bow hunter
New member
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2009
- Messages
- 199
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has been focusing on the growing need to manage and control predators. Across the country, wolf, bear, lion and coyote populations are well above science-based objectives in many areas. Bears have long particularly been a problem in the Tahoe Basin and along the front range of the Sierra Nevada. Recently, the Nevada Department of Wildlife instituted a limited bear hunt in northwestern Nevada as a management tool to begin a more active management process on this large and healthy bear population of bears.
When the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners meets this weekend (March 23rd & 24th), they will discuss adding hunt area restrictions to the bear hunt. These restrictions were proposed to mollify bear hunt opponents who are trying to panic Lake Tahoe residents with scary stories of hunters in their backyards. In reality, any further restrictions are unnecessary and counterproductive.
There are city and county shooting ordinances, which exclude hunting with a rifle, shotgun or bow in the populated and congested areas of the Tahoe Basin . These ordinances are more than sufficient to protect the property and personal safety of residents and visitors to the area. The cities and counties of Nevada are responsible for these shooting ordinances. So, the wildlife commission has no business dabbling in more restrictions. And, the facts clearly discredit Tahoe bear hunt opponents’ description of Nevada ’s hunters as unsafe and irresponsible. Nevada ’s hunters have more safety training and are more regulated than other outdoor recreationists, which produces a sterling record of safety and good citizenship. In addition, Nevada bear hunters are required to participate in safety and bear identification training, specifically for hunting in the Tahoe Basin and along the eastern Sierra. This training came at the insistence of the hunting/conservation community. Nevadans have been hunting grouse and deer in the Tahoe for decades, without incident. During the recent bear hunt, there were so few hunters, scattered over such a large area, that they were barely even noticed. So, there is absolutely no need to close-off any more of the Tahoe Basin or the east range of the Sierra to hunters, just because they’re hunting bears.
More than 98% of funding for the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) comes from Nevada ’s hunters, anglers and trappers. The agency’s laws and regulations provide opportunities for these sportsmen and regulate their activities. Nevada ’s hunters donate thousands of hours of their time and hundreds of thousands of dollars toward their wildlife stewardship. So, NDOW’s wildlife management programs aren’t subject to public caprice, like so many other state agencies. NDOW and its commission are mandated by law to set all seasons and regulations, based on sound science, accurate data and solid experience. NDOW has all of this at their disposal for all game species, including bears.
The current wildlife commission is a solid, level-headed bunch. They are considering what the public wants and weighing it against their mandate to manage wildlife for the benefit of Nevada ’s sportsmen and all Nevadans. The recent bear hunt gives NDOW another tool to manage bears and another opportunity for Nevada ’s hunters. With one safe and successful bear hunt under its belt, NDOW is obligated to see things through. Just because a small cluster of people at Lake Tahoe aren’t happy with the idea of people hunting “their bears,” doesn’t mean that the wildlife commission should chip away at the bear hunt until the whole thing is gone.
Please take some time this week to contact your local county advisory board (contact information http://www.ndow.org/learn/cab/) and members of the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners (contact information http://www.ndow.org/learn/com/members/index.shtm) and let them know that you support Nevada's bear hunt without any additional restrictions (Alternative #1).
When the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners meets this weekend (March 23rd & 24th), they will discuss adding hunt area restrictions to the bear hunt. These restrictions were proposed to mollify bear hunt opponents who are trying to panic Lake Tahoe residents with scary stories of hunters in their backyards. In reality, any further restrictions are unnecessary and counterproductive.
There are city and county shooting ordinances, which exclude hunting with a rifle, shotgun or bow in the populated and congested areas of the Tahoe Basin . These ordinances are more than sufficient to protect the property and personal safety of residents and visitors to the area. The cities and counties of Nevada are responsible for these shooting ordinances. So, the wildlife commission has no business dabbling in more restrictions. And, the facts clearly discredit Tahoe bear hunt opponents’ description of Nevada ’s hunters as unsafe and irresponsible. Nevada ’s hunters have more safety training and are more regulated than other outdoor recreationists, which produces a sterling record of safety and good citizenship. In addition, Nevada bear hunters are required to participate in safety and bear identification training, specifically for hunting in the Tahoe Basin and along the eastern Sierra. This training came at the insistence of the hunting/conservation community. Nevadans have been hunting grouse and deer in the Tahoe for decades, without incident. During the recent bear hunt, there were so few hunters, scattered over such a large area, that they were barely even noticed. So, there is absolutely no need to close-off any more of the Tahoe Basin or the east range of the Sierra to hunters, just because they’re hunting bears.
More than 98% of funding for the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) comes from Nevada ’s hunters, anglers and trappers. The agency’s laws and regulations provide opportunities for these sportsmen and regulate their activities. Nevada ’s hunters donate thousands of hours of their time and hundreds of thousands of dollars toward their wildlife stewardship. So, NDOW’s wildlife management programs aren’t subject to public caprice, like so many other state agencies. NDOW and its commission are mandated by law to set all seasons and regulations, based on sound science, accurate data and solid experience. NDOW has all of this at their disposal for all game species, including bears.
The current wildlife commission is a solid, level-headed bunch. They are considering what the public wants and weighing it against their mandate to manage wildlife for the benefit of Nevada ’s sportsmen and all Nevadans. The recent bear hunt gives NDOW another tool to manage bears and another opportunity for Nevada ’s hunters. With one safe and successful bear hunt under its belt, NDOW is obligated to see things through. Just because a small cluster of people at Lake Tahoe aren’t happy with the idea of people hunting “their bears,” doesn’t mean that the wildlife commission should chip away at the bear hunt until the whole thing is gone.
Please take some time this week to contact your local county advisory board (contact information http://www.ndow.org/learn/cab/) and members of the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners (contact information http://www.ndow.org/learn/com/members/index.shtm) and let them know that you support Nevada's bear hunt without any additional restrictions (Alternative #1).
