Lcoated approximately 10 miles west of the Hwy 1806 and Sansarc Road intersection. Located approximately 24 miles northwest of Pierre at the intersection of Hwy 1806 and Sansarc Road. Hunters can find the wing box locations by latitude and longitude coordinates and a description of the location can be found in the table below. 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.

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. Hunters are reminded to only submit wings from birds harvested in these respective areas at the nearest collection box. Grouse hunters are being asked to voluntarily submit a wing at these wing collection boxes from each grouse harvested. Grouse wing collection boxes are placed at locations along roadsides, parking areas or local businesses that are conveniently located for hunters. 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. 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.

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. 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.

Chicken hunter western