2010 Wildlife Almanac

8/8/2019 2010 Wildlife Almanac

1/26


2/261 Nevada Department of Wildlif


3/26

Quail Offer Hunters a Mixed Bag of Opportunity 3

Hunters Have a Number of New Regulations to be Aware of This Fall 4

Shooting Parks Nearing Completion 5

Hunting for the Perfect Shot 7

Volunteering with NDOW 13

Chukar Forecast 14

Archery Education Program on Target 15

Fall Fishing Forecast 17

Doing Your Homework Key to Hunting Success 25

Southern Nevadas Fall Stripers 26

Nevada Department of Wildlife 2

Nevada Department of Wildlife Fall Issue September 2010

Published by the Nevada

Department of Wildlife

State of Nevada

Jim Gibbons, Governor

State Board of Wildlife

CommissionersScott Raine,Chairman

Dr. Gerald Lent,Vice Chairman

Daryl CapurroThomas CavinCharles HowellMichael McBeathHal ShrumHenry Hank VoglerGrant Wallace

Nevada Department of Wildlife

Kenneth Mayer, Director

Edit and Design

Aaron Meier, Publications Coordinator

Contributing Staff

Chris Cheff, John Elliott, John McKay,Doug Nielsen, Martin Olson, JonSjoberg, Kim Tisdale and Kim Toulouse

This program or publication receivesfunding through the Federal Aid in WildlifeRestoration program as educationalmaterial . Federal Laws prohibi tdiscrimination on the basis of race, color,national origin, age, disability, and sex. Ifyou believe you have been discriminatedagainst in any NDOW program, activity, orfacility, please write to the following:

US Fish and Wildlife ServiceDivision of Federal Assistance4401 North Fairfax DriveMailstop: MBSP-4020Arlington, VA 22203

You may also write to the following:

DirectorNevada Department of Wildlife1100 Valley RoadReno, NV 89512-2817

COVER PHOTO of an adult femalRedhead was taken by wildlifphotographer Tim Torell. To see more ohis wildlife photos, go to his website ahttp://digitalwildlifeimages.com.


4/26

By Doug Nielsen

If they havent done so already, hunters who are anxiousto get out in the eld may want to add quail to their list ofhunting options. These speedy birds love to run and hide butwill explode from cover when crowded enough. And because

they hit their top ight speed within three feet of the ground,quail provide a challenge to the most experienced shooter.

Nevada is home to three species of quail, includingCalifornia, Gambels and mountain quail. This provideshunters with a mixed bag of hunting opportunity; however,based on population numbers alone California and Gambelsquail provide hunters with the best chance to put some meatin the freezer. Hunters looking for a challenge may want totry their hand at bagging a brace of mountain quail.

At one time theNevada Department ofWildlife released scaledquail in several areas,but remnants of the lastknown population mayhave been seen in NyeCounty as late as the1980s. If you happen tocome across scaled quailin your wanderings, folksat NDOW would like toknow.

California quail areprimarily found in thenorthwestern part of

Nevada though huntersmay nd some birds asfar east as western ElkoCounty. Gambels quailare a southern bird withpopulations scatteredthroughout Clark, Lincolnand Nye counties.Mountain quail are foundonly in a handful ofplaces including remotelocations along theCalifornia-Nevada stateline from EsmeraldaCounty to WashoeCounty.

The key to ndingquail in Nevada is ndingwater sources bothnatural and manmade, said Martin Olson, Southern RegionHunter Education Coordinator for the Nevada Department ofWildlife. Generally the birds are going to be within a coupleof miles of water. Also look for areas with good cover like youmight nd in brushy draws.

Quail tend to be more vocal and active during the coomorning hours. This is a good time to stop and listen fothe easily recognizable gathering call of scattered quail. Youmay want to try your hand at using a commercially produced

call and waiting for the covey to answer. This will help youlocate a covey of quail to pursue. The different quail speciesmake a variety of sounds. You will want to learn how toidentify their sounds.

Once you nd a covey of birds split them up by applyingenough pressure to make them y. They generally wont yfar before landing and running again. If possible split thecovey again. The birds will then tend to hold in cover and

you can come back andwork the area for singlesor doubles. This is wherea well trained bird dog

comes into play. Theinose is much better thanyours or mine and theywill often nd birds youor I cant. Having a dogwill also help to recovedowned birds.

If the quail outrunyou and you lose themtake a seat and waitUsually the covey wilstart calling for the otherswithin a half hour or so

and let you know wherethey are. Then youcan start your hunt alover again. In sparselyvegetated areas quaiwill generally stick totheir ground game andoften outrun you andyour dog. Thats why itsa good idea to focus onareas with brush andcover where the birds

can hold and hide. Theywill feel more secure andbe more likely to stay puwhile you hunt em up.

Quail, and othegame for that matter, can

provide tasty table faire if you take the time to care for themin the eld. When you down a bird it needs to be cooled off assoon as possible. Take a couple of minutes and remove theentrails, which will hold heat and lead to spoilage. Removethe crop as well. Then put the birds on ice as soon as youcan. You want to keep them clean, cool and dry.

Quail Offer Hunters a Mixed Bag of Opportunity

3 Nevada Department of Wildlif


5/26

By John McKay

Nevada hunters have a new type of license availableand a host of new regulations to contend with for the 2010/11hunting season. What species, where and/or how theyrehunting will determine if any or all of these regulations apply.

However, regardless of where, when, how or whats hunted,its always the hunters responsibility to know the law beforethey go aeld.

