It just wasn't the year. Anyone who wants to have better hunting and fishing in our state would like to have seen a department of fish and game independent of the Department of Wildlife. This would mean all hunting and fishing money and matching funds would go back into hunting and fishing programs.

Governor Miller's consolidation had this legislative session in an uproar. His initial proposal was disastrous. It would have merged Nevada Department of Wildlife with the parks and I'm sure somewhere hunting and fishing money would have been diverted to cleaning toilets in our state parks. In addition, our current Board of Wildlife Commissioners would have been totally eliminated. In its place would have been a seven man board made up of the following; one position from the advisory board for water planning, one position from the parks advisory commission, one position from the state conservation commission, one from the general public, one rancher, and two sportsmen. In other words, we would have had four environmentalists, one rancher, and two sportsmen to set your hunting rules and regulations. Now, hunters, how do you like your chances? Do you really think with the majority of this board being made up of environmentalists that you are going to get a fair shake when it comes time to set your hunting rules and regulations?

Nevada Department of Wildlife Director Molini had a plan of his own. His plan virtually mirrored the governor's plan (Obviously he could not publicly go against the governor.) except that he removed the water board and added two more environmentalists, that being a forestry position and a state multiple use advisory committee of federal lands. So again, only two sportsmen and at least four environmentalists setting your seasons and dates. This is more bureaucracy. These people have nothing to do with hunting and fishing. Even if the two sportsmen knew what they were doing, what chance would they have against five? Both the proposal by the Nevada Department of Wildlife and the governor had something in common. They were both taking the four current sportsmen positions, reducing them to two, and replacing those two with environmentalist positions. Sportsmen had no chance for survival with either of these proposals.

HUNTER'S ALERT was able to convince key legislators not to merge Nevada Department of Wildlife with the park system. This was a victory for all hunters and fishermen in our state. Now all that remained was the placement of Nevada Department of Wildlife and it was not decided until the final days of the legislative session. Should it remain by itself or fall under the authority of Natural Resources? A group called "Coalition for Nevada's Wildlife" wanted Nevada Department of Wildlife to remain status quo. In other words, they wanted the Nevada Department of Wildlife Director not to have a boss since the only boss Director Molini has ever had since taking the post is the governor. Now ask yourself, how does the governor know what is going on with all the state departments? This was one of Governor Miller's main purposes for consolidation • to eliminate so many department beads. The final result is that Nevada Department of Wildlife will now fall under Natural Resources. We have assurance from some high ranking legislators that hunting and fishing funds will not be diverted for other uses. HUNTERS ALERT will be monitoring this until the next session. The "good news" is now Nevada Department of Wildlife Director Will Molini will have a boss. Let's hope this is a giant step in the right direction.