Hunting: Small game harvest questionaire on the way

If you hunted small game or waterfowl in Nevada during the 2008 - 09 season you have probably received a Nevada Department of Wildlife 2008 - 09 Small Game Harvest Questionnaire in the mail. Don't throw it away.

The Questionnaire is a way for the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) to collect small game harvest and hunter effort data. NDOW biologists use this data to analyze trends, determine species abundance and to develop and evaluate management actions.

"We recently changed our Questionnaire to ask more questions in order to yield more precise data," said Dr. Mark Atkinson, Game Division chief.

NDOW is now making the effort to track ruffed grouse and mountain quail harvest. NDOW is also measuring harvest of uncommon pygmy rabbits and moorhens, and asking for specific hunting locales from waterfowl hunters.

"NDOW strives to share our analysis with the small game hunter," Atkinson said. "Each year we produce our status report which is filled with information that sportsmen will value. This publication is available at our website www.ndow.org in the late summer and we encourage you to take a look."

Hunters are asked to return the Questionnaire as soon as possible to reduce the number of reminders sent by NDOW, thus saving valuable sportsmen's dollars.

Included with the Questionnaire is the pocket-size Nevada Hunter's Journal.

NDOW encourages sportsmen to take this recording diary out into the field with them to log and track conditions, and record harvest information. It is also a great

memento to keep over the years to reflect on and remember your past hunting trips.

The Nevada Hunter's Journal was made possible by sponsors such as the Carson Valley Chukar Club, Wildlife and Habitat Improvement of Nevada, Nevada Chukar Foundation, Nevada Bighorns Unlimited - Reno and many others.