Apprentice Hunting License - An apprentice huntinglicense designed to entice more people to try hunting is nowon sale at Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) ofcesstatewide. The apprentice license allows anyone 12 and

older to hunt upland game and waterfowl (no tagged species)for one season without rst completing a Hunter Educationcourse. The apprentice must have never previously helda hunting license in any other state or country and alwaysbe accompanied by an adult mentor 18 or older whoholds a valid Nevada hunting license and signs a mentorafdavit accepting legal responsibility for the apprenticewhile hunting. The license is free, but the apprentice mustpay some associated fees and purchase applicable upland

game or duck stamps.

Wildlife Commission General Regulation (CGR) 374 Amends Chapter 503 of the Nevada Administrative Code(NAC) by adding a new section that reads each person whoshoots and wounds any wildlife while hunting shall makea reasonable effort to take that wildlife, including, withoutlimitation, pursuing and tracking it. CGR 374 also makes itlegal to use illuminated nocks on arrows while hunting.

CGR 377 Creates a process where a person with avisual disability can apply for a scope permit that will allowthem to use a 1x magnication on a muzzleloading rie duringmuzzleloader only seasons. Hunters who wish to obtaina scope permit must submit an application to an NDOW

license ofce with a physicians certicate that certies theapplicant has a visual disability that is not crrectible withglasses or contacts. The permit is valid for one year from thedate it is issued.

CGR 380 Outlines the procedures and deadlines fowithdrawing big game tag applications. This regulation, set

to go into effect for the 2011 tag application period, spellsout the details of withdrawing and resubmitting applications

applying for bonus points after the application deadline undercertain circumstances and other matters related to applyingfor big game tags.

CGR 383 Strictly pertains to hunting near ve recentlyconstructed NDOW/NDOT wildlife safety crossings alongHwy 93 in northeast Nevada. Hunters are not allowed tohunt or take any big game animal within a half-mile radius

of any of these crossings. Additionally, it is prohibited todischarge a rearm from, upon, over or across a highwaywildlife crossing.

These descriptions only briey describe and paraphrasethe actual regulations. Hunters should read all applicableregulations in their entirety. Links to the full text of all Nevadawildlife laws and regulations can be found on NDOWswebsite at http://www.ndow.org/law/regs/.

Hunters Have a Number of New Regulations tobe Aware of This Fall

Apprentice Hunting License Now Available

An artists rendition of one of the ve recently constructed NDOW/NDOT wildlife

safety crossings along Hwy 93 in northeast Nevada.

2010 Fall Wildlife Almanac



6/26

Clark County Shooting Park

Hunter Education Classes Now Held at New

Clark County Shooting Park

By Martin Olson

After 24 grueling years in which citizens and politiciansworked together to create public shooting range for residentsof Southern Nevada, the Clark County Shooting Park is nowin its eighth month of operation. Drive through on any openday and youll nd the public shooting ranges busy withrecreational shooters.

There is also a good chance youll nd Nevada hunters-to-be learning the ins and outs of safe and ethical huntingpractices at one of the Department of Wildlife (NDOW)Hunter Education classes held regularly at the park.

The Clark County Shooting Park (CCSP) is located on2,900 acres at the extreme northern end of the Las VegasValley and stretches nearly three miles wide and 1 1/2miles deep. Behind the park the Sheep Mountains createa spectacular backdrop to the facility. Development of theactual shooting areas, however, covers a much smaller area.At full build out, including buildings and ranges, the entirefacility will utilize approximately 900 acres. The remainingundisturbed land will serve as a noise buffer around theshooting areas and provide increased safety for customers.

Currently, the 178-acre Public Module is the only portionof the planned park to reach completion and includes theEducation Center, which serves as the on-site home of theNDOW Hunter Education program. The Education Centerboasts three state of the art classrooms, featuring ceiling

mounted projectors along with built-in computers andDVD players. Though the three rooms are primarily useindividually, they also can be combined to accommodatelarger groups or activities and seat up to 100 people.

Also available at the Education Center are three

lighted shooting ranges that are intended for basic traininexercises and future NDOW education workshops. Thoswill include introductory-level archery, muzzleloading anrie-shooting courses. The three Education Center shootingranges include a 50-yard archery range, a 50-yard pistorange and a 100-yard rie range, and these ranges can onlbe reserved by a qualied user group through the ShootingPark administrative ofce. Reservations are not requirefor the public shooting ranges located elsewhere on theproperty.

One of the impressive features of the EducatioCenter is the Hunter Safety Trail, said Doug NielsenConservation Education Supervisor for NDOWs Souther

Region. Actually, there are two separate trails that providHunter Education students with an opportunity to learn anddemonstrate safe gun handling skills in an outdoor settingthat replicates eld conditions.

The lighted Hunter Safety Trail includes a simulatedautomobile and a real boat suspended on springs. Thereis also a series of fences and a safe-zone-of-re practicestation.

Each of the three Education Center classrooms has atheme and carries a moniker that identies the theme. Oneis the Big Game Room, another is the Furbearer Room andthe last one is the Avian Room. In the appropriate classroom

Shooting Parks Nearing Completion



7/26

Humboldt County Shooting Range

is found indigenous mounted animals that reect the roomsname. Each classroom denotes indigenous mountedanimals found throughout Nevada.

