Chairman Brown does not listen to the sportsmen because of his preconceived belief. This was never more evident than at the January Wildlife Commission meeting. HUNTER'S ALERT president Fredi made the suggestion to return to the 1965 classification of the mountain lion as a predator rather than a game animal with each county game
advisory board making its own determination. Chairman Brown's reply was That ain't gonna happen. The State of Nevada legislature is not gonna let each county manage its own wildlife. Just ain't gonna happen." (Actually seasons, dates, and quotas are set by the Wildlife Commission not by the legislature.) Fredi suggested that "We do it with deer, antelope, sheep." Commissioner Brown then stated "But that comes out of the Wildlife Department. They're not gonna let county government, county politics make decisions on wildlife management. They're just not gonna do that." To which Fredi responded, "So we're right back to the county advisory boards' recommendations don't mean anything."
It would seem that if the Wildlife Commission listens to the county advisory board recommendations on deer, sheep, and antelope that it
would be able to follow their recommendations regarding the mountain lion without the necessity of going to the legislature. If there is no need to go to the legislature to set seasons and areas for other game animals, then it would seem the same should hold true for the mountain lion. It really does appear that the appointees charged with representing sportsmen are not doing that and in fact are trying to deceive the people in attendance.
Another illustration of this lack of sportsman representation was highlighted on the February 9,1996 episode of "Outdoor Nevada" when Chairman Brown, in a segment on the mountain lion, stated "Hunters are only one part of the voice...We have to know what's good for all of Nevada not just the hunters." These are statements that one could expect from either the general public or conservation appointees not the sportsman representative. Either you don't consider the hunter a sports man or you don't represent them. It can't be any other way with these statements and this cavalier attitude.
Mr. Tiberti seemed more concerned with trying to find errors in HUNTER'S ALERT newsletters than in attempting to find solutions to the mountain lion issue. His concern with whether HUNTER'S ALERT had seen a cancelled check from the Division of Wildlife for $20,000 worth of books purchased from Defenders of Wildlife was out of place at a meeting whose topic of discussion was the mountain lion. The "crowd" as he referred to the assemblage of sportsmen really didn't need to have time wasted on irrelevant remarks. Hunters are facing one of the most
important issues of the '90s over the mountain lion and Mr. Tiberti wants to find an error in the HUNTER'S ALERT newsletter. Mr. Tiberti, HUNTER'S ALERT offers you a challenge. If we prove to you that NDOW made this purchase from Defenders of Wildlife, you buy a table at our banquet. If we are wrong, HUNTER'S ALERT will give an equal amount to promote youth hunting in our state. As the old saying goes, Mr. Tiberti, put up or shut up! We're awaiting your speedy reply. As a member of the Wildlife Commission representing sportsmen, we suggest Mr. Tiberti come up to speed on the activities of the state division over which he exercises some control.
Mr. Tiberti also stated that he is out in the field a lot but never sees any lions. Of course, we all know they are primarily nocturnal hunters, but HUNTER'S ALERT decided to do a little research on the matter. Two representatives of HUNTER'S ALERT met three days after the Wildlife Commission meeting with lion hunter, Charlie Leeder in Areas 22, 23, and 24. In two days eight different lion tracks were seen. Mr. Leeder is in the field over 300 days a year and he sees only one lion a year without the use of dogs. Because Mr. Tiberti doesn't see them that doesn't mean that they aren't there in numbers!
Maybe a follow-up should be done on the sheep given to Texas against the wishes of the sportsmen who again were not represented by the Wildlife commissioners. Word has it that the sheep are being eaten by mountain lions. As one county advisory board chairman stated, "This is the worst Wildlife Commission ever seen in my ten years on the board!"
