2010 winter nevada wildlife newsletter

8/8/2019 2010 Winter Nevada Wildlife Newsletter

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Nevada Wildlife FederationP.O. Box 71238Reno, NV 89570

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Permit #310

Nevada WildlifeNevada Wildlife is the ofcial voice of the Nevada Wildlife Federation, Inc.

We are an afliate of National Wildlife Federation and the oldest statewide conservation organization

dedicated to sustaining Nevada’s natural resources for wildlife through conservation and education.

Volume 14, Issue 1 Winter, 2010

label here

by Gale Dupree

Beautiful Independence Lake, located north of Truckee, Calif., off Hwy 89 in Nevada and Sierracounties remains closed to the public despite its attributes as a private campground and premier

native Lahontan cutthrout trout fishery. NV Energy owns the land around the lake that was closedlast summer because of liability, a company spokesman said. The power company plans to keep thearea closed pending the sale of the land to The Nature Conservancy. Chris Fichtel of The NatureConservancy (TNC) said the non-profit plans to open the lake for public day use only as soon as theprojected late spring sale is final. Fichtel said TNC is undecided on when and if it will open the lake for camping and boating. “Our main objective is to maintain the native fishery,” Fichtel said, adding thatmotorized boats bring a risk of introducing invasive mussels and snails.

Gov. Jim Gibbons hasproposed sweeping theWildlife Heritage Account

to help fill Nevada’s budget deficit.Gibbon’s special session proclo-mation, released in mid-Feburary,included taking $5.6 million of sportsmen-raised funds. Contactthe Governor’s office (775) 684-5670 and your elected representa-

tives to voice your opposition to this proposal!Time is of the essence. Don’t underestimate the

importance of personal contact. We cannot afford toloose the money we’ve all worked hard to raise forwildlife! If you’ve applied for PIW tag or purchaseda Heritage Tag, this is your donation at risk.

The Wildlife Heritage Trust Fund Account Act be-came effective July 1, 1995, allowed for sale of addi-tional tags to fund the account (see S.B 230 breakout atright), and sportsmen spent more than fair market valueon these tags to establish the fund. For example desertsheep tags have sold in excess of $100,000.

In 15 years since the fund was established, it hasgrown substantially, reported to be more than $5.5 mil-lion. As expected, where there is money, there are thosewho want to appropriate it for their own agenda and

benefit.One of the first changes (May 31, 2005,) was to spend

funds for predator control. While there is little argumentagainst predator control, there is much debate about itseffectiveness and how much predators are responsiblefor reduced wildlife populations, especially when datasuggests that some predator populations are decreasing.Regardless of the arguments, predator control is beyond

the scope of the intention of the original statute.Anyone with a half a brain that has been in Nevada

for 15 years or more knows why our wildlife popula-tion is decreasing. The main reason is not the predator

population.Many years of little or no rain; numerous range fires

on prime habitat; loss of habitat due to invasive species;and livestock, feral horse and burro overgrazing are themain reasons. I think we pay a fee for predator controlnow, don’t we?

The other major change was to invade the fund be-yond the interest income limitation. It was to take up to75 percent of the previous year’s donations.

The Nevada State Board of Wildlife Commissionershas on its February agenda proposals to dilute theWildlife Heritage Trust Fund in two more ways:

1. A proposal to change the 75 percent language to

90 percent. The wording I read of the proposal was not

Senate Bill No. 230 – Committee on NaturalResources Feb. 22, 1995.

AN ACT relating to wildlife; establishing theWildlife Heritage Trust Fund Account in the state gen-eral fund; specifying the purposes for which the mon-ey in the account may be used; requiring the Boardof Wildlife Commissioners to administer the accountand to review and approve expenditures from the ac-count; revising the method by which big game tags

may be awarded; and providing other matters prop-erly relating thereto.THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA,

REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DOENACT AS FOLLOWS:

The Wildlife Heritage Trust Fund account is here-by created in the state general fund. The money in theaccount must be used by the (department) as providedin this section for the protection, propagation, restora-tion, transplantation, introduction and management of any game fish, mammal or bird in this state.

1. Money received by the division from:

(a) A bid, auction or partnership in wildlifedrawing conducted pursuant to NRS 502.250;and(b) A gift of money made by any person to theWildlife Heritage Trust Fund account, must bedeposited with the state treasurer for credit tothe account.

2. The interest and income earned on the moneyin the wildlife heritage trust account, after deducting

any applicable charges, must be credited to the ac-count.3. The (department) may annually expend from

the Wildlife Heritage Trust Fund account an amountof money not greater than the interest earned on themoney in the account during the previous year.

4. The division may use money in the wildlife ac-count only to carry out the provisions of this title andchapter

5. 488 of NRS and as provided in NRS 365.535,and the money must not be diverted to any other use.

Wildlife Commission

invades Heritage Trust

to pursue own agenda,

federation president says

Powerful fishing area

Robert Gaudet

clear; it could be interpreted to be 100 percent. This annu-al dilution of this change could be as much as $100,000.

2. A proposal to reduce the available Desert BigHorn tags auctioned for the Heritage Fund from two toone. There have been no reports from biologists that this

is recommended or necessary. Instead, it seems to be the

result of a personal vendetta between at least one commissioner and Nevada Bighorns Unlimited (a sportsmorganization that supports wildlife). Since this sheep tacould sell in excess of $100,000, it is clear how the loaffects the Heritage Trust Fund.

see Heritage Fund on page



2 Nevada Wildlife – Winter, 2010

Nevada Wildlife Published quarterly

by Nevada Wildlife Federation, Inc.Editor: Gale DupreeCopy Editor: Lorna Weaver

In this Issue:

Independence Lake 1

President’s Post – Wildlife Heritage Trust 1

Nature Notes 2

Awards nominations 3

NWF Web site redesign 3Cabela’s event 3

Nevada birding 4

Wild horse and burro conference 4

New Humboldt-Toiyabe Forest supervisor 5

Tips to avoid cougar conflicts 5

Do-it-yourself energy audits 6

Small conservation steps 6

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation 7

2010 Duck stamp art contest winner 8

Plan for fishing all year 8

Truckee River Flyfishers banquet 8

Nevada Wildlife Federation, Inc.P.O. Box 71238, Reno, NV 89570

phone (775) 677-0927Web site: www.nvwf.org

President: Robert GaudetDistrict 1 (Reno) Vice Pres.: Sherm SwansonDistrict 2 (Elko) Vice Pres.: Jack Prier District 3 (Las Vegas) Vice Pres.: Kevin CabbleSecretary: Vikki RiddleTreasurer: Anita Wagner National Wildlife Federation (NWF)Representative: Anita Wagner Alternate NWF Rep: Robert Gaudet

Corporate SponsorsArt Source – RenoPatagonia – RenoSierra Trading Post – Reno, Cheyenne, WYHidden Valley Ranch – RenoMorris & Brown Architects, LTD – Reno

Perry and Spann – RenoSportman’s Warehouse – Reno

NV Energy – RenoWal-Mart Stores – RenoSafari Club International – Northern Nevada Chapter Mickey Daniels Big Mac Charters – Carnelian Bay,

Calif.Blue Ribbon Fishing Charters – South Lake Tahoe,

Calif.Peppermill Resort Spa Casino – RenoAtlantis Casino Resort Spa – RenoGrand Sierra Resort – RenoHarvey’s/Harrah’s Casino Hotels – Stateline

Affiliates National Wildlife Federation – NationAnimal Ark – RenoCanvasback Gun Club – Reno

Carson Valley Chukar Club – GardnervilleCarson Fly Fishing Club – Carson CityElko County Conservation Association – ElkoFriends of Nevada Wilderness – RenoGreat Basin Chapter Trout Unlimited – Baker Las Vegas Archers – Las VegasMotorcycle Racing Assoc. of Nevada – Las Vegas

Natural Resource Education Council – Carson City Nevada Bighorns Unlimited – Reno Nevada Bowhunters Association – Elko Nevada Section Society for Range Management Northern Nevada Outdoors – WinnemuccaOrmsby Sportman’s Association – Carson CityReno Tur-Toise Club – RenoSilver Arrow Bowman – RenoSpring Mt. Volunteer Association – Las VegasTruckee River Flyfishers – Reno

Truckee River Yacht Club – RenoWalker Lake Working Group – Hawthorne

If you need ammo for hunting thisfall, order it now!