Teaching tools available on site include the new non-functioning training rearms produced by Remington andthe International Hunter Education Association (IHEA).These training arms present a real life feeling and handlingexperience for students. Instructors are also nding the newtraining rearms very helpful due to the working safety and

action.NDOW contributed $240,000 in Hunter EducationSection 10 funds over three years to help get the rangestarted.

New Humboldt County Shooting Park a Hit

with Shooters

By John McKay

Following the closure of the Humboldt County ShootingRange in 2006, area sportsmen were left looking for a placeto shoot safely. Shortly after the range closed, the Humboldt

County Board of Commissioners sanctioned a committee ofconcerned citizens and law enforcement ofcials to identifysites for a new shooting facility.

After a lengthy search the commission approved asuitable site on county owned land adjacent to the regionallandll and a plan for two 50 yard pistol ranges, 100 yard and400 yard rie ranges and parking area in January 2008. Withland and plan in place the next step was securing funding tobuild the range. $10,000 was appropriated by the county to

build an access road and $40,000 raised from individualslocal businesses and sportsmens organizations to starconstruction. The rst phase of the range opened to thepublic in June 2008, but much more money was needed tocomplete the project.

Enter the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) and itsshooting range grant program. Each year NDOW dedicatesup to $80,000 in federal Hunter Education Section 10 fundsfor constructing or enhancing shooting ranges across

Nevada. Through this program the Humboldt ShootingRange Committee, led by Winnemucca businessman KenArrien, applied for and received an additional $80,000towards the Shooting Park.

The NDOW grant funds made possible the constructionof a solar powered 1,800 sq. ft. education building, publicrestrooms and other improvements. In its rst two yearsof operation the shooting park has received a tremendousamount of use and strong community support. A second$60,000 Section 10 grant from NDOW this scal year wilfund additional building and range improvements, includinga perimeter safety fence and signage that will help nish theproject and make it a place shooters and archers can use

and enjoy for many years to come.



8/26

Photo by Tim Torell


9/26

Hunting for the Perfect ShoWildlife Photo Tips from the Pro

Story Continued on Following Page

By Aaron Meier

Step by step you creep closer to your unsuspectingprey. When you are as close as you can get without alertingthe animal, you prepare to take your shot, but that is whenyou step on a twig...and snap!...the deer is off and runningthe shot is gone, and all that is left to do is kick and curse thetwig that ruined it all.

You probably shouldnt take it so hard, there will be otheopportunities...but you just know it would have been a greapicture.

Most of us who enjoy the outdoors have come uponscenes that we thought would have made for a nice pictureSome of us have even tried to go out and capture a nice

wildlife picture only to have one, two, or 20 things go wrongand wind up with a camera full of interesting photos.The Nevada Department of Wildlife is fortunate enough

to have several talented photographers contributing imagesto our publications and website. We thought it might be niceto ask a few of these professionals to give a few tips to usless experienced photographers. That way, maybe the resof us will be able to get away from having to explain to ourfriends that the little blur in the right corner was a coyote. Larry Neel is a 28-year veteran with NDOW who hasserved most of those years as a nongame biologist in theWildlife Diversity Program. Larry bought his rst camera, aCanon AE-1, with savings from his rst year of paychecks

from Spring Creek Rearing Station in 1983. Larry hassold wildlife photos to Audubon Magazine, and exhibitedhis prints at the Fallon Cantaloupe Festival, Shooting theWest, juried art exhibits at Oats Park Art Center in Fallonand three recent one-man shows in Reno. One of NeelsNevada landscapes was recently selected to illustrate thecover of the inaugural issue ofThe Nevada Review. He alsodonates framed prints to various worthwhile fundraisersincluding Churchill Arts Council, Lahontan Audubon Societythe Reno Pops Orchestra, Spring Wings Birding Festivaland the Klamath Bird Observatory. Check out the full rangeof his work at www.larryneelphoto.com.

Tim Torell has been a professional wildlife photographefor more than eight years and has been named Photographeof the Year by the Reno Photo Club several times. A native oNevada, Torell is currently under contract with NDOW. Hisimages can be found in many NDOW publications as welas on the department website at www.ndow.org. Torell alsoteaches several photography classes and group workshopsTo view more of his images, you can visit his website awww.digitalwildlifeimages.com.




10/26


11/26

wear earth tone clothing.Dont wear bright white orbright colors. You want toblend into the surroundingsas much as possible.

During the summerdont forget sunscreenand bug repellent. Gettingsunburned and ghting bugs

all day can take the funout of a photo shoot. Bringplenty of drinking water anda lunch. During the wintermonths dress in layers. I ndmy mind only works as longas my body is comfortable.

Toulouse: Numerous small memory cards (around 4gb)rather than one or two big ones. It is easier to manage thesmaller cards. A hat and gloves. Hat to keep the sun off andgloves because morning light is cold. Dont forget lots ofextra batteries. Always have more than you think you need.

Once out in the eld, what are some of the important

factors that would help in capturing a good picture?

Should a person nd a nice spot and wait...should they

walk around until they nd something?

Neel: Depends on your trip objectives. If you want somethingspecic, like a kit fox, youll probably have to have doneyour scouting or taken a tip from someone and set up onan active den where the likelihood of a close encounter ishigh. If you are working a wetland, you might have to movearound until you nd something interesting, then you want toget down, get still and quiet, and let your subject get usedto your presence. Sitting and waiting without scouting and/or a specic expectation of something coming by is not aparticularly productive strategy.

