WILDLIFE ALMANAC

Nevada Department of Wildlife

Fall Issue - August, 2009

Big Game
Forecast
Many of Nevada’s big
game herds continue to
thrive and set population
records (Page 7)

Eye in
the Sky
Biologists now tracking
Nevada’s big game by
satellite (Page 3)

1 Nevada Department of Wildlife

 Director’s Message
Fellow Sportsmen and Outdoor Enthusiasts,
As I read through this issue of the Fall animals and habitats of Nevada. Learn how to
Wildlife Almanac, I started to notice an important avoid conflict with wildlife or what conservation
reoccurring theme. From the story on wildlife programs are under way across the state. From
viewing, the big game forecast or fishing on Lake bird watching to volunteering, the information is
Mead, the Nevada Department of Wildlife website there for your education and enjoyment.
(www.ndow.org) offers So enjoy yourself as you read the 2009 Fall
the public an incredibly Wildlife Almanac, there are some great stories
large and comprehensive about what’s going on around the Silver State. But
amount of information and if you have any questions once you’ve finished,
materials to help them you might want to take a minute and check out
with nearly any question all the great information on the NDOW website.
or situation in the outdoor You just might be surprised how much you find.
world. Consider signing up for one of our list serves:
Take fishing in Nevada fishing, hunting, habitat and wildlife, follow us
for example. Anglers in on Twitter or in Facebook. There are lots of new
this state can check on ways to learn about the recreational opportunities
Director Ken Mayer
up-to-date fishing reports that the Silver State offers.
and stocking information As always, I recommend that you take some
broken down by region. Angler Information time off from your busy lives and spend it outdoors.
Guides detail the top 79 waters in the state, and I sincerely hope that your days afield are the best
the How to Fish in Nevada book explains the ins ever!
and outs of angling the Silver State. Where to
fish, how to fish, fish identification…if you have a Sincerely,
question about fishing in Nevada, there is a good
chance the answer is on the NDOW website.
Hunters in the state are just as fortunate. The
website has nearly everything a sportsmen needs
to ensure a successful hunt. Hunter information Kenneth E. Mayer, Director
sheets detail specific hunts by species and Nevada Department of Wildlife
region. These information sheets tell
you about herd movement as well as
finding camping or gas stations in the
area. NDOW’s mapping section covers
everything from hunt unit maps to BLM
maps to an interactive mapping program
that allows you to build your own map
with your own specifications. Application
information, hunt statistics and draw odds,
and bonus point tables allow sportsmen
to put themselves in the best position
possible for the big game tag draw. The
key to a successful hunt is preparation and
there is no better place to start than www.
ndow.org.
Outdoor and wildlife enthusiasts can
find detailed information sheets on the

1 Nevada Department of Wildlife

 FALL WILDLIFE ALMANAC

Mountain Quail back in the Stillwaters

By Aaron Meier
The last time mountain quail
NDOW game biologists Shawn Espinosa
were plentiful in the Stillwater (right) and Jason Salisbury release
Range in Churchill County (1948) mountain quail back into the Stillwater
Harry Truman was president and Range for the first time since 1948.
Joe Louis was the heavyweight
champion of the world. Shawn
Espinosa, upland game biologist for
the Nevada Department of Wildlife
(NDOW) thinks it’s about time they
made a comeback.
“Mountain quail are magnificent
birds, especially their plumage
characteristics. They occupy
diverse and varying habitats.
We just hope for success in re-
establishing the population,”
said Espinosa. “Our hope is that these efforts and Humboldt County in 2009 and 2010, but
will provide diverse recreational opportunity to much of this depends on source stock availability
sportsmen while creating additional population from other states.”
strongholds.” Initial efforts to restore mountain quail numbers
Mountain quail are found primarily in the in Nevada were difficult with no source stock
mountains along the West Coast and are the available. However, a relationship was formed
largest North American quail averaging 10-11 between NDOW and the China Lake Naval
inches in length. While the California quail has Weapons Station (CLNWS), near Ridgecrest,
the well-known curved plume on top of its head, Calif., to supply mountain quail for transplant into
the mountain quail has a beautiful long straight Nevada. Since the initial release in the Toiyabe
plume. Espinosa states that mountain quail often Range in 1986, over 1,500 quail have been
occupy the steepest, and more densely covered released into 29 different locations in Nevada.
drainages in a particular mountain range. “Much of the credit for getting this program
NDOW began re-introducing mountain quail in rolling goes to retired NDOW biologist Sid Eaton
the Stillwater Range in Churchill County in 2008 who facilitated and coordinated efforts with
with the release of 97 birds. This year, NDOW CLNWS,” states Espinosa. “Recently, CLNWS has
released another 87 birds, which not had a base population number or production
Espinosa reports will be the last to support removing any birds; however, western
release for the foreseeable Oregon mountain quail populations have been
future in this location. doing well and the Oregon Department of Fish
“No more releases and Wildlife has provided 200 mountain quail for
are planned in the translocation to Nevada over the last two years.”
Stillwater Range for He explains the overall goal is to establish
now until the success sustainable populations of mountain quail into
of these releases has targeted mountain ranges with the birds spread
been determined,” he throughout the range. This will allow the birds
said. “Plans are in to compensate for any environmental events in
place to release birds particular areas that may cause drastic population
into Lincoln County declines.