We’ve all heard about shortag-es on ammunition. Some credit theshortage to an increase in domesticdemand sparked by hysteria over theelection of a Democratic president,who some believe will attempt to banor restrict ammunition sales. A morelikely reason is the impact of the two

wars we’re fighting, which create ademand for about 1.5 billion rounds of ammunition per year – ammunition is being produced in huge quanti-ties in the United States, but it’s ending up in Baghdadinstead of Cabela’s.

Whatever the causes, the shortages are real, and theycan screw up your plans. If you need ammo for your 2010 big game hunts, order it now. It may take monthsto actually get it in your hands.

2009 and 2006 tied for record global temperaturesThe tally of global land and ocean surface tempera-

tures for 2009 places it in a tie with 2006 as the fifth warm-est year on record, according to the National ClimaticData Center (NCDC), a part of the National Oceanicand Atmospheric Administration. Ocean surface tem-

peratures were 0.86 degrees F above the 20th Century

average, which put them in a tie with 2002 and 2004as the fourth warmest on record. Land surface tempera-tures averaged 1.39 degrees F above the 20th Centuryaverage, tying with 2003 as the seventh warmest on re-cord. Combining the two yielded an average global sur-face temperature that was 1.01 degrees F above the 20thCentury average. Perhaps more significantly, the decadeof 2000 through 2009 was the warmest on record, withan average global surface temperature of 0.96 degreesF above the 20th Century average. For comparison, the1990s was the next warmest decade, at 0.65 degrees Fabove the 20th century average. See the full details of the 2009 global temperature trends at www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/?report=global&year=2009&month=13 on the

NCDC Web site.

Wildlife trivia questionWhich character from mythology does the yellow-pinechipmunk’s life story most emulate?

a.) Orpheus, because it “sings” to woo a mate. b.) Diana, because the moon is especially importa

to it and lights its night hunts for food.c.) Hermes, because one member of a colony will

run quickly to a neighboring colony to warn of dangerd.) Persephone, because it spends almost half of th

year underground. e.)Yasgцr,amythicalfiguresometimesmentioned

by the elders as host of the transcendent music festivaof their youth, Wüdstock.Answer:

d.) Persephone, because it spends almost half of th

year underground. source: BLM News Byt

Game wardens seek public’s helpSometime between Jan. 15 and Jan. 17, 2010, a de

carcass and an elk hindquarter were dumped near BassLake, north of McGill.

“The head and antlers had been removed from thdeer carcass before it was dumped,” said Eric William

Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) Game Warde“Approximately 120 pounds of meat was left to rot.”

Williams also said the meat was dumped just off the Bassett Lake Dam north of the lake.

If you have information on this incident, you macall Eric Williams at (775) 289-1655 or call OperatioGame Thief at (800) 992-3030. You may remain anonmous and may be eligible for a reward if the informati

leads to a conviction. source: Nevada Department of Wildl

nature notes

Gale Dupree

Nevada Wildlife Federation thanks thefollowing for renewing memberships athigher rates:

$50 to $99: Jo Anne Gould, Fred Rowe,Michael Fondi.100 to $199: Bill and Holly Wilson, Roy G.Jones.$250: Kevin and Karla Kirk

Welcome new affiliatesFriends of Nevada Wilderness – RenoGreat Basin Chapter Trout Unlimited – Baker

Join Nevada Wildlife Federation today!Your membership dues fund wildlife

conservation and education programs in Nevada.

Membership Categories per yearCorporate: $250, $500, $1,000 and upBenefactor: $100 and upSustaining: $40 to $99Life: $400Family: $35, for families at same addressAssociate or Affiliate: $25Student: $12

Name: _____________________________________________

Address: ____________________________________________

City: _______________________________________________

State, Zip: __________________________________________ Phone: _____________________________________________

E-mail: _____________________________________________

Mail this coupon with your check or money order to NevadaWildlife Federation, P.O. Box 71238, Reno, NV 89570

Gifts for higher renewal rates *

Members who join or renew ata rate of $45 or higher can chooseamong several gifts. Those giftsinclude one of four campaignlogo T-shirts. The slogans are:“Water for Wildlife,” “ShareYour Backyard with Wildlife,”“Save Our Sagebrush Family” and“Support Elk on Public Lands.” A T-shirt

with the NvWF logo is also available. Please circle your choiceof T-shirt. Please indicate size: Adult: Small, Medium, Large,XL, XXL, XXXL. Youth: Medium, Large.

Other gifts are a baseball hat with the federation’s logo andseveral books to choose from. New books are: Hiking Grand Canyon National Park , Living with Wildlife, Basic Essentials Fly Fishing , Death Valley National Park , Pocket Guide – Nevada Birds and Pocket Guide – Nevada Trees and Wildflowers.

Other books include This Land – A Guide to Western National Forests; Birds of Prey; Where Wild things Live;Mystery Tracks in the Snow; and Rocks and Minerals of California Nevada Wildlife Viewing Guide; Black Rock Desert ; Hiking Nevada; Rockhounding Nevada; Hiking Great Basin National Park ; Easy Day Hikes Lake Tahoe; Easy Day Hikes Death Valley; The Tahoe Rim Trail ; Sierra Nevada Wildlife

Region; Tahoe Wildflowers; Elk Hunting Q & A; The Backyard Bird Feeder’s 4-Pack of Booklets; Lefty Krech’s Longer FlyCasting; Fishing Fanatic; and Beyond Fair Chase and Inherit the Hunt, which contain stories on the tradition of hunting byJim Posewitz. Please circle your choice of book.

Your generous donation of $60 or more will be rewardedwith a choice of any two items listed above (books and clothingonly). Please circle your two gift choices.

For $100 or more donation you can receive a limited-edi-tion 2 oz. silver coin with a Nevada critter on

one side. A Prospector is on the other sidewith an ore cart. Two coins available are

mule deer and elk. Other coins areavailable by special order. Clothing

and book gifts are not included.Additional coins are $75 eachat time of order. Please circle

your choice.

* Life memberships are not arenewal and are not entitled to gifts

after initial donation.

LIMITED-TIME OFFER:Hand-painted, artist-signed

duck decoys (4- to 5-inch) for $15each or one free with a $45 renewal

or membership or two for $55. Selectionto be made by NvWF until supply is sold out

(mallard, canvasback, teal, Canada goose,shoveler, pintail and wood duck). Half

life-sized artist-signed decoys$25 until sold out.



Nevada Wildlife – Winter, 2010

NEVADA WILDLIFE FEDERATION 2008 CONSERVATION ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

Please complete the information below and on the reverse side of this page. Please submit your nomination by April 9, 2010 to NvWF, Attn.: Award Nominations, 6870 Soldela Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89156. Pleasecall Robert Gaudet at (702) 438-2485 for more information.