The other element of wildlife photography that is critical

to success is get close andget invisible. Most of thebest wildlife photographersin the world will tell you gea big lens (300mm minimum400-500mm and up better)a tripod (to keep the big lensstable), and a blind system(portable or oating o

constructed on site). I donuse a blind much because am basically lazy and donlike packing around a lot ogear. But I have learned a loabout approaching wildlifeand removing my personafrom the set-up to the poin

that, although I would never argue against using a blind, dont always need one to achieve the desired intimacy. Foinstance, if you see a western grebe working a certain watestructure because there are sh concentrated in oxygenated

stream ow, then you might temporarily spook the grebewhen you approach your set-up spot, but if you approachslowly and respectfully, lower your prole and avoid standingout against a horizon, then get absolutely quiet and still for awhile, pretty soon that grebe is going to 1) be anxious to geback to its hunt, and 2) even a little bit curious about whayou are doing. The subject will let you know when it hasbecome comfortable with your presence by reoccupying itsspace and resuming its activities. After a while, you can evenmove your arms s-l-o-w-l-y to work your camera, relieve youcramped muscles and circulation, etc. as long as you dondo anything quick or otherwise threatening to the subject. Iis when you have achieved this harmony with the subject

that the best photos come and you eventually walk awayfrom the encounter saying, Man, that was cool! I live fothose moments.

Photo by Larry Neel

Photo by Larry Neel

Story Continued on Following Page



12/26

Torell: For the most part Ilike to use a hunting blind.There are many huntingblinds to choose from. Iuse a chair blind for manyspecies of birds. Figure outwhere the birds want to be.Upon arrival, the birds will

ush. Set up your chairblind and wait for them toreturn. It will take a fewminutes (30 minutes orso) but they will return. Ifyou sit quietly they will goabout their normal activity.Many of the same techniques used in hunting prove to besuccessful during a photo hunt.

Spot and stalk is a hunting technique used by manyhunters. It can be very successful for photographers as well.I use binoculars or a spotting scope to locate my species of

choice then determine the best way to approach.There are several things to consider: Wind- try not to let the animals pick up your scent. Line of sight - Try not to let them see you. Stay off the

ridge tops. You stand out on a ridge top. Lighting - Its all about the lighting. Keep the sun at your

back. Things not to do... Animals have a very acute sense of

smell, sight and hearing. Dont slam the door on the car or truck. Dont talk loud, if you must talk use a whisper. Dont wear perfume or scented deodorant. Dont smoke.

Do walk slow and observe the surroundings. Most of all enjoy our great outdoors.

Toulouse: Try to take candidshots where and whenwildlife is relaxed. Someof the best shots are whenwildlife is unaware of thephotographers presence. Inother words, not looking righat the camera. Sometimes

you have to stumble aroundto nd your subject. But, donot approach wildlife headon; get downwind, approachon a diagonal line, dont lookdirectly at the animal, theystay more relaxed. Scou

ahead of time and know where you want to be and whenyou want to be there. Set up a blind several days ahead otime if possible.

If you had to come up with the most important piece

of advice for having an enjoyable day taking wildlifephotos, what would it be?

Neel: My most precious piece of advice for enjoying youday aeld with camera is to take whatever Nature gives youand do your best to make art with it. Dont cuss the killdeebecause it isnt a mountain plover, or the three-year oldbighorn ram because it isnt a Boone and Crockett monsterSure, you may not be able to sell your three-year-old ramphoto to a magazine, but it is the opportunity that presenteditself that day and the thrill of the experience will stay withyou forever; in addition, the things you learned getting closewill inform your approach next time when it may indeed be

the life bird or monster rack. Never pass up a chanceto work on approach technique and camera technique. It is

hoto by Kim Toulouse

Photo by Kim Toulouse


13/26

during those times when you have less at stake in subjectmatter that you learn to focus your attentions on yourexposure to maximize your image quality. Relax and workon your technical discipline to ne-tune your subconscious

routine that kicks in by default when that magazine coveris in your viewnder.

Torell: Be prepared, luck favors the well prepared.

Toulouse: PATIENCE! One of my biggest problems is aserious lack of time and everything having a deadline. Relaxand take your time.

Do you have any interesting or amusing stories from

photo trips you have taken?

Neel: I was driving between Penticton and Oliver, BritishColumbia in April of 2009. As I approached the bridgeacross the Okanogan not far north of Oliver, something toldme I should be on the lookout for special birds around thebridge, and I swear, the thought popped up that this partof the world might be a good place to be on the lookoutfor red-necked grebes. As I crossed the bridge, I becameaware of two sleeping waterbirds on the dam pond below thebridge (on the right) sitting in the pool between the dam andits protection booms (oating telephone poles), and sureenough, I could tell they were red-necked grebes. Therewas a bit of a pullout on the south side of the bridge andthere seemed to be public access down to the boom pond,so I parked the car, grabbed the camera, and shinnied downto the waters edge, sat and got quiet.

The birds remained on the other side of the booms, andit took them a while to stir. I took a few shots of the male eventhough it was pretty far away and I knew they wouldnt begreat shots but it was a red-necked grebe and I didnt knowwhen I would get any other chance. After a few minutes, themale began to get curious about me, and he moved down tothe gap between two of the boom poles where he waited forthe female to become aware of what was going on. Soonenough, she responded to some kind of silent signal andmoved down to the gap with the male where she nally (I

might say reluctantly) took the initiative to put her head downclose to the water and sneak through the gap rst with themale hunkered down behind her, obviously using her forcover. They moved into the near pond to within about 15m

(50 ft) of me before the female had seen enough and wasreluctant to come any closer. They more or less stopped inplace and both began to preen. By this time I was shootingaway.