Nevada Department of Wildlife 2

 Eye in the Sky - Big Game Biology from Space
By Aaron Meier and Joe Doucette
In the past, game biologists looking to track
specific herds used radio collars on the animals
and checked on them using telemetry equipment
from the ground or during surveys from the air.
For the past four years, however, the Nevada
Department of Wildlife (NDOW) has used a
satellite collar that contains a small GPS unit,
which generates coordinates of the animal every
four hours and a transmitter to transmit the data
via satellites to NDOW computers each day.
This is not your father’s Department of
Wildlife.
“After the catastrophic wildfires in 2006,
we became concerned for the western Elko
County deer herd’s critical wintering areas. This
prompted an effort to intensively monitor mule
deer movements and their survival using satellite
Desert bighorn ewe movements for
first seven months after released in
new area for reintroduction effort.
3 Nevada Department of Wildlife
telemetry in real time,” said NDOW big game
biologist Mike Cox.
What started as a trial run with a handful of
collars on a select number of deer has turned into
a successful program that now monitors 25-35
collars annually on Nevada deer, elk and bighorn
sheep across the state. Since the first deployment
of satellite collars on Nevada’s big game animals
in 2001, a total of 125 different animals have been
fitted with either satellite collars or store-on-board
GPS collars.
“These collars allow us to have a much better
understanding of these animals’ migration routes
and seasonal habitat use areas for mule deer and
elk and to monitor bighorn sheep survival and
their movements in selecting preferred habitat
after being released into new areas,” said Cox.
“They are accurate, precise, and supply
us with tons of data. The collars are
night and day more efficient than trying
to track them down from the ground or
air with telemetry equipment.”
He said the objective of the project
is to better understand specific staging
areas and routes Nevada’s big game
animals use to migrate across the
landscape. The collars provided even
more valuable information after several
years of devastating fires destroyed
large chunks of historic winter range for
Nevada’s mule deer. NDOW was able to
evaluate how the deer maneuver through
the various burns in an attempt to survive
the loss of habitat. This information has
helped NDOW and land management
agencies better focus limited habitat
restoration and conservation funds on
specific areas the deer prefer based on
the GPS coordinates collected each day.
The collars can be programmed
to send out a signal at the desired
intervals of the biologist according to Kari
Story Continued on Following Page

NDOW big game biologist Pat
Cummings releases a bighorn
sheep after attaching a satellite
tracking collar.
Huebner, NDOW game biologist for Area 7. “During
the migration periods, I programmed collars to
send out a signal every two hours because the
deer were traveling so far in a single day. During
their stay on the winter and summer ranges I
lengthened the intervals to prolong the battery
life.”
Huebner has a different set of requirements
for the data that she gets from her collared deer.
“Deer in my area cross two very busy highways
and many are hit by cars. We have a deer
overpass under construction on US 93 about 10
miles north of Wells (see related story on page
16) and the data from the collars was an important
part of determining the location of the overpass
and the fencing associated with the overpass.”
One of the beneficial aspects for the project
is that a GPS signal is sent to the satellite at the
intervals defined by the biologists and then just a
day or two later they can access the information
on the internet, superimpose it over aerial
photographs from Google Earth© and determine
how fast the animals move, what corridors they
FALL WILDLIFE ALMANAC
are using and where they are wintering, fawning
and summering.
“The real benefit is having continuous data
recorded every four hours. We can track exactly
how the animals move from point A to point B,
and discover what obstacles they might have
encountered, everything from mining activity to
highways. With a conventional VHF collar, we
could only track by the air or on foot every one
to two months and get a far less detailed idea of
how the animals were moving,” said Ken Gray,
NDOW game biologist.
“As much as biologists would like to spend time
in the field collecting the data the old fashioned
way on foot, there are only 15 NDOW game
management biologists statewide, and with ever
increasing responsibilities, there simply is not
enough time to collect such detailed information,”
says Cox. “Even if an army of volunteers were
available, there are too few roads in many of the
critical areas to track hourly herd movements.”
While the original plan for the satellite collars
Story Continued on Following Page
Nevada Department of Wildlife 4
 was to determine how far portions of Elko’s deer
herd were going into Idaho to winter, NDOW
game biologist Ken Gray explains that the collars
are now being used for a much wider range of
information. “Recently we changed the direction
of our collaring program to see how the extensive
fires in Area 6 were affecting the herd’s migration
to and from their winter ranges, and the use of
these winter ranges once deer arrived.”
Gray has found through the data collected
from the collars that many deer are having to
move through extensive burned areas along their
migration routes and that the fawns are probably
arriving at the winter range in poorer condition,
which has contributed to the low fawn recruitment.
The biologists have programmed the collars
to fall off the animals after two years, giving
them two full annual cycles to see if the deer’s
habits are consistent or not. There is a release
mechanism built into the collar as well as a VHF
radio telemetry signal which helps the biologists
find the collar once it is on the ground.
The program is expensive, between the
collars, the helicopter trapping and download
costs; the estimate is around $5,000 per collar
over the two-year life of the collar. But both Gray
and Huebner say the information is priceless
and they have both learned information that
could only have come from this program. The
majority of the funding for collars and captures
have come from the Wildlife Heritage Trust Fund.
Other significant contributors include Nevada
Bighorns Unlimited Reno and Midas Chapters,
Elko Bighorns Unlimited, Fraternity of the Desert
Bighorn, and Newmont and Barrick Goldstrike
Corporations.

