The point of controversy surrounded NDOW's desire to dramatically increase doe tags with the stated goal of "releasing the pressure on the mule deer herd to allow it to grow at a healthy rate".  NDOW lead game biologist Mike Cox quoted Biologist Wasley as believing that the Ruby Mountains are reaching ‘carrying capacity', or the maximum number of mule deer that the range can support.  According to Mike Cox, the only reason that the removal of doe deer might not show a large increase in fawn production is because the number of fawn producing does removed might not be large enough.  Biologist Cox stated that double the 987 doe-removal quota might be necessary to ‘release the pressure' on the deer and allow the population to grow.  Current 2009 survey figures place fawn to adult deer ratio in this area at 20 fawns per 100 adults, one of the lowest in the state. 

            The dissenting wildlife Commissioner stated that the Ruby Mountains have supported many times more deer than they currently do, as well as supporting around 50,000 domestic sheep and cattle that are nearly gone from the range.  "With in excess of 50,000 less animals grazing on the slopes, no major fires in the range, and fairly average precipitation, it is not possible that conditions have degraded to such an extent that the Rubies can not even support the relatively small population of deer that currently live there.  Killing does in an area of reduced deer population is not science. It is grasping for excuses at the expense of the deer herd.  If you are raising cattle, children, or guppies, you do not kill the adult females so that suddenly the population has a bigger ratio of young to adults and then expect the population to grow."

            The NDOW estimate for areas "10" or units 101 - 108 for 2009 is 24,000 mule deer.   The 2009 estimate for mule deer in the entire state is 106,000, down from a 1988 high of 240,000 and down two percent from 2008.  2008 tag sales were 16,997, down from a high of 51,011 in1988.

            According to NDOW's records, in area "10", there are too many bucks in the area and the buck to doe ratio is not conducive to successful management practices. Instead of issuing the 987 doe tags, any sportsmen would prefer to see additional 987 buck tags to bring that ratio down rather than killing the does which produce future numbers.

            Nevada Department of Wildlife, Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners, and Elko County Advisory Board to Manage Wildlife member contact information can be found at http://ndow.org

Pat Laughlin

Nevada Alliance 4 Wildlife

Reprinted from Elko Daily Free Press
Guest Commentary
Wednesday, June 3, 2009  

Finding of Fact

Historical and Scientific Analysis

Finding # 1 History of fire in northeastern Nevada

When reviewing the logs, dairies and reports of the earliest expeditions by white man into the Great Basin, we see no evidence that wildfire was a common occurrence during that period. Nor is there any mention by those who settled the area that fires were a problem. There is evidence, however, that the Indians in the Ely area ofNevada started fires periodically for the purpose of removing or thinning stands ofjuniper, but still there was no mention of huge fires such as we have experienced in recent years. In fact, up until the 1970's, most fires (which typically were started by lightening) rarely burned more then an acre or two. Once in a while, when conditions were right, a fire would get out of control and burn as much as one or two hundred acres, but nothing like the fires experienced in recent years. (See Document 52-a. And 52-f.)

The catastrophic fires that have been occurring since the late 1970's, which have resulted in the

loss of millions of acres wildlife habitat, correlate with federal and state policy which has called

for reduced livestock grazing. (See Tony Lesperance Report, Document 52-h. See too

Documents, 52-i., 52-j., 52-1., 52-b. and 43-d.)

Finding # 2 History of vegetative cover in northern Nevada

While the original bill 246 is supported by the Nevada State Wildlife Commission, the proposed amendment 4747, originally introduced as AB437, is opposed by the same Commission. (See attachment)

This amendment uses as the funding mechanism a lottery/drawing to give unsuccessful hunting tag applicants another chance for additional tags. Before they can even enter the drawing they are forced to pay an additional fee and purchase another "stamp" which represents another fee/tax increase. I believe that is why this bill if amended is required to have a 2/3 majority vote to pass. This also brings it in conflict with the Governor's no new taxes pledge and may jeopardize the positive aspects of AB246.

Santa Fe - New Mexican - May 2, 2009

Game and Fish can't release an animal only to have it attack someone

Staci Matlock

The debate over what should happen when cougars encounter humans is heating up again.  
After a New Mexico Department of Game and Fish warden darted a female cougar in the backyard of an Eldorado home April 20 and later euthanized it, angry callers and letter writers lambasted the agency for "trigger happy" tactics.