After preening, they settled back into their asleepposture, but of course, they werent asleep they were intentlywatching me. They drifted around for several minutes beforethe male began to get jumpy that is, he was hopping abit over his paddling rhythm as if restraining some energysurge from within. In his growing excitement, he bumpedthe female from behind, which startled her into a heads-upThat DOES IT! alert and the two of them then engaged in

a short calling display in which they sat up facing each otheron their haunches and twisted in opposite directions for lessthan ten seconds. I was ready and shot ve or six images othe modest but still electrifying interaction.

Torell: In July, I set up a blind with a friend of mine near aspring in the Nevada desert east of Reno. While we knew thathe spring was a popular destination for the areas wildlife, would never have guessed just how popular it was. Duringthe next three days I was able to capture some of the mostamazing images. Patiently waiting for Nevadas wildlife tocome visit me at the spring, I was able to capture hundredsof images of chukar, desert bighorns, and antelope.

That weekend spent at the water hole with my friendwill be with me for the rest of my life. For me photographymakes me slow down and see life as it really is. Each dayspent observing wildlife makes me a wiser person. Thereis a lesson to learn from all creatures large and small if youonly take the time to observe.

Toulouse: Some of the best shots I ever got were totallyby accident. In other words TAKE YOUR CAMERAEVERYWHERE! When you dont have it with you is whenyou will have the opportunity for that award winning shot.

Photo by Larry Neel




14/26

By Kim Toulouse

Ever since the beginning of what is called the NevadaDepartment of Wildlife, volunteers have provided incrediblyvaluable services for the citizens and wildlife of the state. Theagencys rst Annual Report to the Governor in 1877 makesreference to volunteer help from the Virginia and TruckeeRailroad, the Central Pacic and numerous individuals insaving the state money and providing services.

So, why do people volunteer and who are these crazypeople who work for free? I recently sat down with BobInscho, one of NDOWs long-term volunteers and asked hima series of questions; the questions and answers are here.

Why do you volunteer?

Inscho: I volunteer for a variety of reasons, but one of therst and foremost is to getaway from the to do list of

things that are not normallydone by other people.

How long have you

been volunteering with

NDOW?

Inscho: I startedvolunteering in 2000 with aseed collection project nearBordertown. It was rightafter the res of 1999 and itwas being done to assist inthe restoration efforts. Just

seemed like a good idea atthe time and I have kept atit ever since.

What activities have you

volunteered or participated in for NDOW?

Inscho: I have participated in seed collection (not myfavorite by the way!), elk capture, sheep captures, antelopecaptures, sh spawning, n clipping (in other words cuttingoff their little arms and legs!), sage grouse lek surveys, andbear work. I have also captured lots of quail over the years.

You mention seed collection is not your favorite; what

is and why?Inscho: I would say my favorite is bear capture work. Iget the opportunity to nd out if the bear is smarter than theNDOW volunteer. Its kinda like having your own adventureTV series. I get to be out and about on someone elsesdime, get to go lots of interesting places and go by lockedgates (with permission, of course!)

As a volunteer, where are some of the places you have

been and which is your favorite?

Inscho: I have had the opportunity to travel to Mt. Jeffersonon sheep captures, the Sheldon, McGee Mountain and

some pretty cool places in the Pinenuts. My favorite placeis Little Valley because of the cool things you can see; likeHannahs Hideaway, Red House, and of course a secreArtesian water spring only a few people know about. I gethe opportunity to do things and see things that most peopledont even know exist.

Sometimes volunteering is not very convenient; how

does your wife feel about it?

Inscho: Well, she still lets me go, so it must be okay. Maybeshe enjoys it more than I do, because I am not in the house

Do you have any interesting stories about volunteering?

Inscho: Well, I guess one of the best is how I got ropedin to taking temperatures onsheep captures. Looked

like a pretty simple job soone of my co-volunteersvolunteered me. After theyhanded me the thermometethey handed me a glove andsaid we only need you tocollect a few pellets while youare at it!

What have you learned from

your volunteer experience?

Inscho: I have learned aton of stuff about wildlife; its

really cool to talk to peoplewho have a clue about whais going on with and in wildlifemanagement. Anothe

thing I did not know prior to volunteering is just how muchsportsmen support wildlife; not only through the purchase otags and licenses, but through all their other activities anddonations. They build guzzlers, provide nancial support focaptures and other scientic work. I also enjoy meeting andworking with all the people and doing new things.

Bob Inscho is a retired Rocket Scientist and is 76 yearsold. During his illustrious career, he worked on the Gemin

and Apollo manned space ight programs and the Hubblespace telescope. He is married and lives with his wife in

Spanish Springs, north of Sparks, NV. During his tenure as

a volunteer, he has contributed almost 7,000 miles and more

than 900 hours of time to the Department.

While our hats go off to Bob, he is just one of the many

dedicated volunteers participating in a wide variety of NDOW

activities. We salute each and every one of our volunteers

and appreciate their contributions to Nevadas wildlife. If you

would like more information on volunteering, please visit ou

web site at http://ndow.org/learn/vol/recruiter/.



