Grouse Creek Forum

All,

In 2007 we (USU Extension) piloted a program to get dedicated hunters and volunteers to count and search for new leks (sage- and sharptailed grouse). We found that the counting of leks was not as successful as expected, however searching for new leks was a success. During the Spring 2008 we will be soliciting volunteers to search for new leks throughout sage- and sharptailed grouse range here in Utah. A "new" lek is defined as being one that has 1) not been detected in the past, 2) has recently began due to increased population, or 3) has moved from a previous location.

Volunteers will need to have the following requirements:
- a GPS unit and working knowledge of it
- an ability to follow directions based on maps (usually 1:100k)
- good optics (binos required and spotting scope)
- a good 4WD vehicle
- birddogs are not a must, but may be helpful for searching efforts

We will be conducting training sessions in Cache County, Ogden, SLC, the Basin, and Toole in upcoming weeks. We will post (via e-mail) dates and times ASAP.

I know some of you have much experience with searching Northern Utah for sharptailed grouse leks. Please contact me if you are interested in helping with training and moving this program forward. For those of you who have searched for new leks (Ernie and Jim for example), we would appreciate your expertise as we delineate search areas on maps.

Volunteer hours will be used as in kind donation to the UDWR, and those volunteers who would like to use their hours towards dedicated hunter hours is acceptable.

Please distribute this information to all possible volunteers in your circles.

Thank you,

David Dahlgren (435-881-1910) and Todd Black (435-770-9302)
--
David Dahlgren
Graduate Research Assistant
Dept. of Wildland Resources
Utah State University
(435) 881-1910 mobile and office "when your office is the outdoors"
dkd@cc.usu.edu

Been looking over the Utah 2009-2010 Upland Game Guidebook and the regulations regarding the Sage Grouse Seasons and the 224 Permits this year. I've run across a few Leks over the years but I don't recall actually seeing one of the Guzzlers in the field... Anyone care to clue a Girl in ?


Destiny

Destiny,

There are 2 types of Guzzlers in Western Box Elder County. Big Game guzzlers that provide water mainly for Antelope and for Bighorn Sheep and small game guzzlers designed primarily for Chukar partridges.

Small game guzzlers are a well kept secret because birds use the guzzlers in the late summer when the hunting season begins and we want to prevent people from hunting birds at the water source. We installed 17 small game guzzlers a couple of years ago and there are 12 planned for later this year.

Big game guzzlers are considerably bigger and have a large water tank for storage. The water then is piped to a small trough that has a float in it so the water is refilled when used. The guzzler is fenced to keep the cows out of it. If you have google earth installed, I can send you the coordinates of a few of them and you can actually see them from the satallite.

If you want to know where the small ones are, you will need to volunteer to install them. This is the only way I know of knowing where they are at because I am not telling.

Bighorn Sheep in Grouse Creek area ? I knew there was a herd on the Newfoundlands but didn't know some have moved North.

Destiny

I think they were put around Lucin quite a few years ago. Not sure if any survived.

After a few scouting reports and talking to a few DNR folks it looks like the 2009 Sage Grouse Hunt this weekend may be quite dismal... Apparently the poison used to kill off the Mormon Crickets last season may have killed many Sage Grouse in the Grouse Creek Area. With previous estimates prior to the poisoning at around 10,000 birds down to a mere 3,000.

If anyone manages to harvest any of the tasty critters... please post a few photos.

Destiny