Non-Resident hunting tags on wildlife meeting agenda

By Don Quilici

According to a recent press release by the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW), the Nevada State Board of Wildlife Commissioners will discuss litigation brought against the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners over nonresident big game tags during a Dec. 17-18 meeting.

That two-day meeting will be held at the Moapa Valley Community Center, 320 North Moapa Valley Boulevard in Overton in Southern Nevada.

The meeting begins on Friday, Dec. 17, at 1 p.m. with commissioners reviewing and giving input into the Nevada Department of Wildlife's (NDOW) proposed budgets for fiscal years 2006 and 2007.

Other major items on the opening day's agenda are the hearing of a report from the commission's Legislative Committee regarding proposed legislation and review of a $21,000 elk depredation damage claim filed by a landowner in Lincoln County.

Commissioners will hear reports that day about elk sub-plans for Lincoln and White Pine counties, the Governor's Sage Grouse Team, the mule deer species policy plan and an update on the Nevada Wildlife Data System.

There will also be a report from NDOW Director Terry Crawforth.

On Saturday, Dec. 18, commissioners will meet at 10 a.m. with the major agenda item being discussion and possible action relating to a lawsuit filed against the commission and Crawforth by a New Mexico outfitter claiming that the Nevada big game tag quota system discriminates against nonresidents.

During the meeting, the commission will hear a report from Nevada's Deputy Attorney General Wayne Howle about the recent litigation.

In response to the litigation, the commission may reinstate or revise its suspended Commission Policy 20, which gives guidelines for the issuance of tags.

In addition, Mike Cox, NDOW staff biologist, will provide the commission with a report on the agency's efforts to gather county advisory board and public input on its development of the big game season setting process. This input will be considered when preparing NDOW's big game recommendations package that will be presented to the commission at its February meeting.

The meeting is open to the public and public comment periods will be held both days.

Copies of the commission agenda may be viewed at NDOW offices or online at website www.ndow.org.

For information, call NDOW at 688-1500 during regular business hours.