As publishedSept 12-20, 2026
Controlled hunt requiring a drawn permit; only 10 of 21 WMUs where sage-grouse occur are open (Lookout Mountain, Sumpter, South Wagontire, Juniper, and Silvies WMUs remain closed). 695 permits authorized for 2026, same as 2025.
Oregon's strongest survey infrastructure in this batch: an annual spring lek count (March-April; 2025: 118 observers, 1,614 ground + 46 aerial surveys, ~61% of known lek sites) compiled into a formal, year-specific ODFW Sage-Grouse Population Report that directly gates the following controlled-hunt permit numbers. The 2025 report (confirmed published) found +17.8% year-over-year, est. 50,912 birds, highest since 2017. 2026 spring lek-count fieldwork is complete and permit draw results are due August 25, 2026 -- checked this pass and confirmed still pending (today is 2026-08-19, six days short of the announced date) -- and a formal 2026 Population Report write-up was not found published yet either.