Nevada Deer News
 Deer making their presence known at Mount Charleston May 10, 2013 Nevada, KSNV ... One big change here the past couple of years, is fire remediation efforts in places like Trail Canyon here. A lot of the smaller trees and underbrush has been cleared away to provide less fuel. That also allows some of these grasses to grow in greater abundance, which makes for pretty good grazing, if you're a deer.The deer go where the eating is good. For the moment, that's low in the canyon... County criticizes proposed coyote study May 2, 2013 Nevada, Elko Free Press ... Commissioners said a proposed study estimated to cost $100,000 would be funded with tag fee money... County leaders are worried that money collected by the Nevada Department of Wildlife will be wasted studying coyotes, instead of spent on shooting the animals... Dining on roadkill becoming legal in more states, not Nevada April 24, 2013, Reno Gazette Journal (blog) ... Montana has become the latest state to legalize the salvaging and eating of road-killed animals.... Wyoming's Legislature wanted to pass a similar bill this session but ran out of time ... Nevada has no law specifically about roadkill but the Nevada Department of Wildlife says that you could face poaching charges if you try to salvage roadkill here... ... An effort to prohibit the feeding of all wild animals except birds — SB371 sponsored by Sen. Ben Kieckhefer, R-Reno — was altered to only prohibit the intentional feeding intended to attract big game mammals like deer ... ... The cow elk population grew about 10 percent since 2010 and has more than doubled since 2003, according to a NDOW press release... they observed 44 calves per 100 adult cows, which indicates elk herds are in a growth mode ... Wildlife debate should focus on the source April 12, 2013 Nevada, Elko Daily Free Press ... I have not done any scientific studies so I can only base my opinions on living and recreating in this area for over 40 years. There are fewer deer, fewer livestock and fewer sage grouse, and more ravens and crows and bigger wildfires without any more lightning strikes ... I may not be a scientist but I can sure see the damage a large wildfire does to habitat, probably more damaging than anything else.... Wildlife debate should focus on the source April 12, 2013 Nevada, Elko Daily Free Press ... I have not done any scientific studies so I can only base my opinions on living and recreating in this area for over 40 years. There are fewer deer, fewer livestock and fewer sage grouse, and more ravens and crows and bigger wildfires without any more lightning strikes ... I may not be a scientist but I can sure see the damage a large wildfire does to habitat, probably more damaging than anything else.... ... one basic biological fact about wildlife: With rare exceptions, the availability of prey species determines predator numbers, not the other way round. Predators are killed in high numbers in Nevada. Since 2000, over 100,000 coyotes have been killed, close to 2,500 mountain lions as well, and more than 20,000 ravens have been poisoned... Mule deer numbers, statewide, are stable at 110,000 for a decade... Commissioner misses mark on predator control April 5, 2013 Nevada, Elko Daily Free Press ... When fur prices were high for coyotes in the early ’80s a lot of coyotes were taken and their pelts sold... And what about the mule deer? Record high numbers were taken in the late 1980s and the best year was in 1988. All of those fawns that were not being had for lunch in 1983 were four-point bucks in 1988... Biologist named new Nevada wildlife director April 4, 2013 San Jose Mercury News ... Tony Wasley ... A member of The Wildlife Society, Nevada Bighorns Unlimited and Ducks Unlimited, his research specialties include changes in historic migration patterns of mule deer ... A longtime wildlife biologist for the Nevada Department of Wildlife ... True insanity: Predator control March 30, 2013 Nevada, Elko Daily Free Press, Michael K. McBeath, Wildlife Commisioner ... One need only analyze the results of Project 18 to see the ineffective results of a predator control project, the purpose of which was to increase a mule deer population. Project 18, initiated in 2004 in Unit 014 in the Granite Range of Northern Washoe County, has been responsible for removing 46 mountain lions and 1,158 coyotes over a nine-year period. Sportsmen have spent a combined $708,213 of $3 predator fees and Heritage dollars towards Project 18. An analysis of spring fawn/adult deer ratios in Unit 014 compared to fawn/adult deer ratios in the surrounding Units of 011-013, 015, and 033 where no predator control projects occurred, show no significant difference! ... Driver Beware Elk, Deer Migrating Across Roads March 22, 2013 Coyote TV ... In a recent five year span, there were nearly 2,500 reported vehicle-animal collisions across Nevada, including approximately 1,300 involving deer. Research estimates that more than 50 percent of such collisions go unreported, pointing to a potentially higher number of animal-related incidents... Money for Mule Deer:Local foundation chapter earns President's Award March 16, 2013, Nevada, Elko Daily Free Press .., the Great Basin Chapter of the Mule