25 Sep Round Up: Noteworthy: Citizen Science

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (MT FWP) biologists are collecting wings from hunter-harvested mountain grouse, including dusky/blue, spruce, and ruffed, across Region 3, which encompasses the southwest portion of the state. The biologists will use the wings to identify birds by species and determine whether they are juveniles or adults in efforts to monitor overall juvenile recruitment across the populations. 

Wing collection barrels are located at the MT FWP Region 3 headquarters in Bozeman, Townsend-area field office, Livingston-area field office, Helena-area resource office, Butte-area resource office, and Dillon-area field office. The latter two are also collecting sage grouse, sharp-tailed grouse, and Hungarian partridge wings.

Hunters are invited to place one wing from each bird harvested within Region 3 throughout the mountain grouse hunting season, which runs September 1, 2025, to January 1, 2026. Wings can also be turned in to area wildlife staff or game wardens. 

For more information, contact Bozeman-based wildlife biologist Claire Gower at cgower@mt.gov or (406) 624-1663.