____________________________________________________________________________________ Name of nominator

____________________________________________________________________________________ Organization or individual name and title

____________________________________________________________________________________ Address

__________________________________________ _____________________________________

Telephone E-mail address

NOMINEE FOR THE NEVADA WILDLIFE FEDERATION CONSERVATION AWARD

__________________________________________________________________________________ Organization or individual name and title

__________________________________________________________________________________ Address

__________________________________________ _____________________________________ Telephone E-mail address

FOR RECOGNITION IN THE FOLLOWING CATEGORY (check one only)

The Conservationist of the Year in each of the above categories will be selected based on the followingcriteria:

A conservationist, professional or unpaid, whose contribution to conservation has been sustainedover a period of several years.

A person whose contribution to conservation is of such significance as to be know statewide.An organization that has made important accomplishments in conservation.An individual whose recognition would serve as an example to others.

Please answer each of the following questions with one succinct paragraph on a separate sheet of paper. Please do not exceed two pages.

What has this person/organization done specifically to further the cause of conservation in theselected category?

Has this person/organization had a history of commitment to conservation? Give dates/examples.Will this person/organization continue to further the cause of conservation? How?

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2.3.4.

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Nominations sought for awards

___ Wildlife ___ Legislator ___ Youth ___ Communicator

___ Educator ___ Organization ___ Hunter Educator ___ Soil

___ Water ___ Forest ___ Affiliate of the Year ___ Air/Energy

___ Conservationist of the Year

Nevada Wildlife Federation is seeking nominationsfor its annual Conservation Achievement Awards. Theawards are given to people or groups that have madesignificant contributions to conservation and naturalresource education in Nevada.

Categories are Wildlife, Legislator, Youth,Communicator, Educator, Organization, Hunter Educator, Soil, Water, Air, Forest, Conservationist of

the Year and Affiliate of the Year. Nominations will be accepted until April 9, 2010 for

the May 8, 2010 awards to be held at the Clark CountyShooting Park Education Center in Las Vegas, Nev.

Call Robert Gaudet at (702) 438-2485 or e-mailat [email protected] for more information onthe nominations or how to reserve your tickets for the awards.

Jamie KlundCabela’s Events Coordinator

Nevada Wildlife Federation will be among manyexhibitors at Cabela’s Spring Great Outdoor DaysMarch 6-7. The federation will also do a seminar onRattlesnake Avoidance Training for Dogs. A series of seminars by other presenters will be on a variety of fishing, spring hunting and outdoor activities.

Cabela’s brings in pro staff in various fields like:• Cameron Hanes, an expert archer,• Brian O’Keefe, an expert fly fisherman,

• dog trainers like Gregg Tanner

• fishing guide Rick Kennedy.

Cabela’s has its own outfitters do seminars onfly tying, fishing the Truckee River, Gore-Tex, SPOTGPS Messenger, selecting a camp kitchen, turkeyhunting basics, archery, footwear, hiking clothing andother topics. Other exhibitors include Plumas NationalForest, Nevada Department of Wildlife’s OperationGame Thief trailer, Washoe County Sheriff’s ChildID Program and many other groups and products ondisplay.

Cabela’s is located at 8650 Boomstown Rd., Verdi, Nev. Call (775) 829-4100 for more information or see

www.cabelas.com.

Federation to exhibit at Reno Cabela’s March 6-7

by Lew Carpenter National Wildlife Federation

The National Wildlife Federation has completedvast overhaul of its Web site (www.nwf.org). The site ha new look, which is consistent throughout its 3,500-pl

pages. It was designed with its users in mind to advan NWF’s online objectives; broaden its reach, deepen

engagement and increase its revenue.To highlight a few enhancements, the site:

Includes stunning photos of wildlife, landscapes an people in nature.Represents the diversity of our audiences, frosportsmen and nature photographers, to kids ancollege students.Brings an audience-focused approach to NationWildlife magazine with five interest-based chanels.Increases opportunities and capacity for philathropic giving, purchasing and magazine sales.Includes many engagement and community builing features, allowing NWF to cross-promote cotent and programs.

A project of this size doesn’t happen overnight ancertainly not without the help of many people. For tw

years, nearly 200 staff, board members and affiliates weconsulted during the process. Additionally, more tha10,000 constituents provided feedback and data points help NWF choose its final design and architecture. Th

process was strategically driven and analytically informethroughout.

As part of this process, the opportunity to provide aenhanced and complimentary approach to engage wildliactivists was identified.

An announcement about that element will be fortcoming from our sister organization, NWF Action Fund

In addition, NWF Action Fund has announced thlaunch of a new Web resource for wildlife activists aover the country (www.nwfactionfund.org/action). T

NWF Action Fund’s Action Center is a one-stop hub flegislative, regulatory and community action for wildliadvocacy, fighting global warming, working for clea

water, protecting public lands and helping ensure our kihave opportunities in the great outdoors.The Action Center connects to the new nwf.org si

to provide even more action opportunities for wildlife ethusiasts from all walks of life.

The new site is designed as an action oriented huwhere the existing activist base, and new visitors seeing action opportunities can easily find and take actioto make sure their decision makers in Washington, D.Cat the statehouse and in their communities hear their cocerns regarding conservation, education and climate isues. It will also be a place to grow as a wildlife activand join a community of other activists.

The Action Center brings together news about cmate, wildlife, water and other issues, along with the o

portunity to make a difference on those issues. Visitocan engage their decision makers on issues of their choic

join NWF Action Fund’s social networks and online communities, follow tweets from the online action team, anhelp support NWF Action Fund’s work to enact the kinof legislation and regulation that will make our world

better place for generations to come.Additionally, the new Action Center helps establi

the NWF Action Fund as a new and powerful presence the world of online environmental advocacy.

With this launch, the Action Fund and its sister oganization, National Wildlife Federation, show that tgroups are:

committed to engaging activists at a grassroots levonlinededicated to making the process of engaging youelected representatives an easy and rewarding exprienceworking hard to ensure a future where our water clean, our kids play outdoors and sportsmen st

have access to game.

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National affiliate rolls out3,500-page Web site remake




nevada Birding

by Linda Hiller

It’s c-c-cold outside. Who would wantto go out there to look for birds this time of year? Well, hardcore birders go out everyday, no matter what the weather, but even

backyard birders can see a wealth of avi-an activity from their armchairs in winter months. One of the advantages to winter

birding is the lack of leaves on deciduoustrees, making bird-of-prey spotting espe-cially easy. Much of northern Nevada isknown for its wintering raptors, includingthe influx of rough-legged hawks, ferru-ginous hawks and bald eagles … threespecies that are here in winter and rare therest of the year.

Even the year-round raptors like red-tailed hawks, northern harriers, Americankestrels, Cooper’s hawks and sharp-shinned hawks, etc., are much easier tospot because of the limited cover theyhave in winter. And while it would seemunlikely that these carnivores would beable to find much to eat in winter, the

fields abound with rodents living just un-der the snow, and certainly smaller prey

birds are available and sometimes evenhandicapped by trying to exist and travelin the challenging winter climate.

Here in Jacks Valley, south of CarsonCity, Nev., winter is the only time of year that we see large raptors preying onour plethora of backyard birds. A pair of northern harriers – the larger brown fe-male and her smaller gray mate – is hereevery day looking for lunch. Sometimes ared-tail or two will come in and the aeri-als that ensue, with these two large raptor

species fighting over my little 1.25 acres,is amazing to watch.

This time of year is also when peopleask, “Why is it that my backyard birdslike California quail, white-crownedsparrows and spotted towhees (all groundfeeders) disappear for days at a time, andthen come back in droves?”