With the information collected from a satellite collar,

NDOW biologists were able to map out the exact route
a mule deer doe in northern Nevada took through
habitat ravaged by wildfires to reach winter range.

Habitat destroyed by wildfire shown in red.

5 Nevada Department of Wildlife


Southern Nevada’s Fall Stripers
By Doug Nielsen
When summer gives way to fall in southern
Nevada, anglers head to the waters of the Lower
Colorado River and hunt for big striped bass.
Though stripers can be caught year round, the
cooler temperatures of fall bring larger fish near
the surface at Lake Mead and Lake Mohave
where anglers stand a better chance of hooking
into a really big fish.
Just how large are we talking about?
Consider this. The current state record striped
bass was pulled from Lake Mohave in 2001. It
weighed in at an impressive 63 pounds and
measured 49 inches long. The Lake Mead record
is 52-pounds, 8-ounces. While record-breaking
fish aren’t reeled in every
day, or even every
year, these records
do show what each
lake is capable of
producing. At Lake
Mohave, 30-pound
stripers are
fairly common,
especially in the
fall and spring.
If you want to
catch fish, it pays
to know what they
eat. Studies of the
stripers’ eating habits
show that Lake Mead
stripers feed almost exclusively on
threadfin shad, but they will eat other fish
when the opportunity arises. Keep this in mind
when selecting your bait. Obviously, live shad is
the best bait but they are sometimes hard to find.
That’s when you may want to go with anchovies,
sardines or squid. Many anglers opt to cut their
anchovies into three or four pieces. The heads
and tail pieces they use for chum and the center
pieces for baiting their hooks.
When fishing with natural bait, chumming will
greatly enhance your catch rates and is permitted
on Lake Mead and Lake Mohave. Keep in mind,
FALL WILDLIFE ALMANAC
however, that you cannot chum with game fish.
Some anglers chum with cut anchovies, others
with corn.
Lures can also be very productive for striped
bass, especially when they are actively feeding on
the surface. When stripers actively feed at or near
the surface they often create quite a commotion
on the water’s surface. This disturbance, often
referred to as a striper “boil”, is created by the
shad or other baitfish as they attempt to escape
the feeding frenzy. Do not drive your boat through
a boil as this will often cause the stripers to shut
down. Instead position your vessel on the outside
edge of the boil and cast into it. That way the fish
will keep feeding and will be
more likely to hit your
bait. Popular lure
patterns include
the Sassy Shad,
Kastmaster,
Jumping Minnow
and Zara Spook
among others.
In addition to
striped bass, Lake
Mead and Lake
Mohave provide
good fall fishing
action for both
largemouth bass
and smallmouth
bass. A popular
technique for both of these
fish is the drop shot fished along the bottom
with a plastic worm. Surface plugs, spinnerbaits,
crankbaits and other plastics will also catch these
popular fish. The Rattle Trap and other crank
baits that imitate shad are a good bet in the fall.
A key with both species is to fish points and other
structure.
Every once in a while, Lake Mead will give
up a real toad. The state record largemouth bass
was caught here in 1999. The fish weighed in at
12 pounds even.
Nevada Department of Wildlife 6
 2009 Big Game Forecast
By John McKay
2009 looks to be an excellent year for big
game tag holders in the Silver State. With the lone
exception of mule deer, Nevada’s big game herds
continue to thrive and set population records.
However, with mule deer’s ongoing struggles
due to a host of natural and man-made issues,
the outlook for this mainstay species continues to
cloud an otherwise sunny forecast for Nevada big
game hunters. Here’s a brief look at the various
species and habitat conditions around the state.
Mule Deer
Rocky Mountain Elk
With the exception of Area 26 in southern
Nevada, elk populations continue to expand
statewide. The spring 2009 population is
estimated at 10,900, a 28 percent increase over
the five-year average and another record high.
The statewide population continues to increase
despite aggressive cow elk harvests in many
units designed to keep populations at or below
management objectives. A total of 1,315 elk were
harvested in 2008, with 656 bulls taken, of which
59 percent were six-point or better.

Signs through the first Photo by Dave Peterson

half of 2009 point to a good
hunting season with late spring
storms delivering significant
precipitation across much of
Nevada. The much needed
water dramatically improved
habitat conditions and the
possibility of good antler growth.
However, any recent habitat
improvements will be short lived
if drought conditions return this
summer and fall.
Spring mule deer fawn ratios
(the percentage of fawns to
adults) were mixed across the
state in 2008, with ratios in
some units at or above the five-year average, Pronghorn Antelope
some below and others exhibiting record low
recruitment. Low fawn ratios ultimately mean The highest recorded statewide pronghorn
limited recruitment, little if any herd growth and population in history (24,000) was reported in
possible further declines in populations. Despite 2008, only to be surpassed in 2009 with an
low recruitment, buck ratios (the percentage of estimated 24,500 animals. As an illustration of just
bucks to does) appear to be holding, with many how dramatically pronghorn numbers have grown
units at or above the 30 bucks/100 does level. in recent years the 2009 population estimate is
All told, below normal precipitation, coupled with 14 percent over the five-year average of 21,500,
catastrophic wildfires and other large-scale habitat which was the new record statewide population in
destruction and degradation would seem to point 2006. Above average kid production rates, high
to a continued long-term decline in Nevada’s mule postseason buck ratios and an active relocation
deer herd populations. program by NDOW have continued to expand
pronghorn numbers and range in recent years.
Story Continued on Following Page

