The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) collects wings and tails of hunter-harvested forest grouse (spruce, ruffed, dusky and sooty species) during the Sept. 15 - Jan. 15 hunting season. The goal of this collection effort is to build estimated population trend datasets for each species to evaluate harvest changes. Other factors will also be evaluated, including wildfire and weather patterns that may contribute to changes in harvest and overall populations at the species level.
Grouse hunters can help by depositing one wing and the tail of each grouse harvested into wing collection barrels placed around the state or by bringing them to the closest WDFW District or Regional office. Directions and diagrams are provided to help you retrieve the necessary samples.
Place samples in the paper bag provided at wing barrels, or any paper bag. Use one bag for each bird. Avoid using plastic bags (especially Ziplocs), as they speed up decay.
On the outside of the bag, please record:
- The species of grouse.
- The game management unit (GMU) where the grouse was harvested.
- The county where the grouse was harvested.
- The date of the harvest.
Deposit the bag in a wing barrel or drop it off at any WDFW district or regional office. If neither of these are viable options the day of harvest, please refrigerate or freeze the parts until you can drop them off at a different time.
Collection Locations
Asotin County
- Asotin Creek Forks - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
Lick Creek Rd and South Fork Asotin Creek Rd
GPS: 46.27378, -117.29288 - Cloverland Snopark - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
Cloverland Snopark, USFS Rd 43
GPS: 46.14842, -117.3353 - Iron Springs - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
USFS Rd 42 and Ironsprings Rd and Forest Bdy
GPS: 46.28324, -117.49361
Chelan County
- Colockum WLA - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
Colockum Wildlife Area, at the intersection of Colockum Rd and Ingersoll Rd.
GPS: 47.25964, -120.21392 - French Corral - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
French Corral (Eagle Creek and 5800 Road)
GPS: 47.70652, -120.51432 - Shady Pass - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
Shady Pass (5900 Road)
GPS: 47.99599, -120.48531 - Wenatchee District Office
Wenatchee District Office, located at 3860 State HWY 97A
GPS: 47.48788, -120.31662
Clallam County
- Cooper Ranch Rd - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
Junction of the Cooper Ranch Road and US Forest Service Road #29
GPS: 48.05904, -124.11231 - Salmon Creek
Junction of Salmon Creek Road (NF 2850) with NF Road 2906
GPS: 47.98567, -123.00554 - Sappho
Clallam Transit Park and Ride station located at Sappho (Just east of the junction of Highway 101 and Highway 113). NE corner of the parking lot.
GPS: 48.07061, -124.27898 - Slab Camp Rd
Junction of Slab Camp Road and Lost Mountain Road
GPS: 48.00981, -123.17233
Clark County
- WDFW Ridgefield Office
Southwest Regional Office 5525 S 11th St, Ridgefield
GPS: 45.807106, -122.692091
Columbia County
- Kendall Monument - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
USFS boundary S of Kendall Monument on Skyline Rd
GPS: 46.23565, -117.76879 - Rainwater WLA - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
Robinette Mt Rainwater WLA parking area
GPS: 46.16373, -117.93526 - Spangler - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
Middle point trailhead at Spangler Creek
GPS: 46.1376, -117.80862 - Touchet Corral - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
NF Touchet Rd (NF RD 64) past RV parking area
GPS: 46.09367, -117.84784 - Whiskey Creek - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
Whiskey Creek and Jasper Mt Rd junction
GPS: 46.16327, -117.98571 - Wooten WLA Headquarters - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
Small parking area in from of Wooten WLA office
GPS: 46.33779, -117.67632
Cowlitz County
- Weyerhaeuser 1900 - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
Junction of the 1900/1901 on Weyerhaeuser land near Kid Valley
GPS: 46.37706, -122.60943 - Weyerhaeuser 4100 - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
Junction of the 4100/4200 on Weyerhaeuser land east of the town of Toutle
GPS: 46.30905, -122.6466
Ferry County
- Boulder Highway - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
Boulder Highway and Hwy 395 intersection
GPS: 48.83666, -118.18738 - Pine Grove Junction - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
Intersection of Hwy 20 and 21 at the Pine Grove Junction Gas Station, just east of the town of Republic
GPS: 48.65095, -118.68487 - Sherman Creek - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
vehicle pullout on Hwy 20 just west of the trout lake road.
GPS: 48.58496, -118.20368
Garfield County
- Rose Springs Sno-park - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
Rose Springs Sno-park parking lot, Mountain Rd boundary of GMUs 166 and 175
GPS: 46.27531, -117.55717
Grays Harbor County
- Cougar Smith Road - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
Intersection of Wynoochee Valley Road and Cougar Smith Road, north of Montesano
GPS: 47.19105, -123.60122 - Montesano office
Parking lot at WDFW Montesano office
GPS: 46.97402, -123.62301 - Quinault Ridge Rd - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
Intersection of Hwy. 101 and Quinault Ridge Rd
GPS: 47.34706, -123.90868
Jefferson County
- Clearwater
At the junction of the Hoh/Clearwater Mainline and the C-3000 Road.
