SUBMITTED NEWS RELEASE
The Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners awarded $447,318 in Wildlife Heritage Trust Fund dollars at its meeting in Reno Saturday, and also approved auction tag vendors for 2011.
Approved Wildlife Heritage Trust Fund Projects
The top ranked project for funding was the Nevada Department of Wildlife’s (NDOW) 2010-2011 Big Game Capture, Transplant & Monitoring Program, which was awarded $127,446 of the requested $143,312. This project provides funds to NDOW to conduct capture and transplant programs for bighorn sheep and antelope to enhance populations and replace populations that have been lost. The Commission directed staff to seek an additional $50,000 from Predator Funds for the project work, and to include a pre- and post -predator control activity on each transplant.
The Kelly Creek Water and Wildlife Protection Project, a water installation project in Eureka County submitted by Ben Zunino, was the second ranked project, and was awarded $9,269.
Third ranked was a project titled “Scientific Data Analysis of Factors Influencing Nevada Mule Deer Populations Over Time: Population Enhancement Study”, a project submitted by Patrick Maxon, Ph.D., of Maxell Global Technologies, which was funded $30,000.
Fourth ranked was the Jackson Mountains Mule Deer Protection for Unit 035, a project submitted by Cecil Fredi of Hunter’s Alert, and funded at $86,103.
The fifth ranked project was Sage Grouse Nesting Survival Wildlife Management Areas 6 and 7, submitted by Pat Laughlin, of Nevada Alliance 4 Wildlife, for $50,000. The project proposes to kill ravens in the area of Jackpot to reduce predation on sage grouse.
The sixth ranked project was Lion Depredation in East Range, Tobins, Stillwaters, Clan Alpines and Fish Creek Mt. Ranges, proposed by Mike Stremler. The project proposes to kill 10 mountain lions at a cost of $1,800 each.
The seventh ranked project was titled Monte Cristo #1, – Rebuild with Rail Fence, a water development project to benefit bighorn sheep submitted by Jelindo Tiberti of Fraternity of the Desert Bighorn, and funded at $20,000.
Projects ranked eight through 11 were all survey and maintenance projects in southern Nevada, all proposed by Jelindo Tiberti of the Fraternity of the Desert Bighorn, and all funded at $1,000 each.
The twelfth ranked project was titled Wildlife Management Area 6, a predator control project proposed by Nevada Alliance 4 Wildlife, Pat Laughlin, which was funded at $65,000.
Number 13 in the ranking was Regional Mountain Lion Tracking Collars, a project submitted by Kevin Lansford of NDOW, funded for $12,500, and finally, number 14 in rank was Disease Monitoring for the Conservation of Terrestrial Big Game Species in Nevada, a project submitted by Peregrine Wolff, veterinarian for NDOW, with $25,000 in funds.
Approved Project Extensions
In addition, four projects from previous years were also approved for extensions: China Camp Sage Grouse Habitat Enhancement, submitted by NDOW’s upland game biologist Shawn Espinosa, for $3,745, Sage Grouse Nesting Survival Wildlife Management Areas 6 & 7 submitted by Nevada Alliance 4 Wildlife’s Pat Laughlin, for $50,000; Increase Mule Deer Fawn Survival, an attempt to increase fawn to doe ratios by controlling predators, from Pat Laughlin for $113,200, Factors Regulating Wood Ducks in Lahontan Valley, by Nevada Waterfowl Association’s Chris Nicolai, for $3,745, and $50,000 for predator control for mule deer, by Cecil Fredi, of Hunter’s Alert.
Approved Auction Tag Vendors
The Wildlife Commission also approved vendors for the 2011 big game auction tags. Wildlife Heritage Committee recommendations had to be reevaluated after Safari Club International, Northern Nevada Chapter, rescinded that group’s request for auction tags.
As a result, heritage tag funds were allocated in the following fashion: Mule Deer: one tag to Mule Deer Foundation and one tag to Nevada Bighorns Unlimited-Reno; Pronghorn Antelope one tag to Pershing County Chukars Unlimited and one tag to the Nevada Waterfowl Association; Rocky Mountain Elk, one tag to Mule Deer Foundation and one tag to Nevada Bighorns Unlimited-Reno; Desert (Nelson) Bighorn Sheep, one tag to the Wild Sheep Foundation; California Bighorn Sheep one tag to Wild Sheep Foundation, Midwest Chapter; Wild Turkey two tags to National Wild Turkey Federation, Las Vegas Strutters, two tags to National Wild Turkey Federation, Silver Sage Chapter, and one tag to the National Wild Turkey Federation, Ruby Valley chapter.
The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) protects, restores and manages fish and wildlife, and promotes fishing, hunting, and boating safety. NDOW’s wildlife and habitat conservation efforts are primarily funded by sportsmen’s license and conservation fees and a federal surcharge on hunting and fishing gear. Support wildlife and habitat conservation in Nevada by purchasing a hunting, fishing, or combination license. For more information, visit www.ndow.org.
