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Predators Take a Heavy Toll PDF Print E-mail
Written by Hunters Alert   
Wednesday, 10 September 2008
Reprinted from Fur-Fish-Game magazine
Volume 105, Issue No. 9

Letters


The article Judd Cooney wrote for the June issue tells a politically painful truth exactly the way it is. Predation is, indeed, one of the largest problems that big-game animals face in the West, and state wildlife agencies keep their heads buried in the sand and do very little to actually control predator populations, only lots of studies and feel-good science. It is interesting that so many states have the same problem.

The Nevada mountain lion population is estimated at 2,000, which means lions eat 100,000 deer and sheep each year. As if we didn't have enough of a problem with our own predators, the influx of lions from California amounts to an invasion by an invisible, deer-eatin' army.

Nevada's deer population is near its lowest point in 40 years. In 2007, hunters only harvested 8,919. We have seen the largest herd of desert bighorn sheep in the world nearly extirpated by lions.

We do have a year-round lion season with two tags allowed for each hunter, but this sport hunting is not taking nearly enough lions to control their predation. Send every lion and coyote hunter you know to Nevada-before we completely run out of big game.


Scott Raine
Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners

 
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Good news for Nevada sportsmen! HUNTER'S ALERT has been waiting to write a report like this for over 20 years. Sportsmen now have 5 (the majority) good Wildlife commissioners on the Board. A very nasty Wildlife Commission meeting was held on August 14 and 15 in Elko. The bighorn sheep people did everything they could to see that Gerald Lent was not re-elected as chairman. Thankfully, the sheep people were defeated.

Gerald Lent is in the process of forming a Mule Deer Task Force committee. The intent of this committee is to facilitate input from concerned deer hunters. For that reason, we are requesting that everyone with an idea or suggestion to bring back our deer to submit it to the committee chair, Scott Raine. He can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or PO Box 812, Eureka, NV 89316.  All ideas will be considered and I can assure you that some will be presented to the Wildlife Commission for implementation. 

Past and current directors and NDOW biologists have done nothing to bring back our deer so it is going to be up to this Wildlife Commission to implement some changes. At last the general public is going to have some direct input. Please pass this information on to your fellow hunters as the committee wants as many suggestions as possible.

Thank you for your support of HUNTER'S ALERT. We are working for ALL of the sportsmen of Nevada to preserve and protect our hunting heritage. 

Listed below are recommendations sent to Commissioner Raine by HUNTER'S ALERT.

Dear Commissioner Raine:

HUNTER'S ALERT is pleased that someone with some authority has finally realized that we have lost our deer and actually wants to do something to address this loss. For that reason, HUNTER'S ALERT is listing five suggestions which we hope you will consider. 

1.     Replace the current director with someone who wants to bring back our deer.

2.     Managing mountain lions is a state right. The mountain lion should be returned to predator status without any federal repercussions. The threat of withholding P-R money goes against the Tenth Amendment of the Constitution. P-R money should be given to states with no strings attached.

3.     If number 2 is unattainable, insure the objective harvest of mountain lions is accomplished every year.

4.     No killing of does until deer numbers are at 200,000 statewide.

5.     More emphasis on predator control.

 
©Hunters Alert 2008