GPS: 47.66995, -124.17544
King County
- Beckler River Rd
Beckler River Road
GPS: 47.72331, -121.33911 - Lizard Lake
Lizard Lake
GPS: 47.28248, -121.35183 - Preston DOT
Outside fence at Preston DOT facility S side of I-90; west of Preston exit; ~1/4 mile
GPS: 47.53078, -121.94668
Kittitas County
- Coleman Creek
Coleman Creek Road at the entrance to Naneum State Forest.
GPS: 47.10453, -120.39865 - Taneum Creek
W Taneum Road, Entrance to L.T. Murray Wildlife Area.
GPS: 47.08702, -120.79056 - Teanaway
Located on Teanaway road shortly after Hwy 970 turn off at DNR kiosk
GPS: 47.20774, -121.77318
Klickitat County
- Mt Adams Ranger Station - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
Mt Adams Ranger Station, 2455 Hwy 141 Trout Lake
GPS: 46.00012, -121.54205 - Northwestern Lake Rd - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
At the intersection of Northwestern Lake Rd and Big Buck Creek Rd/Lakeview Rd, just west of Northwestern Park
GPS: 45.782, -121.51774
Lewis County
- Peterman Hill Rd
Peterman Hill Road, entrance to the Peterman Ridge Unit of the Cowlitz Wildlife Area
GPS: 46.53417, -122.34213 - Vail Tree Farm - West - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
Western access point to Vail Tree Farm at intersection of Big Hanaford Rd and the 150 Rd near the gate-GMU667
GPS: 46.75218, -122.77587
Mason County
- George Adams
Along Skokomish Valley Road across from the George Adams Hatchery north of Shelton
GPS: 47.30103, -123.18236 - Mill 5
Near Mill 5 off of W. Shelton Matlock Rd
GPS: 47.24068, -123.29306
Okanogan County
- Bonaparte Lake - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
At entrance to the US Forest Service Bonaparte Lake campground.
GPS: 48.792497, -119.057478 - Conconully - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
At the south end of main street by the Conconully State Park.
GPS: 48.557192, -119.750186 - East Chewuch Rd - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
At the intersection of the Eastside Chewuck Road and the USFS 37 road.
GPS: 48.563822, -120.176875 - Loomis - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
Down town Loomis, across from the Quicky Mart.
GPS: 48.822025, -119.634589 - Loup Loup Summit - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
At the intersection of the USFS 42 road and the USFS 100 road.
GPS: 48.391809, -119.892716
Pend Oreille County
- Crossroads - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
Crossroads at intersection of Triangle Rd and Highway 20
GPS: 48.30632, -117.28453 - LeClerc Creek - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
LeClerc Creek Road at the junction of the West and East branch Leclerc roads
GPS: 48.53488, -117.28293
Skagit County
- Holiday Sports (Hwy 20)
at Holiday Sports (on Hwy 20)
GPS: 46.19817, -123.36819
Skamania County
- USFS Beaver Campground - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
USFS Beaver Campground north of Stabler on the Wind River Hwy
GPS: 45.85639, -121.95667
Snohomish County
- Darrington
Darrington USFS Ranger Station
GPS: 48.26045, -121.6022
Spokane County
- IEP Thompson Creek - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
Inland Empire Paper gate at Thompson Creek
GPS: 47.8382, -117.0902 - Inland Northwest Wildlife Council
Inland Northwest Wildlife Council, 6116 N Market St., Spokane
GPS: 47.71357, -117.36431 - WDFW Spokane Office - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
WDFW Region 1 office (2315 N. Discovery Place, Spokane Valley) - Lab rollup door (for after hour and weekend drop off)
GPS: 47.67798, -117.22633
Stevens County
- Bear Creek - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
Bear Creek Road where it enters the Little Pend Oreille Refuge
GPS: 48.46838, -117.75511 - Narcisse Creek - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
Narcisse Creek Road where it enters the Little Pend Oreille Refuge
GPS: 48.48124, -117.72932 - Springdale-Hunters Rd
Intersection of Hwy 231 and the Springdale-Hunters road, just west of the town of Springdale
GPS: 48.05945, -117.75634 - Tacoma Creek Rd - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
Hwy 20 and Tacoma Creek Road intersection
GPS: 48.39469, -117.3151
Thurston County
- Skookumchuck WLA - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
Skookumchuck Wildlife Area main parking lot on north side of Skookumchuck Rd SE
GPS: 46.79082, -122.74347 - Vail Tree Farm - North - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
Northern Access Point to Vail Tree Farm, intersection of Sorenson Rd SE and Weyerhauser Truck Rd SE
GPS: 46.80837, -122.4827
Wahkiakum County
- Cathlamet Chevron - Barrel Retrieved and Unavailable
at Cathlamet Chevron
GPS: 46.19817, -123.36819
Whatcom County
- Welcome Grocery Store
SE corner of the Welcome Grocery Store building (5565 Mt Baker Hwy, Deming)
GPS: 48.83807, -122.16678
Yakima County
- Nasty Creek
Junction of North Fork and Nasty Creek Roads.
GPS: 46.56476, -120.91966 - Oak Creek Rd
Junction of Oak Creek Road (1400) and Hwy 12
GPS: 46.72399, -120.81432 - Yakima Office
At entrance of Region 3 Yakima Office
GPS: 46.57411, -120.53991