15/26

Continued on next page



By Jake Sunderland

Every year as fall gets closer chukar hunters start gettingantsy. They look towards the hills, clean their guns and startworking with their dogs. They know they have to to wait untilOctober before opening weekend, but they also know theNevada Department of Wildlifes (NDOW) annual ChukarHunting Forecast will be released in early September and

will tell them what to expect for the upcoming season. Thisyear, they have something to be excited about.

For the most part, results look pretty positive. I expectfor Nevada hunters to have a better season than lastseason, said Shawn Espinosa, upland game specialist atNDOW.

Based off of helicopter and ground surveys, Nevadabird numbers are above the long term average in terms of

number of birds counted per square mile. The 2010 2011

chukar hunting season is set to be better than the previoustwo seasons.

When forecasting the chukar hunting season itsimportant to look at what has happened over the entireyear. In 2009 Nevada saw increased production which gaveits chukar population a good place to start, Nevada alsoexperienced a wet October.

That really helped set the stage for what happened

in November, December and January; precipitation reallydropped off during those months, but we had fall green-upgoing into the winter and then pretty mild conditions throughMarch, said Espinosa. Then in April things turned around

again and we saw precipitation events and winter likeconditions through June. That probably held off productionand nesting, early nesters were probably subject to somepretty harsh conditions which affected production andthose birds that chose to nest later or re-nested were more

successful than earlier birds.Because of these favorable conditions, hunters will be

pleased to hear that for most areas chukar hunting willbe good and even excellent in some. The key will bending the right spots to hunt.

There is a bit of a mixed bag to expect, saidEspinosa. As is the case with most hunts, scouting

the area you are considering hunting will becrucial. There is also the youth hunt. What betterexcuse for people with kids to get out and lookaround and get an idea of what to expect for theseason while getting their kids out of the house.

Santa Rosas: Conditions in the Santa Rosaslook good for this season. While a difcult place to hunt, with


16/26

Archery Education Program on TargetBy Chris Cheff

When the Nevada Department of Wildife (NDOW) rstlaunched its Archery Education Program in late October of2009, there was much anticipation as to how it would bereceived by the community and schools. The NationalArchery in the Schools Program (NASP) is the largest

component of the Archery Education Program. NASP is a4 - 12 grade in curriculum P.E. program offered in 47 states

across the country with over 1.5 million participants last yearalone. Students learn the skills of international style targetarchery in their physical education classes while shooting intheir school gym. Schools that become involved with NevadaNASP are directed on how to start up their own after schoolarchery program in order to allow for more practice time andto allow those students who dont have P.E. an opportunity

to become involved.Most participating states conduct a state tournament

for NASP schools. NDOW conducted its rst NevadaNASP State Tournament on Feb. 18, 2010 at the RivieraHotel and Casino in Las Vegas in conjunction with the

87 birds observed per square mile, hunters can expect to dowell there if they wait until the snow falls and pushes birds

down to the lower elevations.

Double H: NDOW biologists saw decent numbers inthe Double H range with 62 birds per square mile. However,only a few young birds were observed in this area so huntingmay be more difcult.

Jackson Mountains: Jackson Mountain populationsare down approximately 47% compared to last year

with 56 birds per square mile. Hunting is expected tobe poor.

Pine Forest Range: Things lookpretty good in the Pine Forest Range,although the numbers were downthere compared to last year andwith the hunter congestionhere we suggest that hunters

look for alternative places

to hunt just because of


National Field Archery AssociationsWorld Archery Festival. This wasaccomplished just four months afterthe introduction of the program toschools. The tournament hosted 130student participants representing six ofthe nine, at that time, active NASP schools.From those 130 shooters, 30 qualied students made thei

way to Louisville, KY to represent their respective schoolsand the state of Nevada, at the NASP Nationals during therst weekend of May.

By the end of May, there were 24 schools in Nevadacurrently participating in NASP. Twenty-one of those schoolsare from Clark County. The 2010-11 school year showsgreat promise for bringing many more schools into theNevada NASP. The 2011 Nevada NASP State Tournament is

scheduled for Feb. 10 again at the Riviera Hotel and CasinoNow with the start of a new school year upon us, NDOW

is seeking out schools to join the fun and excitement of this

the sheer number of hunters that go there, said EspinosaIt may be the most popular hunting destination for chukahunters in the United States.

Washoe County: Parts of Washoe County continue tohave high populations of birds. Due to re in the Granite Rangeearlier in July the high numbers may be articial and as theseason progresses birds may move away from water sources

and hunting conditions will likely be similar to last year.

Pershing County: Due to dry conditionshunting opportunity and covey sizes lookedaverage.

Eastern/North Central Nevada: Areasaround Battle Mountain and Lander County

should provide really good hunting opportunitiesfor hunters looking to travel. The General Rim area

and Rock Creek look very good this year.

Those interested in reading the entire chuka

forecast can nd it online at ndow.org/hunt/resourcesWildlife_Heritage/upland_game/.


17/26


great program. Once thestudents pick up a bow

in their P.E. class, theyhave a hard time puttingit down.

NDOW alsofacilitates classes for thecommunity membersas part of the Archery

Education Program.Introduction to Archery

affords those who eitherhave very little, or noarchery experience atall, a chance to come outand learn about standardarchery equipment, form, and technique in a classroomsetting. Afterwards, the participants will have just over twohours to apply their skills on the archery range. Theseclasses are currently being offered at the Clark County

Shooting Park Education center in Las Vegas.