7 Nevada Department of Wildlife


And even though the rate of pronghorn population
growth has slowed or even reversed in some
hunt units, the overall statewide population trend
remains positive with good buck ratios and quality
animals to be found in every unit.
Bighorn Sheep
Desert bighorn continue to set population
records. The 2009 statewide population
estimate of 7,000 is the highest ever
recorded and is 19 percent over the five-
year average.
Nevada remains the leader in providing
quality desert bighorn hunting with a record
173 tags issued in 2008 and high hunter
success at 88 percent. The quality of the
animals remained high as well with the
average age of harvested rams holding
steady at 6.3 years (from 6.4 years in
2007) and an average Boone & Crockett
score of over 152 points.
California bighorn are also doing very
well. Aerial surveys observed high lamb ratios in
a number of units and indicate steady growth in
almost all herds. The 2008 estimated statewide
population is 1,800; also a record high and a
thirteen percent increase over the five-year
average.
Rocky Mountain bighorn populations remain
stable to slightly increasing. Moderate lamb
production, good age class distribution of rams
in the population and growth of the recently
augmented Rocky herd in the Mount Moriah area
of the north Snake Range of eastern White Pine
FALL WILDLIFE ALMANAC
County all point to a bright future for this species.
The thirteen Rocky tags issued in 2008 is the
highest number ever and more than double the
six tags issued in 2006.
Mountain Goat
Mountain goats of the East Humboldts and
Ruby Mountains continue to do very well with
populations in the three hunt units they regularly
inhabit exhibiting a stable to slightly upward trend.
Opportunities to hunt this unique trophy species
have increased dramatically over the last five
years and hunters continue to experience very
high success rates (93 percent in 2008).
Hunter success, hunter days and average
age of harvested animals all indicate stable goat
populations with trophy quality animals.
Much of the information used in this forecast
was gathered from the Nevada Department
of Wildlife 2008 – 2009 Big Game Status
Book. The status book is a compilation of the
annual herd status reports for all big game
species as written by area game biologists
from around the state. It also contains
a wealth of other information valuable
to hunters including tag numbers, draw
odds, harvest information and historical
population estimates. The status book can
be read in its entirety on the NDOW website
at www.ndow.org.
Nevada Department of Wildlife 8
 Study Shows Impacts of Power Lines on Sage-grouse
By Kelly Clark and Shawn Espinosa
A study on the impacts of a utility line on
sage-grouse populations in Eureka County is
not yet complete; however there have been
some interesting findings to date regarding sage-
grouse demographics and habitat associations.
Sage-grouse populations associated with the
study area have experienced a 25% decrease in
male sage-grouse lek attendance, and the third
consecutive year of population declines.
The study was developed as partial
mitigation for construction of the line and several
funding partners including the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM), Nevada Department of
Wildlife (NDOW), University of Nevada, Reno
(UNR) and NV Energy cooperated to make the
study a reality. Dr. James Sedinger and graduate
student Erik Blomberg from the Department of
Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences
at UNR are currently working on the study, now
9 Nevada Department of Wildlife
in its seventh year. Their hypothesis is that
raptors and ravens that perch on the new utility
line will hunt both young and adult sage-grouse
nearby, thereby negatively affecting sage-grouse
populations. Alternatively, they propose that the
perceived threat of predation associated with the
utility line may also cause sage-grouse to avoid
those areas, effectively causing them to abandon
the leks (strutting and mating grounds), nest sites,
and brood rearing areas near the utility line.
The study area is along State Route 278 and
includes the Cortez and Roberts Mountains in
Eureka County. The transmission line, known as
Falcon to Gondor, is a 345-kilovolt NV Energy
transmission line that was constructed in the fall
of 2003. It is 290 km long with 735 towers that vary
in height from 23 to 40 meters. It was constructed
with H-brace uprights outfitted with perch
deterrents. According to NDOW biologist Mike
Podborny, the power line is in the middle of
Eureka County’s prime sage-grouse habitat.
To date, up to 13 sage-grouse lek sites
are being monitored, with 950 male and
female sage-grouse having been captured
and banded or radio marked during the first
six years of the study. Of the 13 sites, the
number of males on four of the leks increased,
six leks had fewer males display, one lek site
was about the same and two had insufficient
data to reflect a trend. The number of males
was at a high of 423 in 2006, and a low of
212 in 2008. The number of females on the
leks showed a low of 46 in 2007, and a high
of 87 in 2006.
In the first six years of the study, 144
raptor surveys were conducted. During the
first few years of the study, there was an
increasing trend in the sightings of common
ravens at sage-grouse leks, but that number
dropped dramatically in 2008. The H-brace
perch deterrents constructed as part of the
line seemed effective for awhile as raptors
showed reduced perching bouts (time
perched), but ravens have found a way to
Story Continued on Following Page

