1st bear hunting season in Nevada starts Saturday with a protest

RENO - The first bear hunting season in Nevada history began Saturday with a protest and few hunters in the field.

Only six hunters turned out on the opening day of the season and no bears were killed, state Department of Wildlife spokesman Chris Healy said. He said the low turnout wasn't surprising because of hot weather, and wildlife officials expect activity to pick up in the fall when temperatures cool down.

"The guys who want to harvest bears, they want a (bear) hide they can do something with," Healy told The Associated Press. "When it gets cooler, you can get a better hide."

Wardens said bear hunters spread out over a wide area of western Nevada, including in the Carson Range on Lake Tahoe's east shore, where most of the state's 200 to 300 bears are located. Other hunters were reported in the Pine Nut and Sweetwater mountains.

About 40 opponents of the hunt gathered at Tahoe Meadows in the Carson Range for what organizers called a Blessing of the Bears, the Reno Gazette-Journal reported. The group met to say a prayer, blessing the bears and the hunters. They also prayed hunters would have a change of heart.

"I don't want to come from the spirit of anger," said Kat Simmons, event organizer. "I'm not about hating the hunters or being malicious toward them."

Many of the participants earlier waved signs in protest of the hunt while standing along the Mt. Rose Highway for about an hour.

"Now, everybody has made their point and hopefully things can go on without problems," Healy said.

Organizers of NoBearHuntNevada.org on Monday delivered 15,000 petition signatures opposing the hunt to Gov. Brian Sandoval in Carson City. But he declined their request to halt the hunt.

A state district court judge earlier rejected a lawsuit filed by the group to stop the hunt.

NDOW has issued 41 bear hunting tags for the season that runs through the end of December. Regulations allow 20 bears to be killed, and of those, no more than six can be female. The season will close once those limits are met.

Nevada wildlife commissioners approved the hunt last December, despite widespread

opposition.