Wildlife Commission sets 2011 big game seasons

By the Nevada Department of Wildlife
When the Nevada State Board of Wildlife Commissioners met recently in Las Vegas, its members tackled a packed agenda that included the establishment of big game hunting seasons for 2011 and 2012, including the state’s first black bear hunt and proposed changes to the state’s waterfowl hunt zones.

Also on the agenda were the establishment of quotas for Partnership in Wildlife, Silver State and Heritage tags, mountain lion harvest objectives, and the creation of a “management bull elk hunt.”

While the commission approved many of the big game season dates as recommended by the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW), its members opted to make some significant changes in elk and deer seasons.

The board also voted to reject the addition of eight units to the muzzleloader season for antelope with horns longer than their ears and seven units to the nonresident Nelson bighorn sheep hunt.

Season dates generating the most discussion were those for the resident antlerless elk hunt (4181).

Despite NDOW testimony that split seasons would help address seasonal hunter access issues and the need to harvest more elk to meet established population objectives, a majority of the Commission voted to eliminate the seven early seasons NDOW proposed for Oct. 1-19 in units 108 & 131, 111 & 112, 113, 114 & 115, 161–164 and 221 & 222.

However, they did approve late seasons in those units with season dates of Dec. 5 to Jan. 1.

A Commission majority also rejected a three-season approach to hunting antlerless elk in units 072, 073, 074 and 075 where strong growth and expansion of the elk herds has occurred over the last few years.

Instead of going with early, mid and late seasons proposed by NDOW, the commission opted to do away with the mid season and simply extend the early season by 10 days.

The early season will run Oct. 1 to 20 and the late season from Nov. 22 to Jan. 1. However, the late season units 072 through 075 will be combined.
Contrary to NDOW’s recommendation to prevent a conflict of having two different weapon class hunts for a single species occurring at the same time, the Commission approved an antlered elk muzzleloader and antlerless elk any legal weapon (rifle) to run concurrent in October in eastern Elko units.

Those who have been hoping to draw one of Nevada’s coveted bull elk tags will see increased opportunity with the addition of several new split seasons during the any legal weapon hunt.

In an ironic twist, the commission voted 5-4 to approve Vice Chairman Gerald Lent’s motion to do away completely with antlerless deer hunt 1181 but minutes later approved the annual antlerless deer hunt 1101 near the Baker Ranch.

Those votes came on the heels of a failed motion by Commissioner Charlie Howell to make the youth deer hunt 1107 an antlered deer only hunt rather than either sex. Youth hunters only harvest about 300 does each year, according to Mike Cox, NDOW big game biologist.

In addition to traditional big game season dates, the Wildlife Commission also approved those for Nevada’s first black bear hunt.

The 2011 season will begin the third Saturday of August and continue through the last Saturday in December or until the harvest objective of 20 bears is met. The season will also be closed if hunters take six females whether or not the 20-bear objective is met.

Prior to going afield, tag holders must first call the Black Bear Harvest Information Hotline to determine if the hunt has been closed.
The number is 1-800-800-1667 and will be accessible 24-hours a day.
The approved regulation requires a person who harvests a black bear to report their harvest by phone within 24 hours and to present the animal to NDOW within 72 hours.

All black bear tag holders must complete a mandatory Bear Hunt Indoctrination class prior to the season opener.

The regulation makes it illegal to kill a sow with a cub or to kill a cub.
When the waterfowl season begins next fall, Nevada hunters will have a third option to choose from. In response to hunters’ concerns about early freeze up dates in northeastern Nevada, and the subsequent loss of hunting opportunity, NDOW developed proposals for a third waterfowl hunting zone that would allow for different hunting dates than in other parts of the state.

Commissioners voted to approve the proposal known as Alternative 2, which creates the Northeast Waterfowl Hunt Zone in Elko and White Pine counties. Lincoln and Clark counties still make up the Southern Zone and the remaining 13 counties comprise the Northwest Zone.

The third zone will allow for flexibility in regards to the setting of starting and ending dates for waterfowl seasons, but those dates must fall within the federal framework established by Pacific Flyway Council.

Creation of the Northeast Waterfowl Hunt Zone must be approved at the federal level as well.

Beginning this year hunters will have the opportunity to vie for the new Silver State Tag.

This tag provides an opportunity to the average hunter to obtain a tag that would be the equivalent of the Heritage/Auction tag.

With this tag in hand, a hunter will be able to hunt statewide in units with an established open season for the species identified on the tag.
There will be three tags available in 2011 and again in 2012; one mule deer, one pronghorn antelope and one elk.

Also set by the commission were Partnership in Wildlife quotas for 2011 and 2012. In each of those years there will be 22 mule deer tags for residents and three for nonresidents in addition to the following: pronghorn antelope (5), desert bighorn sheep (1), Rocky Mountain elk (2), Rocky Mountain goat (1), and California bighorn sheep (1).

Heritage tags approved for 2012 are as follows: mule deer (2), pronghorn antelope (2), Rocky Mountain elk (2), desert bighorn sheep (1), California bighorn sheep, and wild turkey (5).

In other action, the commission voted to increase the mountain lion harvest objective to 500 for the 2011-12 and 2012-13 lion hunting seasons, an increase of 196 lions over the current objective of 304.

For the 10-year period from 2000 to 2009, the annual average lion harvest is just 165 animals despite Nevada’s unlimited tag quota and two tags allowed per hunter per year.

During the past seven years Nevada has offered a year-round hunt, but the average annual lion harvest has remained at 165.

The commission also voted to request that NDOW staff prepare a proposed regulation for a management bull elk hunt designed to increase harvest of “rag horn” bulls and bulls with broken tines, and to reduce pressure on trophy class animals.

That regulation will be presented at a future commission meeting.