construct a nest even on very difficult
surfaces. This year there was a high
number of raven nests observed on
the line (11) compared to previous
years (high count of eight.)
Researchers are reviewing sage-
grouse mortality and vegetative
characteristics associated with
nesting and brood rearing activities.
Data collected so far indicates that
monthly survival was lowest during
the months of April and September.
Mortality during the spring is to
be expected because of nesting
activities and the high visibility of
sage-grouse on leks; however, the
early fall mortality was interesting
because the mortality occurred before hunting
seasons began. Both birds and mammals are
apparently predators on the sage-grouse. Other
findings are that sites with higher shrub diversity
experienced increased nesting success. In
addition, shrub cover played a more important
role in nesting success than understory (grass
and forb) vegetation.
The 2009 progress report on the study states
that this year’s conditions are exceptional for high
brood/chick survival, with regular precipitation,
and good grass and shrub growth. The report
states “Of 20 broods that have hatched, we’ve
only documented three complete brood losses
so far, and most broods are 2-3 weeks old. With
FALL WILDLIFE ALMANAC
any luck this high rate of brood/chick survival will
carry on through the summer and lead to our first
population increase since 2006.”
The report “Dynamics of Greater Sage-grouse
(Centrocercus Urophasianus) Populations in
Response to Transmission Lines in Central
Nevada” will be available on line at www.ndow.org
upon conclusion of the study.
Greater sage-grouse populations across
the West have declined since the 1960s, with
some states showing stabilizing trends in the
past two decades. Sage-grouse are dependent
upon sagebrush for food and shelter throughout
the year and depend on sagebrush exclusively
during the winter months. Across the West, about
530,000 square kilometers of the sagebrush
steppe habitat that Greater sage-grouse
depend upon has been lost, and some
leading sage-grouse biologists (Connelly, et
al) believe that “the loss and degradation of
habitat is an important cause of population
decline.”
At least nine separate petitions to list sage-
grouse as an endangered species have
been considered by the United States Fish
and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Currently,
USFWS is reviewing a lawsuit filed by
Western Watersheds Project, a conservation
group that sued the wildlife service over its
decision not to list Greater sage-grouse in
2005. That decision has been delayed but
is now scheduled to be announced in early
2010.
Nevada Department of Wildlife 10
 Doing Your Homework Key to Hunting Success
By Jake Sunderland
Preparation is key to a successful hunt.
Scouting, research, sighting in your weapon,
physical fitness, gear and packing; all these
things are important and if you don’t spend time
preparing and doing your homework your chances
of a successful and enjoyable hunt decrease.
Each step to preparing for your hunt is just
as important as the next. You can’t have an
enjoyable hunt if you don’t know your area, but
don’t forget that your chances of success are low
if you haven’t prepared your weapon. Forget your
tag and your trip is over before it begins. Luckily,
the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) has
many resources on its website, ndow.org, to help
you do your research as you prepare for your
hunt.
It is important to know
your hunt unit; ndow.org
can help with its hunter
information sheets
(found at ndow.org/hunt/
resources/infosheets/),
hunt unit advisories that
warn of difficult hunter
access (found at ndow.
org/hunt/resources/
advise/) and detailed
maps (found at ndow.org/
hunt/maps/). However,
nothing can replace
scouting your hunt unit.
“The biggest thing is
to know your unit by scouting two or three times
and studying the resources NDOW has online,”
said Mike Cox, a big game staff biologist at
NDOW. “Sometimes it’s been a while since you
had a tag, so you definitely want to familiarize
yourself with the unit and its boundaries.”
Cox said that another great way to get to know
hunt units is to use NDOW’s Interactive Mapping
Service (found at ndow.org/learn/map_project/).
Using the Interactive Mapping Service, hunters
can view topographic maps, unit boundary maps,
land status maps, Wilderness Area maps and
much more.
“Nevada is 80 percent public land, which is
great, but you need to know how best to access
11 Nevada Department of Wildlife
it,” Cox said. “Make sure you know where
Department of Defense and tribal lands exist
which are close to hunting and make sure you
get permission from a landowner to hunt on any
private land.”
While studying unit maps, keep an eye out for
restricted vehicle use areas.
While it sounds obvious, it’s important to
remember that hunting is a physical activity and
that hunters will want to be in shape when they
head out into the field.
“Get back into shape,” Cox said. “It’s important
to have a regimented exercise routine so that you
are prepared physically for the hunting season.”
Don’t forget to prepare your weapon for the
hunt. Sight in your rifle or
bow and practice several
times at a local range if
available. Always pack
extra ammunition and
arrows. Making sure your
weapon is ready and you
can accurately shoot it
will ensure a clean kill
and prevent senseless
wounding of an animal.
What hunters pack
is very important to the
success of their trip as
well. For clothing, be
sure to pack clothes for
all types of weather and
temperature. Make sure your boots have been
broken in. Don’t forget that you must have your
hunting license and tag with you at all times.
Binoculars, scopes, rope and a headlamp with
extra batteries are a must. More on what to pack
can be found at NDOW’s Hunter Checklist (found
at ndow.org/hunt/resources/check/).
The important thing about preparation is that
it’s a process that should be spread out over weeks
and even months. Doing all this the weekend
before you leave on your hunt is a daunting task,
but when it’s spread over the course of a few
months it’s a great way to extend your hunts from
a few days in the field to an activity that you get to
enjoy throughout the year at home.
 FALL WILDLIFE ALMANAC