Most likely, I tell them, it is the pres-

sure from predators that finally drive your birds away … large raptors like the onesI just mentioned, coyotes, owls, evenneighborhood cats, can all drive your

birds away, but eventually they come back and the cycle starts over.

Great horned owls are breeding andnesting right now, getting a jump onspring raptors by utilizing empty nests

before others want them. At night ycan hear their five-beat calls back anforth across much of our area. Once,even got into the conversation with m

passable imitation, and a huge owl camin and landed in a tree right above mhead! I don’t do that anymore.

Be sure to check your outdoor feederegularly in winter to see if your feed fresh, and adding an immersible feeder fyour birdbaths will ensure your birds aeating and drinking what they need to stahealthy in this incredibly stressful seaso

So while it is c-c-cold outside, biring is exciting this time of year and weworth the foray. We birders just fill othermoses with hot cocoa or coffee istead of cold drinks, and the lack of covand plenitude of birds makes getting ouside all the sweeter in winter.

For more information, the LahontaAudubon Society’s Web site (www.nvadaaudubon.org) has information oclasses, field trips and upcoming even

and they also sell some local birdinguides. The Nevada Wildlife ViewGuide breaks the state down into rgions and is a good resource. The CarsoValley Chamber of Commerce is hostinEagles and Ag. (www.visitcarsonvalleorg) in February, and the Spring WinBird Festival in Fallon, Nev., will be M14-16, see www.springwings.org.

Anyone with mystery raptors backyard birds is welcome to e-mail phtos or inquiries to: [email protected] or call me at (775) 267-3580.

Good birding, all!

Winter offers wealth of avian activity for hardy birders

Top, pinyon jays line up onJocelyn Helling’s fence in

Johnson Lane, Nev., waitingfor their turn at her peanut

feeder. Right, Nancy Judgelooks for birds during a

Christmas Count in CarsonCity, Nev.

by Linda Hiller

Sherman SwansonSociety of Range Management

The Wild & Feral Horse and BurroManagement and Policy conference was

jointly hosted by the Nevada Sectionand Society for Range Management(SRM) as a component of SRM’s ongo-ing Center for Professional Educationand Development seminars. The confer-ence was held in Sparks, Nev., at JohnAscuaga’s Nugget from Nov. 3-5, 2009.About 150 people attended representingdiverse interests and backgrounds rang-ing from wild horse advocates; range-land management professionals; Bureauof Land Management; Forest Service;state and county governments; several

Native American tribes; academia; con-servation groups; Humane Society of theUnited States; domestic horse breeders;and ranchers.

The purpose of the conference wasto search for practical solutions to thecurrent wild horse and burro (WHB)dilemma on public rangelands and theissue of domestic horse disposal and re-lease on public and private lands due tothe downturn in the economy and lack of economical disposal methods due to clo-sure of all horse slaughter facilities in theUnited States. The first portions of theconference provided a tour of the BLMPalomino Valley WHB Center and edu-

cational presentations. The tour and pre-

sentations were provided to establish ba-sic ecological, biological and economicrealities surrounding both feral and wildhorse management; practical solutionsmust be based upon these realities.

Several key points of consensus werederived from the conference discussionforums transcending all breakout ses-sions:

Congress must adequately and reli-ably fund the management of WHB on

public lands.Wild horses and burros belong on

public rangelands of the western UnitedStates as a component of the multiple-use concept and must be managed for

a thriving ecological balance in contextwith other multiple uses as required bythe 1971 WHB Act.

Congress must be fiscally respon-sible to the American public.

Maintaining rangeland health (up-land and riparian) is imperative. All mul-tiple uses on public rangelands must bemanaged for a thriving ecological balancethat is sustainable over the long-term and

provides for the health and well-beingof wildlife, horses and burros, rural cul-tures and economies and the rangelandresources on which all are dependent.

HR 1018, Restoring our AmericanMustangs (ROAM) Act was not support-ed by anyone or any entity represented atthe conference.

Tribal entities, their sovereign lands,

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3.

4.

5.

6.

enterprises, cultures and economies are being adversely affected by federal poli-cies and regulations on wild horse and

burro management, and loss of disposalof their excess horses through U.S. horse-slaughter facilities.

Tribes want to be consulted and in-cluded in policy and regulatory develop-ment processes as delineated in currentlaw and regulation. The tribal represen-tatives present at the conference all ex-

pressed their disappointment in lack of consultation and coordination from fed-eral entities.

There is a need for credible infor-mation and education about wild horses,

their management, impact upon range-lands, population numbers and dynamics,fertility control, alternative managementoptions, etc. An information clearing-house consisting of representatives fromvarious associated interests, agency rep-resentatives, academia and range sciencewas proposed.

Although not unanimous, the majority of attendants supported Interior Secretary Ken Salazar’s WHB manage-ment proposal as a beginning. However,in order for the Secretary’s proposal to

be successful, WHB populations on the public rangelands must be brought to andkept at appropriate management levels(AMLs). AMLs on public rangelandsmust be achieved in order to:

• protect rangelands and multiple

7.

8.

Diverse groups convene to search for solutions to wild horse, burro issues

uses•maintain the number of excess hor

es from public rangelands in equilibriuwith disposal potential, i.e. the number wild horses in long-term holding canncontinue to increase and should be elimnated over time.

Additionally, the majority expressthe opinion that Congress cannot cotinue to mandate BLM management wild horses while depriving BLM anof the management options authorized the 1971 WHB Act and withholding aequate and consistent funding.



by Christie KalkowskiHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest

Sparks, Nev. – IntermountainRegional Forester Harv Forsgren an-nounced in late January that JeanneHiggins has been selected as the ForestSupervisor for the Humboldt-Toiyabe

National Forest (H-T). Higgins replaces

Ed Monnig who retired from the ForestService in 2009.

As new Forest Supervisor of theHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest,Higgins will manage the largest NationalForest in the lower 48 states. TheHumboldt-Toiyabe’s 6.3 million acresencompasses most of Nevada, a portionof some of the most scenic areas of theEastern Sierra in California, and is com-

prised of 10 ranger districts. The forestfaces many complex resource and socialissues, while carefully balancing impor-tant public services and needs that pro-mote sound land stewardship.

“Jeanne’s broad experience and thehigh caliber of her work make her the

perfect choice for dealing with difficultissues, working with community members and ensuring the sustainability of resources on the Humboldt-Toiyabe

National Forest,” said Forsgren. “Jeanne’s

high energy and commitment to work with people who hold divergent pointsof view will serve her and the Humboldt-Toiyabe well. Her skills in working with

diverse interest groups will be essentialto her success on the forest.”

Higgins is currently the forest supervisor on the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in Wisconsin. One of her most successful projects during her timein this position has been her work onforest health issues facing federal, stateand private forests. Collaborating with

the Wisconsin Department of NaturalResources, Higgins was instrumental in

bringing partners together to work acrossadministrative boundaries and unitingagencies in a common goal of managingthe northern forests.

“I am excited about the opportunityto work in the beautiful Nevada land-scapes the Forest Service manages,” saidHiggins. “I want to help the communityreconnect with their forest and recognizethe importance the forest plays in their lives. By increasing their understandingof the forest impact, I hope they will take

part in the many opportunities the foresthas to offer.”

Higgins began her career with the

Forest Service in 1988, and has been em- ployed with the Forest Service ever sincein various positions. She has a well-rounded background, having worked in

four different regions on many foresand districts. Of her nearly 22 years, of them have been in line officer postions. Higgins holds a bachelor’s of scence degree in forest resources managment from the University of Idaho.