Deer Foundation ...the chapter was presented with the award at the national convention in Salt Lake City... The award goes to the chapter that earns the highest net at its annual banquet. The 2012 banquet raised more than $78,000 in Elko ... Wildlife groups, mines help rehab NV wildfires February 24, 2013 Nevada, San Francisco Chronicle ... The Nevada Mulleys, a Winnemucca-based nonprofit dedicated to the conservation of mule deer habitat, is focusing on the aftermath of a fire that burned more than 600 square miles right along the Nevada-Oregon line north of Winnemucca ... At Sandoval's behest, Nevada wildlife director resigns January 30, 2013 Las Vegas Sun The director of the Nevada Department of Wildlife resigned abruptly Wednesday at the request of Gov. Brian Sandoval following months of pressure from representatives in rural Nevada over deer management ... Former Nevada Assemblyman John Carpenter ... complained the wildlife agency was spending too much money on "questionable studies" rather than for "ground predator management." ... Nevada wildlife director resigns January 30, 2013 Nevada, Reno Gazette-Journal | rgj.com ... Mayer’s departure comes two years after his reinstatement to job after he was fired by former Gov. Jim Gibbons ... Mayer’s battles with Gibbons involved Mayer’s disputes with the Nevada Wildlife Commission, a nine-member policy-making board of governor appointees. The commission under Gibbons was often at odds with Mayer, and emphasized predator control and the killing of coyotes and mountain lions as key to restoring Nevada’s deer herds... More misinformation by NDOW chief January 12, 2013 Nevada, Elko Daily Free Press, Dr. Gerald A. Lent As a former chairman of the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners ... Director Mayer also claims predation control has not produced any significant increases in deer numbers. Once again, he is being disingenuous as NDOW’s own 2010-11 Big Game Status Book indicates that one area in Nevada showed a 65 percent increase in mule deer since a predator control program was implemented in 2004 and surrounding areas with no predator control programs showed remarkable decreases in mule deer populations. BLM OKs massive Nevada pipeline project January 1, 2012 Nevada, Summit County Citizens Voice ... a 250-mile pipeline project designed to drain central Nevada aquifers and deliver water to Las Vegas... The BLM’s environmental study for the project discloses that more than 137,000 acres of wildlife habitat would be permanently destroyed or changed ... [according to] Rob Mrowka, a Nevada-based ecologist with the Center for Biological Diversity ... the loss of water will result in declines of species like mule deer, Rocky Mountain elk, sage grouse and Bonneville cutthroat trout. Mule Deer Management, The Conservative Corner: Open letter to Nevada wildlife director December 7, 2012 Nevada, Elko Daily Free Press, Cliff and Bertha Gardner ... we demand that officials working for the Nevada Department of Wildlife make data available showing the total number of mule deer buck tags which were issued within the State of Nevada for each year, beginning in 1945 through 2010 ... For too long now, such data has been hidden from the public. It’s time we know the truth. Response to commentary on NDOW, deer herds November 23, 2012 Nevada, Elko Daily Free Press ... there are often “lag periods” where the ultimate effect of a drought or above normal precipitation might not be realized for a couple of years. For example, we observed increased fawn production and survival as a result of the wet winters and hence favorable habitat conditions in 2009 and 2010. During this “lag period,” we observed good deer survival in 2011 because deer entered the mild winter (drought) in good condition from the prior wet years but are then significantly at risk of death this winter (2012), either from a heavy winter, if it occurs, or continued drought conditions because of their declining body condition resulting from the dry 2011 winter and 2012 spring ... Nevada's deer herds misrepresented November 13, 2012 Elko Daily Free Press, Gene Perry ... Nevada Department of Wildlife Director Ken Mayer said ... “Deer are increasing.” ... There are no deer! ... I have lived in Nevada since 1953 and hunted deer since 1962 ...Someone in NDOW needs to start telling the truth about the deer herds in our state... Five Northern Nevada men convicted of poaching in Idaho November 13, 2012 Sparks Today ... Two Reno men and three Carson City men were among seven poachers who were issued citations and warnings in Idaho...Scott Seidenstricker, 55, of Reno... Andrew Havens, 32, of Reno ... Brian Redican, 44, of Carson City ... Carl Keller, 71, of Carson City ... Eric Keller, 43, of Carson City ... NDOW: Agency of deception November 9, 2012 Nevada, Elko Daily Free Press ... Director Mayer says the “mule deer population is stable and increasing.” Nothing could be further from the truth. A three-year study of Nevada’s mule deer by two Ph.D.’s will be released next month. Using the data furnished by NDOW, the study states “To say the least, scientists are deeply concerned about the future prospects of sustainable mule deer populations under current trends and