Another popular class being offered is Introduction toBowshing. Currently conducted at Boulder Citys VeteransMemorial Park Pond, students learn about all different typesof bowshing equipment; arrows, rest, points, and retrievalsystems. Safety and ethics are also a keynote discussionduring the class. Nevada and U.S. Park Service bowshingregulations and statutes are covered by an NDOW Game


Warden and U.S. ParkRanger to ensure

everyone is familiar withthe stipulations involvedwith their new foundsport.

Finally, thestudents are providedtwo hours to utilize

the provided NDOWequipment to try thei

hand at shootingsubmerged carp targetsalong a designatedshoreline of the pond.

Heres what oneparticipant had to say about the class:

Dear Mr Cheff,

I wanted to thank you again for the bowshing class

Saturday morning. I did not expect such a thorough

presentation on the laws, description of equipment antraining that was provided. Not only am I aware of how I can

legally go about this hobby (special thanks to the Fish and

Game ofcer), but I feel condent enough to successfully

bowsh even though I have very little archery experience!

Sincerely,

Greg E. (43, Las Vegas, NV)

Students take part in the rst ever National

Archery in the Schools Program Nevada

State Championship Tournament, Feb. 18.

Target practice during a

bowshing clinic at Veterans

Memorial Park Pond.


18/26

Fall Fishing ForecastBy John McKay, Kim Tisdale, Jon Sjoberg

and John Elliott

Fall shing in Nevada is some of the best shing ofthe year, with both brown and brook trout heading into the

spawn with absolutely brilliant colors that match the autumnleaves. Other sh are getting ready for winter by putting onthe feedbag in preparation for colder or ice-covered waters.

Some anglers believe the secret to fall shing is tothink big and go slow. While many bait anglers swear byPowerBait, worms can be more effective oated off the

bottom either with something like a marshmallow or byinating them. Presentation of lures, spinners and ies

should be slowed down just a bit, especially if targeting warmwater species. Here are some of the waters that NevadaDepartment of Wildlife sheries biologists are recommendingin Nevada this fall.

EASTERN NEVADA

Cave Lake

Fishing should remain excellent throughout the fall at CaveLake. The reservoir has been at capacity throughout theyear and is scheduled to receive 10,000 catchable rainbow

trout from August through the end of October. Worms

PowerBait, and spinners should work for the spin shermenwhile wooly buggers and traditional nymphs should beproductive for those with a y rod. Anglers after trophybrown trout should try shing the south end near the CaveCreek inlet in November.

Illipah Reservoir

Water levels are extremely low. The reservoir has remained

at or near minimum pool since early-July. That being saidshing has remained very productive and anglers canexpect water levels to increasingly improve throughout fall

Depending on water conditions, the reservoir is scheduled toreceive 7,500 hatchery-reared rainbows in October. Springstocked rainbows are averaging 12 inches while carryoversh are in the 14-18 inch range. Brown trout numbers andsize in the reservoir have shown notable increases in recenyears. Keep an eye out for big caddis and mayy hatches adusk. Recent survey work showed high densities of browntrout in Illipah Creek above the reservoir.



19/26


20/26

lures are productive for spin shermen, while dark woolybuggers, leach patterns, and nymphs are popular with yshermen. The south spring ponds are easy to access andcan be shed with anything from PowerBait to y rods.The collection ditch has an articial lures only regulationand can regularly produce trout over 3 pounds. Spinners,lures, leech patterns, and nymphs are very popular in the

collection ditch and getting out and walking stretches of theditch can get you into areas of less pressure and large sh.

South Fork ReservoirMany anglers wait for fall to plan their shing trips toSouth Fork Reservoir, as shing can be excellent fromlate September to the end of November. Recently anglershave been producing limits of 16 to 20-inch sh with theoccasional 23 or 24-inch sh being taken. Nightcrawlersoated off of the bottom are the ticket for shore anglers, while

Rapala type lures or ashers tipped with a worm producefor trollers. Flyshers should use wooly bugger or leachpatterns shed on an intermediate sinking line from a oattube or canoe. Blood or brown appear to be the best colorsin the fall, followed by olive, purple and black. Dont forget

to add streamer type patterns such as muddler minnows orclousers to your y box when heading to South Fork. Blackbass are on structure and crankbaits, as well as swim baitsshould be effective. Many of the local bass shermen in the

area like to use darker patterns and colors.

Wildhorse Reservoir

This water has quality sh (trout, wipers and catsh) asanglers regularly catch trout up to 20-inches. The best timefor fall shing is mid-September until early November, withshore anglers catching as many sh as boat anglers andlarger sh often showing up in the fall. Like South Fork,Rapala type lures and ashers tipped with worms are working

for trollers, while gold spoons and spinners as well as wormsoated off of the bottom are working for shore sherman.

Flyshers should use much the same arsenal as South ForkPerch are doing well and many sh are in the 10 to 12 inchclass. The secret is nding them; if you dont get perch withina half hour of shing, move to a new spot. Most sh can becaught with a small jig tipped with a worm or just a worm ona red hook. Jigs should be brightly colored with chartreuseor uorescent orange being popular. Flyshers can catch

perch with small ies like Zug Bugs, prince nymphs or smalcrystal buggers.

Wilson Reservoir

This out of the way reservoir is another good body of wateto hit, though shing tends to slow down earlier than otherwaters. The upside is that you can hunt chukar in the areaand have a weekend of cast and blast. This water shouldbe shed much the same way and with the same gear asSouth Fork.