Higgins has extensive fire experence that will come in handy in Nevada state that has seen many large fires

recent years. She currently serves othe Governing Board of the Joint FiSciences Program, a federal board com

prised of Department of Interior aForest Service land managers and scentists. Recently the Joint Fire SciencProgram has focused on the social anecological impacts of fire in the GreBasin, specifically looking at cheat grainvasion and the effects of fire on sagrouse habitat.

Higgins and her husband, Bruce, wreport to Sparks, Nev., in early MarcShe has two grown daughters, both whom live in the West.

Jeanne and Bruce, who is also Forest Service employee, look forwa

to exploring the area and enjoying trecreational activities in Nevada and thSierra Nevada, such as hiking, campin

biking and skiing.

Nevada Wildlife – Winter, 2010 5

U.S. Forest Service

Jeanne Higgins has been selectedas the new Forest Supervisor for Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest.

New forest chief takes on largest national forest in lower 48

Utah Wildlife News

Dave Swenson has patrolled Utah’s backcountry for almost 30 years. Duringthat time, the veteran wildlife officer hasseen a cougar only five times. And each

time, the cougar was running away fromhim.Deer migrate to lower elevations

in the winter and cougars often followthem.

“It’s very, very rare to see or comein contact with a cougar,” the Divisionof Wildlife Resources officer says.“Cougars usually go out of their way toavoid people.”

Swenson says cougars are also secre-tive animals. And they usually come outonly at night. While it’s rare to see a cou-gar, if you do see one, it will probably bein the winter.

“Deer are the main animal thatcougars prey on this time of the year,”Swenson says. “In the winter, the snowcovers the vegetation at higher eleva-tions. That forces the deer to travel tolower elevations to find food. And thecougars come right down with them.”

Tips to avoid cougar conflictsIf you live in cougar country,

Swenson provides the following tips tolessen the chance that you come in con-tact with a cougar:

• Do not feed wildlife. Feeding wild-life attracts deer and other animals toyour yard that cougars prey on.

• Do not feed pets outside. The foodcould attract cougars to your yard. Andkeep your pets indoors at night. Pets areeasy prey for cougars.

• Outdoor lighting and motion-sen-

sitive lighting are a deterrent for the se-cretive cougar. Lights also make cougarsthat are approaching your home visible.

• Keep a close eye on your childrenwhen they’re playing outside. And bringthem in before dusk. That’s when cou-

gars begin to hunt.• Make your yard deer-proof. If your

landscaping is attractive to deer, cougarswill follow the deer and stay close to your

property.

What to do in a cougar encounter• Do not run from a cougar. Running

can provoke a prey response in the cou-gar, and the cougar may pursue you.

• Make yourself look intimidating.Make yourself look big by opening your

jacket, and raising your arms and wavingthem. Speak loudly and firmly.

• If you have children, pick them up.Try to pick children up before the chil-dren panic and run. When you’re pickingup children, keep an eye on the cougar

but avoid making direct eye contact withthe animal. Try not to bend over too far or turn your back to the cougar.

How to avoid cougars while hiking• Hike with other people and make

noise. Cougars will not usually bother groups of people.

• If you’re hiking with pets, keepthem on a leash and close to your group.Roaming pets are open to cougar attacks,or they could irritate a cougar that’s try-ing to avoid your group. A dog on a leashis also a good warning system that willlet you know if a cougar is nearby.

Free brochure

More tips about how to stay safe in

cougar country are available in “Living inCougar Country” brochure. The free bro-chure is available at wildlife.utah.gov/cou-gar/pdf/cougar_brochure.pdf.

“As Utah’s population grows, more

and more people are moving into areas

where wildlife live,” Swenson says. “we’re going to move into their homethen it’s important that we learn how live with them. If we do that, both willife and people can have a good exper

ence.”

Cougar sightings more likely inthe winter, wildlife officer says

Bigstockphoto.com

Cougars like this one are more likely to be seen in the winter as they follow deer herds to lower elevations.




Do-it-yourself energy audits save powerU.S. Department of Energy

You can easily conduct a home energy audit witha simple but diligent walk-through to find problems.When auditing your home, keep a checklist of inspectedareas and problems you found. This list will help you

prioritize energy efficiency upgrades.Locating air leaks

First, make a list of obvious air leaks (drafts). The potential energy savings from reducing drafts in a homemay range from 5 percent to 30 percent per year, andthe home is generally much more comfortable after-ward. Check for indoor air leaks, such as gaps along the

baseboard or edge of the flooring and at junctures of thewalls and ceiling. Check to see if air can flow throughthese places:

• electrical outlets• switch plates• window frames• baseboards• weather stripping around doors• fireplace dampers• attic hatches• wall- or window-mounted air conditioners.Also look for gaps around pipes, wires, electrical

outlets, foundation seals and mail slots. Check to seeif caulking and weather stripping are applied properly,leaving no gaps or cracks, and are in good condition.

Inspect windows and doors for air leaks. See if youcan rattle them, since movement means possible air leaks. If you can see daylight around a door or windowframe, then it leaks. You can usually seal these leaks withcaulking or weather stripping. Check storm windows tosee if they fit and are not broken. You may also wish toconsider replacing old windows and doors with newer,high-performance ones. If new doors or windows aretoo costly, you can install low-cost plastic sheets over the windows.

If you are having difficulty locating leaks, you maywant to conduct a basic building pressurization test:

First, close all exterior doors, windows, and fireplace flues.

Turn off all combustion appliances such as gas burning furnaces and water heaters.Then turn on all exhaust fans (generally located in

the kitchen and bathrooms) or use a large window fan tosuck the air out of the rooms.

This test increases infiltration through cracks andleaks, making them easier to detect. You can use incensesticks or your damp hand to locate these leaks. If youuse incense sticks, moving air will cause the smoke towaver, or drafts will feel cool to your damp hand.

On the outside of your house, inspect all areas wheretwo different building materials meet, including:

• All exterior corners• Where siding and chimneys meet• Areas where the foundation and the bottom of ex-

terior brick or siding meet.You should plug and caulk holes or penetrations

for faucets, pipes, electric outlets and wiring. Look for cracks and holes in mortar, foundation and siding, andseal them with appropriate material. Check the exterior caulking around doors and windows, and see whether exterior storm doors and primary doors seal tightly.

When sealing any home, you must always be awareof the danger of indoor air pollution and combustionappliance “backdrafts.” Backdrafting is when variouscombustion appliances and exhaust fans in the homecompete for air. An exhaust fan may pull combustiongases back into the living space. This can obviously cre-ate a very dangerous and unhealthy situation.

In homes where a fuel is burned (i.e., natural gas,fuel oil, propane or wood) for heating, be certain theappliance has an adequate air supply. Generally, 1square inch of vent opening is required for each 1,000BTU of appliance input heat. When in doubt, contactyour utility company, energy professional or ventila-

tion contractor.

InsulationHeat loss through the ceiling and walls in your home

could be very large if the insulation levels are less thanthe recommended minimum. When your house was

built, the builder likely installed the amount of insula-tion recommended at that time. Given today’s energy

prices, the level of insulation might be inadequate.If the attic hatch is located above a conditioned space,

check to see if it is at least as heavily insulated as the at-tic, is weather stripped and closes tightly. In the attic,determine if openings for items such as pipes, ductwork and chimneys are sealed. Seal gaps with an expandingfoam caulk or some other permanent sealant.

While you are inspecting the attic, check to see if there is a vapor barrier under the attic insulation. Thevapor barrier might be tarpaper, Kraft paper attached tofiberglass batts or a plastic sheet. If there does not ap-

pear to be a vapor barrier, consider painting interior ceil-ings with vapor barrier paint. This reduces the amountof water vapor that can pass through the ceiling. Largeamounts of moisture can reduce insulation effectivenessand promote structural damage.