Angler Just Misses World Record with Monster Wiper

By Carolyn Montgomery
Like any angler, Adam Truran got
out his rod, rigged up his line with a
Rapala, strapped on his headlamp Adam Truran pulled
and went fishing early one June in this state-record
morning, but from there, this fish tale wiper out of Lahontan
Reservoir June 6, 2009
is a unique one. That early morning
at Lahontan Reservoir, Truran was
reeling in a new state record for
wiper.
This story gets even better. Not
only did Truran’s 25-pound, 9-ounce,
33-inch long wiper set a new Nevada
state record, he was just 1-pound
13-ounces shy of achieving a new
world record for the hybrid species.
According to the Nevada
Department of Wildlife’s (NDOW)
Trophy Fish Record book, this isn’t
the first wiper state record set at
Lahontan Reservoir; in fact, the record has been June on record. In addition to capturing on
set and broken eight times since 2000 making average 10-pound wipers, anglers are also having
it the most hotly contested chase in the Nevada success with walleye, with a recently reported
angling record book. 9-pound 8-ouncer reeled in, and a largemouth
A newcomer to the record-holders, Truran bass tipping the scales at 3-pounds 7-ounces.
broke the two-year-old record of 25-pounds “We expected them to reach maximum size
6-ounces set by Dan Hannum of Dayton in July at around 25 pounds; the world record being
2007. Expect Hannum to try to regain the title, he 27-pounds 5-ounces,” said Mark Warren, Chief
has set the state record four times since 2002, of the Fisheries Division. “With the abundance of
and it took him only 15 days to recapture the title Sacramento blackfish in the reservoir, we knew
the last time he lost it. that the wipers would have an abundant food
Checking NDOW’s source and grow to larger, if not world record
Previous record holder Trophy Fish Book, sizes.
Dan Hannum
this Churchill County Wipers, a hybrid cross of a white bass and a
fishery boasts five striped bass, were first introduced into Lahontan
state records. In Reservoir in 1993 and, water levels permitting,
addition to the wiper, thousands have been stocked every year. In this
record white bass, warm-water fishery, they have been getting bigger
channel catfish and ever since. In fact, in the 2002 Trophy Fish Record
walleye have been book Warren, then a fisheries biologist, predicted,
pulled in over the “the wiper record from Lahontan Reservoir should
years. continue to be broken annually until fish reach the
Lahontan Reservoir, mid-twenty pound size.”
despite last year’s How right he was.
dismal water year, So grab your fishing gear and get out to your
has rebounded favorite water, bragging rights to a new record
extremely well due to could be yours, just ask Adam Truran, proud
the second wettest owner of the largest wiper in the state of Nevada.

Nevada Department of Wildlife 12

 Wildlife Viewing in the Silver State
By Margie Klein, Norv Dallin and Aaron Keller

For those outdoor enthusiasts

whose idea of shooting features
a camera, Nevada offers a
wide variety of wildlife viewing
opportunities.
Nationwide, wildlife viewing
is fast becoming one of the top
economic drivers in the tourism
category. The U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service reported in
2006 that participants spend
more than $45 billion annually
on wildlife watching activities.
Moreover, the report estimated
that 71 million people participate
in the activity nationwide - a 13%
increase over the previous 10
years. And though it may seem
strange to some, more than half
of wildlife watchers are sportsmen. there are those who know better. In fact, during
Wildlife viewing, however, isn’t just for the recent years, this part of the Silver State has seen
tourists. With so many new residents hailing from a significant increase in the number of people who
other parts of the country, there is a real interest participate in wildlife viewing. This increase was
in finding community ties. What better way to get reflected in the success of the inaugural Wings &
invested in a new locale than by connecting with Wildlife Festival held recently in Laughlin.
nature? Folks looking for knowledge about their NDOW helped to organize the Wings and
local environment are visiting parks, management Wildlife Festival, which took place in March of this
areas, forests and refuges. Participants are year. The first-time event saw over two hundred
interested in what they can see, when they can people in attendance. Events offerings included
see it and where. They also want tips for enjoying seminars, birding and wildlife viewing excursions,
the wildlife viewing experience in a responsible and the opportunity to speak with representatives
manner, but many don’t know what they’re looking of local natural resource agencies. The festival
for. won an award from the Nevada Commission on
NDOW is answering the call by providing Tourism. The majority of festival participants
accurate species lists and wildlife viewing were from out-of-state.
educational programs. The agency is also Since Nevada relies so heavily on revenue
embracing the world of social networking and can generated through tourism, the state is well-
now be found on Twitter. Check us out at http:// served by jumping on the ecotourism bandwagon.
twitter.com/NvDOW. Pink Jeep Tours was Southern Nevada’s original
Check out some of the outstanding viewing ecotourism operator, but it didn’t take long for
opportunities statewide: other outdoor tour vendors to join them. Even the
traditional bus tour operators are joining in and
Southern Region including wildlife as one of the “sites” to see.
Though most people probably wouldn’t
consider Southern Nevada a haven for wildlife, Story Continued on Following Page

