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Upland game bird
Sharp-tailed Grouse seasons, limits and tags in Idaho, 2026-27
When and where to hunt sharp-tailed grouse in Idaho for 2026-27: sharp-tailed grouse on October 1, 2026, plus limits and rules.
Photo: Katja Schulz (CC BY 2.0)
Sharp-tailed Grouse hunting by the numbers
Sharptail dates run from October 1, 2026 to November 8, 2026, starting with sharp-tailed grouse. Limit as printed for sharp-tailed grouse: 2 daily, 6 possession.
From Upland Game, Turkey and Furbearer 2026 & 2027 brochure (Idaho Department of Fish and Game); data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
Sharp-tailed Grouse areas and permits in Idaho
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Area 1 dates | Oct 1–Nov 8, 2026 |
| Area 2 | Area 2 closed |
| Bag | 2 daily, 6 possession |
| Permit | $5.75 resident ($4.75 Price Lock) |
From sharp-tailed grouse and permit fee (Idaho Department of Fish and Game); data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
Idaho sharptail dates, row by row
Dates as printed by IDFG for sharp-tailed grouse, with the area each line covers.
| Season line | Covers | Kind | Dates | Bag | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sharp-tailed grouse | Area 1 | Permit | Oct 1–Nov 8, 2026 | 2 daily, 6 possession |
From Upland Game, Turkey and Furbearer 2026 & 2027 brochure (Idaho Department of Fish and Game); data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
Where Idaho sharp-tailed grouse rows apply by county
The sharptail rows are written by area or region, and each area is a county list, so this table shows which counties every sharptail row reaches.
| County | Rows that reach it | Units | IDFG region | Time zone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bannock | 1 | – | Southeast | MT |
| Bear Lake | 1 | – | Southeast | MT |
| Bingham | 1 | – | Southeast | MT |
| Bonneville | 1 | – | Upper Snake | MT |
| Caribou | 1 | – | Southeast | MT |
| Cassia | 1 | – | Magic Valley | MT |
| Clark | 1 | – | Upper Snake | MT |
| Franklin | 1 | – | Southeast | MT |
| Fremont | 1 | – | Upper Snake | MT |
| Jefferson | 1 | – | Upper Snake | MT |
| Madison | 1 | – | Upper Snake | MT |
| Oneida | 1 | – | Southeast | MT |
| Power | 1 | – | Southeast | MT |
| Teton | 1 | – | Upper Snake | MT |
From Upland Game, Turkey and Furbearer 2026 & 2027 brochure (Idaho Department of Fish and Game); data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
Idaho sharptail limits, line by line
For sharp-tailed grouse the brochures set the numbers below; the row count shows how often each bag appears.
| Source line | Limit |
|---|---|
| Sharp-tailed grouse | 2 daily, 6 possession |
From bag limit (Idaho Department of Fish and Game); data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
What it costs to hunt sharp-tailed grouse
Resident prices are the annual price with the Price Lock price beside it; nonresident prices are labelled as of December 1, 2024, as the brochure prints them.
| License | For | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Hunting license | Resident | $15.75 ($12.75 Price Lock) |
| Hunting license | Nonresident | $185.00 (as of Dec. 1, 2024) |
| Junior hunting license | Resident | $8.25 ($7.25 Price Lock) |
| Combination hunting & fishing | Resident | $38.75 ($33.50 Price Lock) |
| Combination hunting & fishing | Nonresident | $264.00 (as of Dec. 1, 2024) |
| Sportsman's Package | Resident | $144.60 ($124.25 Price Lock) |
| Small game hunting license | Nonresident | $141.75 (as of Dec. 1, 2024) |
| 3-day small game license | Nonresident | $71.75 (as of Dec. 1, 2024) |
| Sharp-tailed grouse permit | Resident | $5.75 ($4.75 Price Lock) |
Paperwork for sharp-tailed grouse starts here: A hunting license is required to hunt (including predatory and unprotected wildlife); a trapping license to trap gray wolf; a tag for every big game species.