Make sure that attic vents are not blocked by insu-lation. You also should seal any electrical boxes in theceiling with flexible caulk (from the living room side or

attic side) and cover the entire attic floor with at leastthe current recommended amount of insulation.

Checking a wall’s insulation level is more difficult.Select an exterior wall and turn off the circuit breaker or unscrew the fuse for outlets in the wall. Be sure to testthe outlets to make certain that they are not “hot.” Check the outlet by plugging in a functioning lamp or portableradio. Once you are sure your outlets are not getting anyelectricity, remove the cover plate from one of the out-lets and gently probe into the wall with a long stick or screwdriver. If you encounter a slight resistance, youhave some insulation. You could also make a small holein a closet, or in some other unobtrusive place to seewhat, if anything, the wall cavity is filled with. Ideally,the wall cavity should be totally filled with some formof insulation material. This method cannot tell you if theentire wall is insulated, or if the insulation has settled.

Only a thermographic inspection can do this.If your basement is unheated, determine if there is

insulation under the living area flooring. In most regions,a 25 R-value is the recommended minimum level of insu-lation. The insulation at the top of the foundation wall andfirst floor perimeter should have a 19 R-value or greater.If the basement is heated, the foundation walls should beinsulated to at least R-19. Your water heater, hot water

pipes, and furnace ducts should all be insulated.Heating/cooling equipment

Inspect heating and cooling equipment annually,or as recommended by the manufacturer. If you havea forced-air furnace, check filters and replace them asneeded. Generally, you should change them about onceevery month or two, especially during periods of highusage. Have a professional check and clean your equip-ment once a year.

If the unit is more than 15 years old, you shouldconsider replacing your system with a newer, energy-efficient units. A new unit would greatly reduce your energy consumption, especially if the existing equip-ment is in poor condition. Check your ductwork for dirtstreaks, especially near seams. These indicate air leaks,and they should be sealed with a duct mastic. Insulateducts or pipes that travel through unheated spaces. Aninsulation 6 R-Value is the recommended minimum.Lighting

Energy for lighting accounts for about 10 percent of your electric bill. Examine the wattage size of your light

bulbs. You may have 100-watt (or larger) bulbs where60 or 75 watts would do. You should also consider com-

pact fluorescent lamps for areas where lights are on for hours at a time.

Your electric utility may offer rebates or other in-

centives for purchasing energy-efficient lamps.

By Kat KerlinReno News and Review

No one expects you to save the planet all by youself. The mere idea of it sounds overwhelming to th

point of paralysis. But if everyone took a few smsteps toward improving the environment, the colletive effort would be significant. You’ll likely find thmaking some of the changes listed here also will hava positive effect on your health, pocketbook and geeral well-being. Try one. Try them all.

1. Change your lightbulbs to the curly-cue CFkind. C’mon. You’ve been meaning to do this.

2. Eat meat less often, and when you do, buy oganic and/or certified humane cuts.

3. Buy local, organic foods – from farmers’ makets, a community supported agriculture (CSA) mem

bership, the Great Basin Community Food Co-op, when they occasionally turn up at the grocery store.

4. Start a compost pile. Do it yourself with som boards and wire, or buy one pre-made to turn wa

into garden gold.5. Grow something. Whether you have acres

land or just a window box, growing your own fooreconnects you with nature’s cycles, feeds you and one less item that requires fossil fuels to be transportehere.

6. Get an energy audit, and carry out what’s reommended from it. The Obama administration’s pr

posed Cash for Caulkers could help you get a rebate otax credit for this.

7. Ride your bike. If not every day, try to ride least once or twice a week, especially if you live fivmiles or less from your workplace.

8. If you have the means, look into getting solor wind energy installed in your home. Research hothe rebate system through NV Energy’s Renewab

Generations program works. (www.nvenergy.comFor instance, you won’t be eligible if you buy yosystem before applying for a rebate. Then ask arounfor reputable installers.

9. Can your food. It’s easy, satisfying and rsourceful.

10. Learn what is really recyclable in your arand adjust your buying habits accordingly. Much what is tossed into the recycling bin gets thrown awain the sorting process because it’s not recyclable. Fexample, the Reno area recycles only plastics in thshape of bottles. See the Keep Truckee MeadowBeautiful recycling guide at ktmb.org/documents/rcyclingguideforweb.pdf.

11. Make or buy green cleaners. What’s the uof cleaning something if it’s just polluting your heal

and the environment? A nontoxic mixture of vinegand water will clean most things. Find other reciponline.

12. Pack a zero-waste lunch with reusable glaor plastic containers. Don’t heat plastic in the mcrowave or wash it in the dishwasher, as heat causchemicals to leach from plastics.

13. That said, reduce your use of plastics, whiare petroleum-based and made with potentially harmful chemicals. Use glass and cloth alternatives wh

possible.

14. Write your representatives. People can com plain all they want among themselves, but sometimedoing it in a formal way to an elected leader is the onway to really effect change.

Reprinted with permission from the Dec. 31, 200

Reno News and Review.

Conservation Minor changes canhave positive effectson health, environmen



Nevada Wildlife – Winter, 2010

by National Fish and WildlifeFoundation

On January 5, 2010 the Bureau of Reclamation approved a grant to the

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation(NFWF) authorizing NFWF to assumeleadership in implementing the Walker

Basin Restoration Program. This autho-rization was directed by Congress in ac-cordance with Public Law 111-85 of the2010 Energy and Water AppropriationsAct and provides up to $118.2 million tosupport water rights acquisitions; a three-year demonstration water leasing pro-gram; additional research; and variousconservation and stewardship activitiesto assist in restoring Walker Lake.

The total grant amount includes approximately $50 million previously au-thorized by Congress for water rightsacquisitions that will be reprogrammedto NFWF from the Nevada System of Higher Education’s (NSHE) current grantwith Reclamation. In addition, PL 111-

85 authorizes $66.2 million to NFWF, of which $25 million is for additional wa-ter rights acquisitions, $25 million for ademonstration water leasing programto be undertaken by the Walker River Irrigation District (WRID), $5 million for additional research and program evalua-tion by the University of Nevada, Reno(UNR) and Desert Research Institute(DRI), $10 million for related conserva-tion and stewardship activities, $1 mil-lion for various administrative and legalcosts associated with the water acquisi-tion and leasing programs, and $200,000is for alternative agriculture.

In conjunction with approval of thegrant from Reclamation, NSHE trans-

ferred to NFWF all 10 options to pur-chase water that they had been previouslynegotiated with willing sellers in the ba-sin. NFWF now has the lead responsibil-ity in negotiating final purchase and saleagreements for all options exercised witheach willing seller, and for entering intoany new agreements with willing sellersgoing forward.New office and staff

NFWF opened a Nevada-based of-fice in November, 2009. The office islocated at the Desert Research Institute(DRI) campus in Reno, Nev. Joy Giffinhas been hired as the local program man-ager for the Walker Basin RestorationProgram. Giffin can be reached at (775)673-7481, or by e-mail at [email protected].