13 Nevada Department of Wildlife


Catering more specifically
to bird-watchers, the Nevada
Commission on Tourism (NCOT)
is promoting natural sites in the
state that offer a rich diversity of
bird species, calling the initiative
“Wildly Unexpected.” Nevada
Magazine, which the NCOT
produces, has recently featured
ads with celebrities participating
in outdoor recreation.
Eastern Region
Avid wildlife watchers,
as well as casual viewers,
find a wide variety of wildlife
in northeast Nevada’s
Ruby Mountains. From the
sagebrush covered foothills to
the 11,000-foot alpine tundra,
over a hundred species of birds and more than
30 species of mammals inhabit this, the wettest
mountain range in Nevada. Many of these
species are routinely encountered along the 13-
mile scenic byway through Lamoille Canyon.
Wildlife enthusiasts commonly observe mule
deer, mountain goats, and bighorn sheep in one
drive through the glacier-carved canyon. Hard
core birders come from all regions of the United
States to see the elusive Himalayan snowcock.
FALL WILDLIFE ALMANAC
The Rubies and the East Humboldt Range hold
the only populations of these unique birds in the
Western Hemisphere.
Steptoe Wildlife Management Area located
south of Ely in eastern Nevada, hosts big game,
small game, waterfowl and upland birds. In
addition to the largest elk herd in the state, over
140 species of songbirds, 30 shorebirds, 20
ducks, 15 species of hawks, seven owls, and
12 bats have been recorded on the area. With
extensive upland and wetland restoration work
currently under way, antelope, deer
and elk will increase. Roads through
the area accommodate wildlife
watchers and photographers.
Ruby Valley straddles the Elko-
White Pine County line and is home to
Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge
and the associated state-owned
Franklin Lake Wildlife Management
Area. Over 200 springs originating
from the base of the Ruby Mountains
provide life-sustaining water to the
39,926-acre refuge. Exceptional
waterfowl and shorebird viewing is
found in this out of the way, Great
Basin oasis. The area provides a
resting and feeding stopover for
Story Continued on Following Page
Nevada Department of Wildlife 14
 the sea. Their water sinks into the ground
or is evaporated into the atmosphere.
Water is scarce in this part of the country
and the demands and pressures for rivers
to fulfill a variety of needs are growing.
The shortage of water effectively makes
wildlife populations gravitate to the streams
and rivers of northern Nevada. It is not
uncommon to walk the Truckee River and
view ducks, geese, mink, muskrat, and
deer just to name a few. Migrating birds will
often chart their route along river courses
to ensure plenty of places to stop along the
way.
These migration routes are followed by
wildlife on the ground too! The routes can
be viewed season after season, and the
migrating waterfowl from the Central and Pacific chances of seeing the same animal year
Flyways. The refuge, which supports the largest after year is not unheard of.
population of nesting canvasback ducks west of One prime example of these valuable
the Mississippi River outside Alaska, is a vital Northern Nevada riparian areas is the Oxbow
waterfowl nesting area for many species. Several Nature Study Area. A visit to the Oxbow will
roads open to automobiles and bicycles allow take you back in time to what the Truckee River
close up views of many of the 207 bird species looked like before all of the houses and roads
found in the area. Mule deer and antelope can were built. You will have the opportunity to view
often be spotted grazing in the nearby meadows many species of wildlife in the gallery forests,
as well. along the trails, and if you look close you might
spot a passing cutthroat trout swimming upriver
Western Region looking for mayflies to catch for lunch.
Aaron Keller, conservation
educator at NDOW, explains that
one of the tricks to watching wildlife
is recognizing good wildlife habitat.
The strip along a river is called
a riparian area, one of the most
valuable habitats for wildlife. In a
riparian area, variety is key. Trees
and shrubs of different ages and
heights offer a multi-level layering
of places for birds to perch, rest
or nest. A mix of understory and
aquatic plants offer a banquet of
food opportunities in berries, shoots,
leaves and seeds. The cool river
entices many animals of all shapes
and sizes for drinking water, or to
find a shady place to escape.
Unlike most rivers in the world,
Great Basin rivers do not flow into

15 Nevada Department of Wildlife

 FALL WILDLIFE ALMANAC

Safe Passage for Nevada’s Deer

By Joe Doucette
In a collaborative effort, the Nevada sale of the bighorn sheep license plate) and
Department of Transportation (NDOT) and the $37,900 from Wildlife Heritage funds for fencing
Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) are and monitoring of game movement. The Wildlife
building a wildlife crossing overpass approximately Restoration funds are received under the Pittman-
nine miles north of Wells, Nevada on US 93. In Robertson Act, which is funded through an 11
addition to the overpass, there will be wing fences percent tax on firearms and ammunitions, a 12.4
helping to funnel the deer to the overpass. This percent tax on archery-related equipment and a
wildlife crossing overpass is one of the first of its 10 percent tax on handguns. These taxes are
kind in the western United States. provided to state fish and game agencies across
“We average 1,500 to 3,000 deer migrating the nation to support wildlife management.
through this corridor across US 93 in an average “The overpass will be approximately 160 feet
year,” explains Kari Huebner, NDOW big game wide and span almost the same distance going
biologist, “and many are struck by vehicles, some over the highway,” says Huebner.
are reported but many aren’t.” According to Huebner, the overpass will be
The project, designed to protect both deer covered with dirt and a mix of desirable and
and humans alike, has been in the planning native plant species will be planted. The site was
for two years. To pay for the project NDOT will selected because the topography requires very
be using approximately $1.5 million from the little build up for the overpass as there is already
American Recovery an embankment
and Reinvestment that is almost at the
Act and NDOW ideal height.
and supporters are Artist rendition of finished overpass on US 93, The results
providing $880,395. approximately nine miles north of Wells. of a mule deer
For this overpass satellite collaring
project, NDOW has project showed
contributed $500,000 that this area is a
from the wildlife primary route for
portion of the the Area 6 and Area
Question 1 Bond 7 mule deer herd
Initiative. This bond to migrate through
was approved by (see related story in
the public on Nov. the Almanac). The
5, 2002. NDOW overpass will be
received $27.5 built in such a way
million to enhance, that animals should
protect and manage not be visible from
wildlife and wildlife the road. Besides
habitat, enhance recreational opportunities mule deer, both elk and antelope will also benefit
related to wildlife, and develop and renovate from the overpass.
facilities and improve existing habitats for fish and NDOW will perform a monitoring project using a
wildlife. combination of motion activated still and possibly
In addition for this project, NDOW contributed video cameras to determine what species are
$267,495 in Wildlife Restoration funds, $75,000 using the overpass, when it is being used and the
from the Nevada Wildlife Record Book (a nonprofit number of animals using the overpass.
sportsmen’s group that receives its funding from

