Friday is the Day for Nevada Big Game Hunters 2018

 

We’ve all been waiting to find out the results of the 2018 Nevada Big Game Draw, and we’ll have draw results when Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) releases the announcement on Friday, May 25th.

 

It seems that every year, life revolves around the draw results.  Whether you’re waiting for the dates in order to get time off from your job, or trying to coordinate a party hunt with your friends, a lot rests on the results of the draw.  Whatever your  results,  keep in mind Nevada’s draw process and tag issuing is more than just a “random” process.

 

NDOW explains that each Nevada Big Game applicant is assigned a random “draw number”, with draw numbers being set up in ascending order and allotted by species in areas with available quotas.  To meet state law guidelines, NDOW utilizes a third party to administer the draw.  According to NDOW, the third party administrator ensures an efficient, precise system for distribution.

 

For many Nevada Big Game hunters, understanding the process is one thing, but the results are the most important thing.  Good luck!

The post Nevada Big Game Draw 2018 first appeared on Nevada Outdoorsman Unlimited.

An opportunity to extend the  Nevada Hunting Season

With cooler weather upon us, now is the time to plan a Nevada waterfowl hunt.  Waterfowl hunting in Nevada is an under-utilized resource, and can be an excellent way to keep your Nevada hunting season active into early 2018.  Waterfowl season officially kicked off in September, and will extend until March 2018.

The past year’s record precipitation has lead to some changes in the Northern Nevada landscape.  According to the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW), water movement from previously affected drought areas has been inconsistent.  Initially, the increased precipitation had to hydrate the dry ground,  which delayed any water pooling affect.  For the first time in years, there is water in the Humboldt sink area, but not the amount anticipated in the Toulon-Stillwater areas.  Conversely, the water movement in the Carson sink area has led to too much water, actually too deep in areas for duck hunting.

Besides the traditional duck/geese hunting, NDOW has announced that not all the tags have been filled for swan hunts this year.  Approximately 650 permits are available, and swan hunting in Nevada continues until January 7th.  Permits can be purchased “over the counter” through November 29th.

Migratory bird hunting in Nevada is regulated federally, so be sure your familiarize yourself with all local and federal regulations.

Waterfowl hunting brochures are available through NDOW.

NODW’s online access to regulations and limits available at:

The post A Return to Nevada Waterfowl Hunting | Hunting Nevada 2017 first appeared on Nevada Outdoorsman Unlimited.

Pyramid Lake Fishing Opener is Sunday, October 1st

Getting back out onto Nevada’s Pyramid Lake

Fishing Native Lahontan Cutthroat Trout

 

The fishing season for one of Nevada’s best fishing waters is about to open this weekend.  Located in Northern Nevada and owned and managed by the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, Pyramid Lake is a world class fishery that offers anglers an opportunity to fish for native Lahontan Cutthroat Trout.

Pyramid Lake Fisheries is advising the public that many of the usual beaches are shorter this year due to record precipitation leading to increased water levels.  Reports indicate that the last time the water levels were this high in the lake was October 2012. Although the same number of anglers can likely be accommodated, parking and camping areas may be more limited.   Other beaches are closed all together.  Be sure to check beach availability prior to heading out.

Licenses are of course required, and anglers can save time by purchasing on-line at https://plpt.nagfa.net/online/

The post Fishing Opener for Pyramid Lake | Fishing Nevada for LCT first appeared on Nevada Outdoorsman Unlimited.

The 2017 Nevada Chukar Forecast didn’t reveal the numbers we’d been hoping for, but there may be some strategies for Nevada Chukar Hunters to consider for the upcoming upland game season.

Nevada Department of Wildlife’s (NDOW) release of this year’s chukar forecast reveals a decrease in observed chukar populations of 27% compared to last season, and an approximate 8% decrease in observed birds in the overall long term average.  What’s the primary contributor?  Back to back wildfires over the past 2 years that have burned over 450,000 acres of  chukar habitat, primarily in transects north of Battle Mountain.

NDOW’s forecast theorizes that the heavy precipitation of last winter left burned areas with very little native vegetation for cover, leading to increased chukar mortality.  For a successful hunt this year there are some strategies to consider:

1. Avoid burned areas-keep pressure off any existing chukar and overall Nevada wildlife in these units.  Allow restoration  to take hold.
2. Consider Nevada chukar hunt units you may have not considered before. Increased precipitation statewide may have lead to an overall re-distribution of birds to other areas.  Remember though, there may be less birds across wider areas of landscape.
3. Seek out low elevations initially that have healthy/successful habitat, then go to the hills above in search of birds.
4. As usual, study the forecast carefully for areas that have shown positive gains.  Be aware that sometimes the birds will actually be far more in number than originally observed.  The forecast provides a one-time “glimpse” of observed birds.