David Yardas has been hired asSenior Advisor to NFWF’s WesternWater Programs and is serving as InterimDirector of the Walker Basin RestorationProgram. Yardas has been involved in thedevelopment of water acquisition pro-grams and related issues in the West for the past 25 years, and has been workingon Walker Basin issues for the last five .A long-time resident of Truckee, Calif.,Yardas is currently based in Washington,D.C. He can be reached at (202) 595-2472, or by e-mail at [email protected] rights acquisition program

The first (and only) appraisal com-

missioned by NSHE for a water rights op-

For almost a decade, National Fishand Wildlife Foundation (NWFW) has

been developing and administering theColumbia Basin Water Transactions

Program (CBWTP), which is the onlywatershed-based water transactions program in the United States. The purpose of the CBWTP is to supportinnovative, voluntary water transac-tions to improve stream flows in theColumbia Basin, to benefit imperiledfish species. NWFW has developedsignificant capacity and expertise infunding and supporting water trans-action efforts and has emphasized“learning by doing.” Under CBWTPthe staff/consultant team and program

partners have developed significantexperience and knowledge of how toimplement various flow restorationtools, including conserved water proj-ects, leasing, permanent acquisitions

and water banks. NWFW hopes toshare this experience and knowledgewith Walker Basin stakeholders to de-velop a successful program, as well as

build a bridge between basins to support information exchange that can benefit communities in both basins.

For the past 12 years, NFWF has provided both financial and technicalsupport to promote the use of volun-tary water transactions throughoutthe West. In all of these instances,

NWFW’s approach has been to work with willing landowners and other stakeholders to find a balance be-tween the economic interests of prop-erty owners and the environmentalneeds for additional in-stream flows.Finding a similar balance in Walker River Basin will be critical to achiev-ing restoration goals for Walker Lake,

Nev.

tion and purchase agreement with a will-ing seller in the Walker River Basin wascompleted in November, 2009. Following

NFWF’s acceptance of NSHE’s assign-ment of all such option and purchaseagreements in December, 2009, NFWFused the appraisal results and the resultsof completed title research, to negotiatean amended option and purchase agree-ment with the first such willing seller andthen “exercised” that agreement early inJanuary, 2010.

Upon close of escrow on the aboveand future agreements, “checks will becut” and NFWF will acquire title to the

water rights. After NFWF has acquiredtitle, they will file applications with the Nevada State Engineer and other approval authorities to change the point of diversion and the manner, place, and pur-

pose of use of the acquired water rights. NFWF intends to pursue change approv-als as soon as possible after the close of escrow, or perhaps even sooner with sell-ers’ concurrence.

NFWF is evaluating each of the nineremaining options assigned by NSHE,and is developing a strategy to informappropriate next steps for each agree-ment. Chain of title research, fair marketvalue appraisals, and all other necessarydue diligence must be completed before

NFWF can exercise any of these options.Interested water rights sellers should

contact Giffin or Yardas at the contactslisted above. Western Development andStorage is assisting NFWF in negotiationswith interested landowners during the on-going transition from NSHE. NFWF isalso developing criteria to use as guidanceon decision-making for future agreementswith sellers, and to help ensure strategicwater purchases based on factors includ-ing price, location, transferability and ex-

pected environmental benefit.Conservation and stewardship

NFWF is currently developing cri-teria for conservation and stewardship

projects to be funded under PL 111-85.A portion of the $10 million dollars is

expected to be reserved to support soil

conservation and re-vegetation efforts onfallowed land associated with the dem-onstration water leasing and water rightsacquisition programs. NFWF will investa portion of the remaining conservationand stewardship funding through a re-quest for proposal (RFP) that will be ini-tiated this spring. The RFP will outlinefunding priorities and other applicableeligibility requirements and conditions.The deadline for applications is antici-

pated to be in early- to mid-summer. NFWF plans on convening the first

Advisory Council meeting (see below) prior to issuing the RFP, allowing for

local input into the funding priorities.Priority will be given to those projectsthat conserve water use within the basinor otherwise facilitate delivery of water to Walker Lake. Examples of potential

projects that might be considered include pilot-scale alternative crop productionthat facilitates water transfers, tamarisk eradication efforts, and water manage-ment improvements and monitoring.Additional research

PL 111-85 provides additional re-search funds for the University of

Nevada, Reno (UNR) and the DesertResearch Institute (DRI). These fundswill be administered through NFWF, anda portion of the funds will be used for ad-ditional alternative agriculture research.

NFWF has been meeting with research-ers at UNR and DRI to review previousresearch results and preliminary propos-als in hopes that additional research will

provide NFWF with information thatwill help with the implementation of wa-ter acquisition efforts.

PL 111-85 also provides $200,000 tosupport on-the-ground alternative agri-culture efforts. This funding has not beenobligated at this time, but will likely beadministered in conjunction with theconservation and stewardship funding.Demonstration water leasing program

NFWF is continuing discussions withWalker River Irrigation District (WRID)on terms and conditions of a grant agree-

ment to provide funding for WRID to

administer and implement its demonstrtion water leasing program in accordanwith PL 111-85. Over the past severmonths, focus has been on ensuring thwater lease prices will be “reasonable anappropriate” relative to appraised markvalues under the acquisition program.Technical advisory group meeting an

establishment of Advisory Council NFWF held the first technical adv

sory group meeting in January. The tecnical advisory group consists of variouentities involved in the technical aspecof water management and measuremein the Basin, and included representtion by the University of Nevada, RenDRI; Walker River Paiute Tribe; thfederal Water Master’s office; WRIDU.S. Geological Services; and U.S. Fiand Wildlife Service. The Nevada StaEngineer’s office was invited but unabto attend. The first meeting focused oa detailed show-and-tell of the DecisioSupport Tool (DST) developed througDRI to model water flows in the basi

The meeting was interactive, and partic pants were able to ask questions regaring the capability of the model througout the demonstration. Over time, thtechnical advisory group will work develop protocols for monitoring flowfor the demonstration water leasing anwater rights acquisition programs. It anticipated that the group will play a roin developing technical criteria to guid

both programs. NFWF intends to establish a Walk

Basin Advisory Council within the nefew months. The Advisory Council w

provide guidance to NFWF on the overaWalker Basin Restoration Program, wiinitial focus on conservation and stew

ardship funding. NFWF intends for thAdvisory Council to be primarily com posed of local representatives. NFWhopes to begin reaching out to local etities for representation on the AdvisoCouncil soon. NFWF anticipates thsome of the representatives on the techncal advisory group will also be invited

be part of the Advisory Council and ththe technical advisory group will play aimportant role in informing the AdvisoCouncil on technical aspects of the watacquisition and leasing programs.University solar pond research

NFWF is aware of the solar desalintion research by UNR researchers but hnot had any discussion with the researcers about possible funding for the projec

NFWF plans to explore these efforts, understand if they may be a practical slution to reduce salinity in Walker Lak

NFWF has reviewed previous analysof more conventional desalination metods that raised concerns regarding captal and operating costs, energy use, brinwaste disposal, and ecological needs animpacts, among other issues.

NFWF believes that long-term sucess of the Walker Basin RestoratioProgram will depend on pursuing mandifferent approaches to reversing WalkLake’s decline, and solar desalinatiomay be one of those approaches, particlarly as a compliment to the partial retoration of flows through many types

water acquisition over time.

Foundation got its feet wet in Columbia Basin

walker lake

Non-profit to implement Walker Basin Restoration project




courtesy Nevada Department of Wildlife

Jeffrey Klinefelter of Indiana is the winner of the 2010 Nevada Duck Stamp ArtContest for his painting of a pair of northern shovelers. The artwork will appear on the Nevada Duck Stamp and is required to be purchased by anyone whohunts migratory birds in Nevada.

Aaron Meier Nevada Department of Wildlife

After winning more than 60 wildlifestamp art contests, Jeffrey Klinefelter isstill not used to winning.

“I am always surprised when I win,”said Klinefelter after being notified his en-try had been selected as the winner of the2010 Nevada Duck Stamp Art Contest.“These contests always have a lot of toughcompetition every year. There are timeswhen I don’t even place, so it’s alwaysvery exciting when you win one.”