Nevada Department of Wildlife 16

 Onion Valley Reservoir on the Road to Recovery
By Chris Healy
The long road
to recovery for the
fishery at Onion Valley
Reservoir began earlier
this summer when the
Nevada Department
of Wildlife stocked
4,000 rainbow trout in
the popular Humboldt
County reservoir. This
was the first stocking of
fish since 2006.
Uncertainty over
sustainable water
supplies has prevented
NDOW from stocking
trout in the reservoir
the last couple of years.
“We now feel that there Blain Merrell, hatchery technician for the Nevada Department
is enough water for of Wildlife, stocks fish into Onion Valley Reservoir.
the downstream user
to have their allocated
share and still have
enough water leftover to support a trout fishery,“ large amounts of available food for the fish.” In
says NDOW Fisheries Chief Mark Warren. past years Onion Valley Reservoir has received
“Fishing success at the popular reservoir will not allocations of rainbow, bowcut and tiger trout.
reach expected “heights” until enough fish can “They grow fast in these waters which is why this
be stocked to fill the 100-acre reservoir. That fishery is so popular,” says Warren.
process will take between 18 and 24 months.” Despite its remote location, the Pine Forest
Onion Reservoir’s annual allocation of fish is Complex has been a popular destination for
usually 16,000 rainbow, bowcut and tiger trout. anglers throughout northern Nevada. The
Repairs to the dam and the water outlet popular trout fishery is located in the Pine Forest
structure in late 2005 and early 2006 prevented Range near Denio, Nevada, and is part of the
water storage during the ensuing winter period. Pine Forest complex of fisheries. Blue Lakes and
Some fish were stocked in the spring of 2006 Knott Creek Reservoir are the other “destination”
but the reservoir went dry later that summer and fishing hot spots in the area, which is in northern
when dry winters followed in 2007 and 2008, Humboldt County near the Oregon border.
the popular fishery, once again, did not receive Angling opens at these high mountain fisheries
enough water to warrant trout stocking. on the second Saturday of June each year and
“It takes awhile to rebuild a fishery,” says closes to fishing on November 15. Travelers
Warren. “We will probably stock again this into the area are reminded that roads in the Pine
fall, depending on water levels, and we plan to Forest Range are primitive in nature and usually
stock Onion at its allocated numbers of fish in require a sturdy four-wheel drive vehicle.
2010 (16,000 trout) to take advantage of the

17 Nevada Department of Wildlife


Students Learn NDOW Ropes
By Craig Mortimore
The James Lathrop & Wayne Capurro
Memorial Scholarship Program provides select
students with the opportunity to work with the
Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) during
the summers to obtain exposure to the wildlife
management profession.
Graduating seniors of Nevada high schools,
private schools, home-schooled students
meeting the high school graduate equivalency
requirement or persons already enrolled at
the University of Nevada, Reno are eligible
to compete for these full time seasonal aid
positions. The employment begins at earliest
available date in the spring and ends once the
fall semester commences. The scholarship is
not a direct grant or gift payment to a student in
the traditional sense; rather it is an employment
opportunity where wages earned can be used to
help support his/her college education. Scholars
are paid seasonal employees of the NDOW and
receive ‘on-the-job’ training to provide them with
Students Luke Wartgow (left) and Adam
Burnside examine a captured black bear.
FALL WILDLIFE ALMANAC
practical knowledge and experience to enhance
their college studies and future career.
The Reno Chapter of Nevada Bighorns
Unlimited (NBU) underwrites a portion of this
scholarship program which is co-named in honor
of one of their founding members James Lathrop.
Additional funding support is provided by the
Nevada Wildlife Record Book and is also named
in memoriam for one of their founding members
Wayne Capurro. Both men made outstanding
contributions to wildlife management through
their roles as hunters, volunteers, organizers and
advisors to the Department, the Nevada Board
of Wildlife Commissioners and the many wildlife-
oriented organizations that mutually support the
sustained health of Nevada’s wildlife resources.
Just this year, NDOW combined the two
separate scholarships under a single moniker,
the Lathrop-Capurro Scholarship. Next year, it
is Game Division’s intent to invoke another name
change, calling it the Lathrop-Capurro Wildlife
Internship Program.
Since the first scholarship was
awarded to Ralph Cinfio in 1991, the
combined programs have provided Game
Division with a total of 28 individual seasonal
workers, including the four active seasonal
aids now with the agency. Twelve people
have completed the entire four year option
and NDOW went on to hire four of them,
including Tyler Turnipseed, Kari Huebner
and Scott Giles who are now veteran
employees. The students have come
from all over the state, rural and urban and
many have gone on to work in the wildlife
conservation field.
Today the Game Division collaborates
with professors and graduate students at
UNR’s college of Agriculture, Biotechnology
and Natural Resources to nurture these
seasonal workers’ academic foundation
as well as their practical experience.
Combined, it is our intent to create
exceptional graduates, hopefully most
with advanced degrees, that are ready to
contribute to the conservation movement.
Nevada Department of Wildlife 18