| Window | Dates | Days |
|---|---|---|
| Season | 10 OCT – 31 OCT 2026 | 22d |
As publishedOct 10-31, 2026 (Zone 1/UP only)
Zone 1 (Upper Peninsula) sharp-tailed grouse management unit only.Requires a free sharp-tailed grouse stamp (does not include HIP endorsement; this is an upland, not migratory, species).
Sharp-tailed grouse hunting is legally restricted to Zone 1 (the entire Upper Peninsula), but the real, current population is far narrower than the legal zone: since the early 1990s the species' primary Michigan range has contracted to the eastern Upper Peninsula specifically, concentrated in Chippewa and Schoolcraft counties, with smaller numbers in Mackinac, Alger, and Luce counties. The legal hunting zone is drawn far larger than the species' actual current range. The Michigan Sharp-Tailed Grouse Association, in an active partnership with MI DNR, has tracked a real decline in this eastern-UP population: sightings in the eastern Hiawatha National Forest peaked at over 100 birds/year during 2002-2004 and have averaged roughly 30/year during 2010-2021 (the most recent published figures; no dated 2025/2026 statewide lek-count report has been released).
MI DNR partners with the volunteer Michigan Sharp-Tailed Grouse Association on an annual spring lek-count survey, confirmed active (corroborated via 2024/2025 planning references and the association's own ongoing web presence), but no confirmed statewide 2025 or 2026 published report with numbers has been located.
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