From license and tag fees, nonresident fees and license requirements (Idaho Department of Fish and Game); data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
Rules on the ground for sharp-tailed grouse
What IDFG expects of sharptail hunters in the field, from reporting to private land.
| Rule | Text |
|---|---|
| Technology | Sharptail hunters: new restrictions on technology for hunting or scouting big game and game birds August 30-December 31 (not wolves, lions or predators). |
| Disabled veterans | Sharptail hunters: Disabled American Veteran licenses, tags and permits at reduced prices (fee tables). |
| Trespass | Sharptail hunters: entering private land to hunt, retrieve wildlife, fish or trap requires permission (Idaho Code 36-1603 and 18-7008). |
From Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules p. 7, Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules p. 122 and Idaho Code 36-1603 (Idaho Department of Fish and Game); data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
Open land for sharptail hunters
Places whose own source names sharp-tailed grouse come first; the rest sit inside units where sharptail rows run, or carry the group flag in their program.
Tex Creek Wildlife Management Area lists sharp-tailed grouse (IDFG WMA page); Unit 66 and Unit 69.
Excalibur Ranches – Rockland East Bench (Access Yes!) is flagged for upland game (Access Yes! flags).
Eighteen Mile Ranch- Camas Creek near Kilgore (Access Yes!): upland game opportunity (Access Yes! flags).
The Access Yes! flags mark Pocatello – 2 and 1/2 Mile Road (Access Yes!) for upland game.
Wolverine Canyon – East (Access Yes!) is flagged for upland game (Access Yes! flags).
Access Yes! property 5938: upland game opportunity (Access Yes! flags).
From Tex Creek Wildlife Management Area and Excalibur Ranches – Rockland East Bench (Access Yes!) (Idaho Department of Fish and Game); data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
Carry this in Idaho sharptail
Chosen to suit the game listed on this page.
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A sharp-tailed grouse perched on a fence postPhoto: Tom Koerner (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Two greater sage-grouse flying low over golden sagebrushPhoto: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Mountain-Prairie Region (CC BY 2.0)
A greater sage-grouse hen standing on a dirt moundPhoto: Tom Koerner (USFWS, posted by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Mountain-Prairie Region) (CC BY 2.0)
Common questions on sharp-tailed grouse
Where in Idaho do sharptail rules apply?
The sharptail rows name Area 1. Tribal land needs tribal authority, not a state sharptail license.
Which permits apply to sharptail hunting in Idaho?
A hunting license covers sharp-tailed grouse ($15.75 resident, $12.75 with Price Lock; $185.00 nonresident as of December 1, 2024); the fee table also lists a nonresident small game license at $141.75. Sharp-tailed grouse also need the sharp-tailed grouse permit ($5.75 resident).
Does the Idaho technology rule cover sharp-tailed grouse?
For sharp-tailed grouse: new restrictions on technology for hunting or scouting big game and game birds August 30-December 31 (not wolves, lions or predators).
Does Idaho require orange for sharp-tailed grouse?
No statewide sharptail orange rule applies: hunter orange is recommended, required only while hunting pheasants where the Upland Game Bird Permit is required (including IDFG properties and leases) and on sponsored hunts such as organized youth hunts; minimum 36 square inches above the waist.
Who needs hunter education to hunt sharp-tailed grouse?
For sharp-tailed grouse: no hunting license may be issued to a person born after January 1, 1975, unless they previously held a hunting license in Idaho or another state or show a hunter education certificate (Idaho Code 36-411); Hunting Passport (8+ junior or adult) lets a person hunt without hunter education when accompanied by an adult license holder within normal conversation range; mentors may not accompany more than two mentored hunters.
Can I shoot sharp-tailed grouse from a road in Idaho?
For sharp-tailed grouse: no discharge of a firearm from or across a public highway; entering private land to hunt, retrieve wildlife, fish or trap requires permission (Idaho Code 36-1603 and 18-7008).
What is the daily limit on sharp-tailed grouse in Idaho?
For sharp-tailed grouse, the brochure line reads: 2 daily, 6 possession.
When is sharptail season in Idaho?
The sharptail rows open October 1, 2026 and the last one ends November 8, 2026. Sharp-tailed grouse: October 1, 2026. All sharptail rows have run their course.