Check out the forecast here: 2017 Chukar-Forecast(2):

The post Nevada Chukar Hunting | The Reality of Nevada’s Wildlife Habitat first appeared on Nevada Outdoorsman Unlimited.

Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) has released dates and limits for Nevada’s 2017 Upland Game Season, which does include of course, long awaited Nevada chukar season.

Get ready for chukar season opener on October 14th, statewide.  We’re eagerly awaiting the 2017-18 Nevada chukar forecast, with NDOW officials typically conducting aerial density surveys mid-August.  It will be interesting to see what the record year of precipitation provides, as well as any impact of Nevada wildfires on chukar habitat and brood populations.

We’ve had an unusual year in Nevada for climate and conditions, which could lead to an unusual year of Nevada chukar hunting, either for better or for worse.

The post Nevada Upland Game Season 2017 | Nevada Chukar Season Not Far Away first appeared on Nevada Outdoorsman Unlimited.

all resulting in an extreme Nevada wildfire.

Not only will Nevada hunting conditions be affected for 2017,

the impact on Nevada wildlife could be felt  for years.

 As predicted, the record precipitation occurring over the past winter has created a significant fuel load across much of Nevada this season, with wildfires occurring throughout the state. As of July 14th, over 281,000 acres had burned from Northern to Southern Nevada, impacting current wildlife movement of bighorn sheep, mule deer and elk.  As significant, the fires have devastated crucial wildlife habitat which will have an impact on all wildlife both currently and in the future.

Currently, do your research on your upcoming hunt unit by accessing past and current fire conditions for the area.  Anticipate the game will be up and moving according to the fire patterns.  If you’re scouting, notice patterns of past fire activity near your unit; surprisingly you may find areas within the units which are untouched by fire.  This is a positive, however if the fires came close enough the game may have moved up and out of even the most pristine habitat that is left.

Before you leave for the hunt, access real time weather/fire conditions.  The NOU website dropdown tab for “Climate/Conditions” can give you a wide variety of real time fire and weather information to stay aware of both prior to and during the hunt.

In the future, get ready to volunteer.    Various state agencies plan on re-seeding large areas of decimated wildlife habitat, for example, areas of the 30,000 acre Long Valley fire that has just been contained in Northern Nevada.  Volunteers will likely be needed to help re-seed and re-establish that habitat for wildlife; Nevada hunters and anglers will likely be needed in large to assist in this effort.

As always, be fire safe when you head out.  Carry a shovel, water, and make sure all your equipment/vehicles do not unintentionally contribute to the risk of more fire danger.

The future of Nevada wildlife depends on you! 

The post Nevada Wildfires | Affecting Nevada Hunting Season 2017 and Beyond first appeared on Nevada Outdoorsman Unlimited.

This weekend the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commission recently met in Elko to consider amendments to the current regulations for seasons, bag limits,  and special regulations for upland game birds, wild turkey and furbearer seasons for 2017-18.

Although Nevada upland game hunters tend to watch primarily for chukar season dates/limits, maybe this is the year for venturing out on a hunt or two for alternative upland game species.

Hungarian partridge (“Huns”), pheasant, grouse and dove are other species that can prove for a challenging hunt anywhere statewide.   The “Huns”, also known as gray partridge provide a different style of hunt.  Coveys of Huns typically consist of 10-20 birds, and can be found in chukar country as well as grassy plain areas.  The covey’s typically first flush out about 20-30 yards, and then 35-40 yards on the second flush.  Rarely will you have a chance at a third flush.  Huns are also considered a great game bird for point dogs.

Fairly widespread in Nevada, the Mourning Dove is also abundant throughout the United States, with an estimated 70 million shot annually throughout the all parts of the country.  The species tends to move seasonally, providing plenty of opportunity for Nevada hunters when the season opener starts early fall.  Dove hunting experts recommend scouting a day or so before the opener, as dove readily adapt to hunting pressure, with flocks relocating quickly when hunting activity picks up.   Remember to stay near or under some natural cover for concealment purposes, and remain perfectly still until within shooting range.  Don’t raise your shotgun too quickly, as dove tend to spook quickly if the hunter’s gun is raised prior to being in range.