The win marks the fourth time theIndiana artist has claimed the Nevada

Duck Stamp contest with wins in 1996,2001 and 2006. He also won the NevadaTrout Stamp art contest in 2002.

The contest was sponsored by the Nevada Waterfowl Association andsanctioned by Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW). This year, there were33 entries to the contest from 22 statesincluding four entries from Nevada. Allof the winning entries can be viewed onthe NDOW Web site at www.ndow.org/wild/stamp/.

The winning entry in the annual artcontest was selected by a panel of seven

judges including two wildlife commis-

sioners. Klinefelter’s painting of twonorthern shovelers near a patch of reedswill now grace Nevada’s 2010-2011State Duck Stamp.

The subject of this year’s contestwas the northern shoveler. Sometimesknown simply as a “shoveler” or “spoon-ie,” the northern shoveler is a commonand widespread duck. The species is un-mistakable in the northern hemispheredue to its long, spoon-shaped bill.

Klinefelter recently won theCalifornia Duck Stamp contest as well,which also featured the northern shovel-er. He reports that the species has been a

good one for him with wins in Coloradoand Indiana as well. “It is a very color-ful bird, especially the drake,” he said.“It just seems to work out for me.”

The Nevada Duck Stamp sells for $10 and is required to be purchased byany person who hunts migratory birdsin Nevada. Stamps can also be pur-chased by collectors and the general

public to support Nevada wildlife andhabitat conservation efforts. A limitednumber of prints may also be issued,and are available for fundraising for wildlife-related and other conservationorganizations.

by Mark WarrenTruckee River Flyfishers

Every year about this time, I gothrough all my stuff – sorting, clean-ing and discarding – well, not too muchdiscarding. I also make a rough planfor fishing for the year. From talkingwith other anglers, reading and my own

personal knowledge, I develop a list of waters to fish in 2010 divided into quar-ters (Jan./Feb./March, April/May/June,July/Aug./Sept., Oct./Nov./Dec.)

We anglers are fortunate to havea lake such as Pyramid just 30 miles

away. With its fall/winter/spring fishingit gives one someplace to go when allelse is either frozen or too cold to fish.

Many an angler in Montana andWyoming store their fly fishing equip-ment in the fall and only dream aboutfishing throughout the long cold win-ters.

Following Pyramid, I list HinksonSlough, which opens the second Saturdayin February. Hinkson, which receives55-degree F water as discharge fromthe Mason Valley Hatchery, should pro-duce some nice fat rainbows that carriedover from last year. Following Hinkson,comes Squaw Valley Reservoir north of Gerlach. Again, warm water springs at

the north end make for good early sea-

son fishing. Don’t forget the Outdoor Expo in Sacramento Jan. 21-24 or theFly Fishing Show in Pleasanton, Calif.,Feb. 26, 27 and 28.

Later in the spring comes BillyShaw (Indian Reservation by MountainCity, Nev., north of Elko), Indian Creek Reservoir, South Fork Reservoir, DavisLake, Webber Reservoir and FrenchmanLake interspersed with Pyramid. I usu-ally fish the reservoirs through June,then on to the rivers in July and August(Truckee & Walker), with maybe a dayoff to fish for carp with Mike Sevon inIndian Lakes near Fallon.

Fall finds me back on the reservoirs:Heenan Lake, Davis, Frenchman, EagleLake, Pyramid (Oct. 1) and the famousfall trip to the Elko area. WildhorseReservoir has really been coming onthe last couple of years and should pro-duce some nice rainbows in the 20-inchsize range this fall.

I might also try and work out a tripto Lee’s Fairy on the Colorado River and Iowa Canyon (private water near Austin, Nev.)

So get on your computer and makeyour own f ishing list for 2010.

Mark Warren is the Chief of Fisheries for Nevada Department of Wildlife and is on the board of directors

for Truckee River Flyfishers.

Good plan keeps angler fishing all year

WaterfowlAssociationselects 2010Duck Stamp

Truckee River Flyfishers

Kevin Peterson of Mammoth Lakes,Calif., will present on Fly Fishingthe Eastern Slope of the Sierras fromBridgeport to Bishop at the Truckee River Flyfishers’ Annual Banquet on March 6,in Reno.

Peterson has been guiding the watersof the Eastern Sierra for more than 20years. He is the former co-owner of TheTrout Fly and The Trout Fitter.

As an FFF certified casting instruc-tor, Peterson can teach beginners or eventeach that old dog a new trick or two.He guided for Clearwater House on HatCreek in northern California for six yearsand has been featured on four episodes of Inside Sportfishing on Fox as well as threeepisodes of “Familiar Waters” with MikePawlawski on the Outdoor Channel.

When and Where – March 6th at theAirport Plaza in Reno. No host cocktailsstart at 5:30 p.m.

Tickets – Tickets available at theReno Fly Shop, Orvis or Truckee River Flyfishers general meetings and clubevents. Tickets cost between $35 to $45.

Raffle – The main raffle item will bea 4-hour guided trip with Arlo Townsend on the Truckee River or Pyramid Lake.

See www. truckeeriverflyfishers.org

for more information.

Tickets on sale for flyfishers banquet

fishing

Heritage Fund from page 1

The Wildlife Commission approvthree predator management projec

bypassing the Nevada Departmof Wildlife (NDOW) and permittinWildlife Services to contract directly witwo nonprofit organizations. The propnents of these projects, presumably prvate groups, provide no biological docmentation of the need for these projecoffer no plan of operation, and reque

no funds for oversight and evaluatioOther than paying the bill, NDOW wnot be party to the predator eradicatio

program. My question is: Can WildlServices contract with private groups kill predators presumably on behalf wildlife, particularly those listed as gamand furbearers on public land?

1. Sage grouse enhancement projeArea 6 and 7

2. Mule deer enhancement projeArea 6

3. Mule deer enhancement projeWildlife Services being free to contrthroughout the state.

Total for the three projects is $212,00and the source of funding is the Herita

Trust Fund account. This is a legislativecreated program, the funds are public moies. Should the three projects proceed; thcommission is likely to tap the same funfor other privatized contracts.

Nevada BLM 2009 Wildlife DamaManagement Annual Work Plan statthat Nevada (Department) of Wildlife the state’s entity that has wildlife maagement authority for resident wildlifand it is NDOW who makes the decisiofor the management of these resident spcies. I presume that most of the predatmanagement will be conducted on pulic land but not at NDOW’s request. Tcommission rejected Nevada Departmeof Wildlife’s proposed modificatio

and overrode objections of many of thsportsmen groups attending the meetinIn fact, the commission refused to provifunding for evaluation. However, evalution is difficult when no document on tneed for the project is provided.

Wildlife services will be utilizin public funds on public land and targetin public wildlife on behalf of two privaorganizations in effect, Wildlife Servicin the two private organizations are frto kill their targets species anywhere anreport such information as they choose

County Wildlife Advisory Boarare making resolutions against these pr

posals, and many individuals are speaing out against them. But this commi

sion has been developing a reputatiofor ignoring the recommendations of thAdvisory Boards and the public. Onegregious example is the August commission meeting in Elko; the agenda wamended at the beginning of the meetinto arrange for the reelection of ChairmLent, before public input and recommedations of County Advisory Boards.

Situations like this remind me of hodictators stay in power. South AmericaHugo Chavez is creative in finding wato silence dissension. In Nevada, theis a movement to eliminate CounAdvisory Boards.

Special thanks to Danny Riddle Nevada Wildlife Federation and T Nappe of Sierra Club for their with thissue.

2010 winter nevada wildlife newsletter

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