Mason Valley goose hunt applications available

Applications for the popular Mason Valley Wildlife Management Area controlled goose hunt are now available and can be picked up at local Nevada Department of Wildlife offices, or on the department's Web site at ndow.org/hunt/apps/.

All entries must be received via a postal service at 1100 Valley Road before 5 p.m. Oct. 13.

A public drawing will be administered at the Valley Road Office, at 10 a.m. on Oct. 27. The results will be posted on the department's Web site and all party leaders will receive a letter indicating if they were successful or unsuccessful in the drawing. The state received 150 applications for the hunt last year.

The hunt itself will be conducted on 10 consecutive Saturdays beginning Nov.27 and ending on Jan. 29, 2011. In addition, two Wednesdays (Dec. 8 and Dec. 15) will be included in this year's hunt. A total of eight blind locations will be available, each of which will accommodate a maximum of four hunters. No more than 32 hunters will be allowed to hunt in the controlled goose hunt zone on any single day.

Additional goose hunting opportunities are available in established agricultural fields and also in the many ponds on the area.

"Generally speaking, goose hunting on the area's ponds is often overlooked and that's unfortunate because goose hunting there can be very good at times," said Wildlife Management Area Supervisor Pat Kelly. "Most hunters enjoy the fact that they have a particular field all to themselves and don't have to worry about dealing with other hunters for that day. Five years ago, the decision was made to designate two of the available hunt days to family hunt days (Dec. 11 and Dec. 18) in an effort to encourage families to get out and hunt together. That, too, has generated positive responses from those participating."

The 15,840-acre Mason Valley Wildlife Management Area is located in Lyon County just north of Yerington.