Be sure to check the upcoming regulations for 2017-18 season; NOU will keep you posted.

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Nevada fishing is back.

Whether looking at the state overall or by region, Nevada angler’s expect an exciting year of fishing.  Although the terrain and temperature of Nevada fishing waters can vary greatly, one thing’s for certain, there’s plenty of water to go around for now.

• Southern Region-Known for warm water fishing year round, anglers in this Nevada fishing region have been out on the water for the past few months.  Lake Mead has been reportedly doing well for anglers with plenty of small and large mouth bass, and the Willow Beach area of Lake Mojave have anglers reporting good results for stripers.
• Eastern Region-Reports from Comins Lake indicate good fishing from both trolling and shore fishing.  Especially good stocking reports with NDOW planning over 13,000 fish over the past month in these waters.
• Western Region-Very cool weather for spring and high water flows have delayed anglers from the typical spring fishing in Nevada.  Waiting for the flows in Truckee to subside a bit, with flows throughout June running between 3000-4000 CFS, however reports indicate some brown and rainbow trout are being caught with some regularity.

With high water flows running consistently fairly high throughout the state, safety is of the utmost concern whether shore fishing or using watercraft, so use lifejackets and plan for cool/cold water conditions.

The post Nevada Fishing Makes a Comeback | Nevada Fishing 2017 first appeared on Nevada Outdoorsman Unlimited.

affecting mule deer populations,

but it’s unclear if this will be a scenario for Nevada mule deer.

After record precipitation occurring throughout Nevada during the past winter, some Nevada mule deer hunters are wondering how the deer population for their hunt survived.  Winter kill could impact mule deer population across several western states including Nevada, however the impact might not be seen this year.

Studies have shown that fawns are more prone to mortality versus adults, so mature bucks and does may have better survived the record winter, and hunters may not necessarily see a decrease in mature animals this season.  In addition to winter kill, prior habitat quality as well as range conditions also contribute to overall mortality.

In the next few years, it’s possible that Nevada hunters and hunters throughout the west could see fewer mature bucks; any significant die off of fawns this past winter will lead to fewer 3 to 4 point bucks in the near future.

Keep in mind that any winter kill varies greatly between hunt units.  If one Nevada hunt unit experiences excessive fawn mortality from this winter, it’s not necessarily a die-off for the adjacent unit.  Time will tell. The natural cycle of deer population abundance and decrease is a real fact, and it remains to be seen if Nevada mule deer populations will decrease as a result of the record winter of 2017.

The post Winter Kill for Nevada Mule Deer? | Hunting Nevada 2017 first appeared on Nevada Outdoorsman Unlimited.

Originating at Lake Tahoe, the Truckee River flows 1100 miles northeast through Truckee California, down into Reno, with the final destination being Pyramid Lake. One of the most heavily fished waters in the state of Nevada, the Truckee River supports over 100,000 angler days per year.

Previous years of drought led to dismal fishing on the Truckee River, with campaigns such as “Rest your River” implemented in mid-summers to decrease stress on native fish species during warmer months and severely decreased water flow.

With the past season’s heavy precipitation and snowpack, current flows of the Truckee in Reno are running at about 5060 CFS with the spring run-off underway.  This leads many to believe we’re in for some great fishing this year on the river, with plenty of water still yet to be released from Lake Tahoe to ease snowpack melt.

Ideally the Truckee best supports fishing during the warmer months, when stream flows are at around 300-400 CFS.  The Truckee supports a number game fish species including rainbow and brown trout, cutbows, mountain whitefish, and the famous Lahontan cutthroat trout species (LCT).  Fish tend to be bigger on the Nevada side of the Truckee, with reports of anglers catching 10 pound plus brown trout during past seasons.

In April, Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) stocked the Truckee at Verdi with over 4000 pilot LCT’s averaging 8.1-8.7 inches on April 6th.

For now, the Truckee is flowing high and fast, and anglers will need to be extremely cautious as we head into spring.  When things warm up later in late spring and early summer, the flows should decrease. Be ready for some of the best Truckee river fishing we’ve had in years, especially here on the Nevada side.

The post Truckee River Fishing is Coming Back in 2017 | Fishing Nevada first appeared on Nevada Outdoorsman Unlimited.