policies.” ... Nevada deer management policies in the crosshairs October 31, 2012 NECN ... a further signal of change came with Sandoval's appointment of Karen Summers Layne — president of the Las Vegas Humane Society — as the newest member of the wildlife panel.... the new wildlife commission OK'd a 66 percent increase in the number of mule deer tags issued to Nevada and out-of-state hunters in 2012 ... "We're overharvesting," insists Scott Raine, the wildlife commission's former chairman ... Hunters, wildlife officials lock horns over whether Nevada mule deer are over-harvested October 27, 2012 RGJ.com ... “It’s a passionate thing,” Ken Mayer, director of the Nevada Department of Wildlife, said of an issue that had him fired by former Gov. Jim Gibbons in 2010 ... Mayer was rehired as director ... Biologists estimated the number of mule deer in Nevada to be 112,000, up from 109,000 last year... The number of bucks ... was put at 35,000... “We’re overharvesting,” insists Scott Raine, the wildlife commission’s former chairman ... Raine insists the modeling used to estimate Nevada’s mule deer population is based on false assumptions or conjecture and that the numbers are far lower than cited. “They’re just wild guesses,” he said. Drivers urged to use caution during wildlife migration October 27, 2012 Nevada, Elko Daily Free Press “Fall deer migration in northeastern Nevada usually continues through November, depending on weather,” Nevada Department of Wildlife Public Information Officer Joe Doucette said. “Deer often cross Interstate 80 and U.S. 93 in the northeastern part of the state ... Humane Society president placed on Nevada wildlife board October 25, 2012 Las Vegas Review - Journal ... Karen Summers Layne is president of the Las Vegas Valley Humane Society. She was appointed to the nine-member policy board by Gov. Brian Sandoval on Oct. 3... "The wildlife issues we face today are not like those faced by our predecessors," Robb said. "The commission needs a diversity of perspectives to help address the unique and complex wildlife issues in Nevada." Decided to go home and eat 'tag soup' October 13, 2012 Nevada, Elko Daily Free Press, Gary Carver ... I am born and raised in Nevada, served 10 years on the Elko County Game Board, hunted every year since I was 10 and had a tag ... Back in 1988 the Department of Wildlife doubled the tags and we were in Area 17 sitting where we could see a large area and it sounded like a war in that canyon. Our deer herd has never recovered from that hunting season ... to the people who put through doubling our tags this year... it will be years and years until our game comes back ... First day of deer season was a slaughter October 12, 2012 Nevada, Elko Daily Free Press ... Thanks for ruining our deer herds and roads by sending out so many deer tags at once. With more than doubling the amount of deer tags given this year ... It was nonstop shooting for two hours, then the same the next day... We know it’s not about the herds and roads, it’s about the money... Urban Deer Found with Arrow in Side October 7, 2012 Nevada, Nevada Appeal, Karen Pavlakis ... there was a large buck with an impressive rack of antlers sitting under my deck... I called the Nevada Department of Wildlife, and Game Warden Jake Kreamer ... He thought he knew which buck this was, and he asked whether the buck had an arrow sticking out of him. The game warden shined his flashlight on the buck and showed me the arrow sticking out of his left shoulder. The game warden said he had been trying to find this particular animal for a week. He told me the buck had been shot with an arrow in the residential area of Ash Canyon Road. The “hunter” chased him onto private property ... but lost the trail.... * | Search by keyword above or find links to state news stories organized by topic.
Data: Nevada had an estimated population of 112,000 in 2012 with about 35, 000 bucks. The total population estimate is up from 109,000 in 2011, and up from 107,000 in 2010; but down from a record high of 240,000 in 1988. An estimated economic impact of $130 million annually. Other useful links: - Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources - Nevada Division of Environmental Protection - NevadaMuleys.com Helping Preserve Mule Deer Lands and Habitats. - Nevada Department of Wildlife Goal of Nevada's Wildife Action Plan: Healthy, self sustaining wildlife populations in healthy plant communities on stable soils; Joshua tree overstory with mature stands exhibiting structural complexity, potential for cavities, and appropriately long fire return interval that does not inhibit Joshua tree regeneration, with vigorous shrub component consisting of the full range of species within range site potential; vigorous, diverse self-sustaining understory of grasses and forbs. Mule Deer Management Mission Statement: To conserve and improve mule deer habitat and minimize factors limiting healthy mule deer populations Current status of ungulates in sagebrush systems and - USGS (this link will open a large pdf file containing a graphical history of mule deer populations are related issues) History of Mule Deer Population Dynamics in Nevada |
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