Prairie Grouse Wing Collection Boxes

Sharp-tailed grouse and greater prairie chicken populations in South Dakota are monitored using data collected from spring lek surveys, hunter harvest surveys and wing collections from hunters. Spring lek surveys provide an indication of the breeding population, hunter harvest surveys give an estimation of the number of hunters and birds harvested, while the wing collections allow biologists to determine the age ratio of harvested birds.

Unlike pheasants that are easily counted during roadside surveys, determining the reproduction of grouse and providing a fall forecast to hunters is not as easy. Therefore, SD GFP is working closely with other agencies and non-profit organizations that have land available to the public that support viable grouse populations and have a history of traditional grouse hunters. Grouse wing collection boxes are placed at locations along roadsides, parking areas or local businesses that are conveniently located for hunters. Grouse hunters are being asked to voluntarily submit a wing at these wing collection boxes from each grouse harvested. Hunters are reminded to only submit wings from birds harvested in these respective areas at the nearest collection box.

Using age ratio data from these wing collection boxes, along with spring lek surveys, information obtained from the hunter harvest surveys and weather variables from local weather stations, biologists are developing a model to more accurately monitor trends in the prairie grouse population and to improve upon our fall population forecast.

Below is a statewide map showing the four geographic areas where grouse wings will be collected and used to provide a fall forecast for these respective regional areas. Hunters can find the wing box locations by UTM coordinates and a description of the location can be found in the table below.

Regional Collection Areas for Prairie Grouse Model

Location of grouse wing collection boxes

Zone	X	Y	County	Description of Location
13	698238	5055151	Perkins	6.6 N of Bison, west side of White Butte Rd. along entrance to GRNG road.
13	690458	5031359	Perkins	At gate on west side of road 1.5 N of buildings at Bessler Mgmt. Unit along Bixby Rd.
13	720486	5067037	Perkins	On GRNG road approach 13.5 N of Meadow Corner or 4.0 S of Summerville on Hwy 73.
13	682563	5068730	Perkins	On WIA 4.0 S of Lodgepole, west side of Hwy. 75.
13	690061	5086574	Perkins	On GRNG 7.0 N and 5.0 E of Lodgepole.
13	724413	4905613	Pennington	1.0 N and 1.0 E of Creighton along WIA.
13	698832	4849667	Pennington	2.0 E of Scenic along Hwy. 44.
13	713520	4871378	Pennington	1.5 S and 5.0 W of Wall on School & Public Land.
13	643853	4807315	Fall River	2.0 E of Oral on northeast corner of GPA.
14	270364	4867203	Jackson	2 E and 3 S of Cottonwood on BGNG, west side of road at T-intersection.
14	286418	4868327	Jackson	7 N of I-90 on Hwy. 73 on BGNG west side of Hwy.
14	289226	4897161	Haakon	10.5 N and 1.5 E of Philip on McIllravy WIA.
14	307393	4801890	Bennett	From junction of Hwy 18 & 73, 5 N, 7 E and 4 N at T-intersection on WIA.
14	393605	4872650	Lyman	Fort Pierre National Grasslands
14	387697	4886722	Jones	Fort Pierre National Grasslands
14	389067	4894746	Stanley	Fort Pierre National Grasslands
14	400105	4895870	Stanley	Fort Pierre National Grasslands
14	408280	4886066	Lyman	Fort Pierre National Grasslands
14	401815	4882967	Lyman	Fort Pierre National Grasslands
14	382127	4856506	Jones	1 S, 3 E, 3 S, 1 E and 1 S of Draper on Patrick WIA
14	418710	4865085	Lyman	2 N and 1.5 E of Presho on Fate Dam GPA.
14	443330	4859985	Lyman	1 N and 5 W of Reliance on Garnos WIA.
14	484374	5054170	McPherson	Trail leading into Berguson WPA.  6 E, 4 N, 7 E and 1 N of Hosmer.
14	504722	5063255	McPherson	G's Convenience Store in Leola
14	451696	5068381	McPherson	Eureka One Stop convenience store in Eureka
14	487896	5050388	McPherson	10 N and 5.75 W of Ipswich, next to permit station at DU's Goebel Ranch.
14	484022	5078138	McPherson	Long Lake Bar & Grill
14	662870	5011443	Grant	1 S of Marvin on 464th Avenue.
14	661763	5005143	Grant	3 N, 1 W and 2 N of South Shore on Meyer's Lake WPA south parking area.
14	638414	5044898	Day/Roberts	Intersection of Roberts Co. Rd. 5 & 449th Ave. OR Day Co. Rd. 4 & 449th Ave. on WIA.