Nevada Department of Wildlife has a sixteen page document on the use of force on sportsmen. It tells when they are allowed to shoot you and the rights of a game warden.

In October, 2003 NDOW is doing another survey. (NDOW doesn’t know what to do) Three years ago, in October, 2000, a survey requested by the Wildlife Commission was completed. This was a mule deer survey. Sportsmen had to pay approximately $25,000 for this survey.

Nevada Hunters Association

You can thank the Division of Wildlife and the Wildlife commissioners for sponsoring a $7.5 million fee increase for NDOW in the next two year budget cycle. HUNTER’S ALERT and Nevada Hunters Association opposed these huge increases for many reasons.

The future of Nevada deer hunting is bleak. It has taken years of mismanagement by Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) to destroy our once famous deer herds. And it will take years for these herds to recover. The fault lies with the Wildlife Commission, former administrator Willie Molini and current director Terry Crawforth. Terry Crawforth has held this position for five years. Let’s review his list of non-accomplishments during his tenure.

Last year’s deer harvest was the lowest in fifty years. Why did this happen? Or a better question yet would be, "Who let this happen?" For fourteen years, NDOW has had their usual five excuses: drought, wildfire, bad winter, juniper-pinion pine and cheat grass. But, alas, they have added some new ones---not their mismanagement or their refusal to do any predator control.

In 1867, D.C. Wheeler trailed a band of domestic sheep from Oregon to western Nevada. Since that time, there has been some type of predator control conducted in and around sheep herds in Nevada. In 1927, there were reported to be 1,200,000 sheep and 400,000 beef cattle in the state. Each stockman or groups of stockmen fought their own predator problems. After World War One, the federal government took over the predator program. Under the Biological Survey, professional hunters were hired to pursue coyotes, bobcats, and mountain lion. In 1939, 93,000 coyotes were reported killed throughout the state of Nevada. Counties also paid bounties on coyotes and lions. The longhair fur industry became important and private fur trappers harvested many coyotes and bobcats.

NDOW sponsored Senate Bill 135 which now makes it a felony instead of a gross misdemeanor for killing a big game animal without a tag.

The truth has now been exposed. For years, Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) has used many excuses for their mismanagement of our deer herds. In 1988, there were 250,000 deer in Nevada. Today, NDOW’s estimates are 107,000 and that number is in actuality probably a lot lower. The excuses that NDOW has used for the past thirteen years are drought, wildfire, bad winter, juniper pinion pine and cheat grass. Of course, NDOW never mentioned predators or other mismanagement for the decline.

Action Item #3 would prohibit hunting for a 96 hour period after using aircraft to locate wildlife.

This request by NDOW has to be the most overkill idea they have come up with in a long time. The hierarchy of NDOW must have a lot of time on their hands. In Alaska you cannot hunt on the same day that you fly. It is probably safe to say that 95% of the hunters in Alaska must utilize aircraft. What percentage of Nevada hunters utilize aircraft'1 Probably a tenth of one percent. Alaska, which has a hell of a lot more game to protect says no same-day hunting. So Nevada wants no hunting for four days. This is a pure and simple law enforcement mentality. NDOW does not know how or refuses to bring back our big game numbers. All they know is more law enforcement. We already have 140 ways to cite sportsmen and apparently it is not enough law 1enforcement for NDOW. This is like gun Control. We have thousands of gun laws and they want more.