Wildlife Commission to meet in Las Vegas

By Don Quilici

According to a press release by the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW), the setting of 2005-06 and 2006-07 big game hunting seasons and wild horse management will be discussed by the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners during a meeting at the Clark County Government Center, 500 Grand Central Parkway, in Las Vegas on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 4-5.

Friday agenDA

The meeting will begin at 10 a.m. with commissioners considering the approval of correspondence to the Secretary of the Interior and Nevada's congressional delegation regarding the Bureau of Land Management's authority for the sale of wild horses.

The commission also will consider potential litigation regarding wild horse and burro management.

Other items on Friday's agenda include reports on proposed legislation during the 2005 Nevada Legislative Session, litigation involving the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW), the Governor's Sage Grouse Team and elk and deer species management plans.

There also will be reports on the Overton Wildlife Management Area, the Big Game Damage Compensation Program and an update from Terry Crawforth, the director of NDOW.

Saturday agenda

Commissioners will meet at 8 a.m. to set the 2005 and 2006 seasons and regulations for the take of raptors for falconry and noncommercial collection of reptiles.

Commissioners also are scheduled to discuss repealing a provision that permits the sale of non-edible parts of wildlife that have been legally taken.

Other items include the setting of big game hunting season dates for 2005-06 and 2006-07 and Heritage Tag hunting dates and regulations for 2005 and 2006.

They also will hear petitions on the use of crossbows by hunters with physical disabilities, use of rifled choke tubes and rifled barrels in shotguns for big game hunting and a request to require permission from clients to give out personal applicant information.

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

For information, call the Nevada Department of Wildlife at 688-1500.