat is key to the sustainability of sage-grouse populations.
“Sage-grouse are a sagebrush obligate species and could not survive without intact ecosystems,” said Nyssa Whitford, Game and Fish’s sage-grouse/sagebrush biologist. “Well-timed moisture and available habitat are paramount to robust sage-grouse populations. While the spring and early summer received well timed moisture, this summer was dry and hot across much of Wyoming. Given the dry summer combined with historic population trends, there is potential that we may see lower lek attendance next year.”
Game and Fish also monitors the percentage of known active and inactive leks throughout Wyoming. A lek is considered inactive if no birds or signs of strutting are observed under ideal conditions during mating season. The percentage of leks being active remains steady at 80 percent.
Game and Fish data on sage-grouse lek attendance goes back nearly six decades, and the cyclical nature of the bird’s population is evident.
“Sage-grouse populations rise and fall,” Whitford said. “Studies indicate Wyoming’s population cycles every seven to nine years. So, we were pleased to see an increase this year and anticipate we are at or near the peak of the cycle, and expect to enter the downward portion of the cycle in the next year or two.”
The cause of these well-established cycles is not understood, but it is thought to be influenced by weather and climate, which impacts the availability of food and cover in the sagebrush ecosystem.
Game and Fish manages sage-grouse while taking into consideration the natural rises and falls populations experience over time. Part of that management includes a conservative hunting season that undergoes thorough review annually and a process where the public can provide comments. There have been some changes to sage-grouse hunting seasons in recent years, including a required free, annual sage-grouse permit for all licensed hunters. The permit is available on the department website and at regional offices.