Elko County Streams

Many Elko County streams are very shable this time o

year. Falling leaves are a Catch 22; it makes it easier toget to streams through the riparian brush, but sometimesthere are mats of leaves covering very productive waterMost streams that hold sh will produce until the watertemperatures dip too low, generally by the end of Octobeor the beginning of November depending upon the locationPopular streams include Lamoille Creek, Tabor CreekOwyhee River, south fork of the Humboldt River, Bruneau

River and the Jarbidge River. If any terrestrials are presentstart with those patterns, otherwise any nymph made withpeacock herl should be productive. Using a real grasshoppeor worm without any weight through runs or rifes is anothergood technique. Small spinners can be effective in largeruns or pools.

SOUTHERN NEVADA

Lake Mead

Lake Mead has year-round shing for

a variety of species including stripedbass, largemouth and smallmouth basschannel catsh, bluegill, rainbow trouttilapia, bullhead catsh, black crappieand green sunsh. Despite low lakelevels, Lake Mead continues to havehigh angler success rates averagingover 1 sh per angler hour and 4.7 shper angler day, according to 2009 cree

census data. Striped bass angling thisfall and winter should be good for 15to 16-inch sh due to an increase inshad production in the Las Vegas Baythis past spring. Striper are often takenin the Boulder Basin area from Boxcarand Pumphouse Cove northwest to LasVegas Bay. In the Overton Arm areaStewarts Point and Meathole are favorite

sites for catching striper. As winteapproaches, striper will move to deepe

Wildhorse Reservoir

Nevada Department of Wildlif


21/26

waters. They can be caughtusing anchovies, shad andtop-water plugs as well aslures such as Sassy Shadand Kastmasters. Rainbowtrout stocking will start inNovember and continue until

March at Hemenway andCrawdad Cove. Trout shing

is expected to be good onthe day of the plants and fairon days after. Stocking dayswill be on Tuesdays for themonths of November andDecember and on Fridays

for the months Januarythrough March. Anglersshould be aware thatbecause of very low waterlevels in Lake Mead thisfall, access may be difcult and adjustments may have to

be made to release locations for trout stocking. Black bassshing should be average with smallmouth bass catches onthe rise with many sh caught near Callville Bay and The

Narrows. Catsh angling should slow as water temperaturescool, however, these sh are still taken during the winter byshing the bottom with baits like anchovy, liver, and preparedcatsh baits.

Lake Mohave

Striped bass shing on Lake Mohave will likely be belowaverage this fall. Although large striped bass are stilloccasionally caught in the reservoir, poor recruitment haslimited the number of smaller striped bass available for

anglers. Largemouth and smallmouth bass shing shouldbe fair to good. Smallmouth bass continue to increase innumbers in Lake Mohave. The channel catsh shery hasbeen a consistent producer through the years and shouldcontinue to be good to excellent this fall. Excellent shingfor bluegill can be found anywhere on the lake you ndbrush and aquatic vegetation, the exception being the coldwaters of Black Canyon. Rainbow trout shing will be fairto good in the vicinity of stocking locations. Willow Beach

is stocked year-round and is the primary trout shing area.Trout stocking at Placer Cove and Aztec Wash will begin inNovember as surface waters cool.

Colorado River below Davis DamFishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass should befair in backwater areas along the river, Laughlin Lagoonin particular. There is an abundant population of redearsunsh in the river and backwater areas, some of whichgrow to a pound or more. Anglers also have had successshing in backwaters and lagoons for bluegill. Striped bass

shing in the river can be hit or miss in the fall as striper aremigratory. Generally striper move upriver in the spring andby fall most of the sh have moved back down river towardsLake Havasu, but there are always a few sh around.

Adams-McGill Reservoir

Adams-McGill Reservoir is a man-made reservoir located on

the Kirch WMA that maintains a self-sustaining largemouthbass shery, as well as a put-and-take rainbow trout sheryBass angling is slow until water temperatures reach 60Fwhich occurs about mid-May and continues to be goodthrough October, when angling success drops off due to

colder water temperatures. Trout shing starts in Februaryand continues through June, slowing in the summer, andthen picking up again in mid-September through NovemberApproximately 8,000 9-inch rainbow trout will be stocked thisfall. Articial lures (articial worms) are the most popular baifor bass, while articial ies and lures as well as PowerBaitworks best for trout. Anglers have reported great success

for rainbow trout up to 20 inches in length. Largemouth basspopulations have responded well, but large bass are rareUsing a oat tube to access deeper water areas in the lowereservoir has often yielded the largest trout.

Cold Spring Reservoir

Cold Springs Reservoir is another reservoir located on KirchWMA that also maintains naturally reproducing largemouthbass and stocked rainbow trout sheries. Articial luresspinner baits and rubber worms are the most commonlyused methods for bass. Water temperatures drop below60F in October and the bass shing slows. Rainbow trout

on the other hand, are available year-round, with the bes

months (highest success rates) being March through Juneand September through October. If and when ice becomesthick enough to support anglers, winter trout shing canproduce sh. Angling should be good for largemouth bass10-inches or more in length. Trout shing should be goodthis fall and coming spring. Water storage should be abouaverage this year with good success for boat anglers. Shoreangling access is best off the lower dike south of the boat

ramp.

Continued on next page

Lake Mohave



22/26

Dacey Reservoir

Dacey is the smallest of the four shable reservoirs on KirchWMA and is managed to maintain a natural bass shery

and waterfowl nesting area. Trout were stocked into Daceyfor the rst time in any number in 2004 and have beenexperiencing excellent growth rates with sh over 12 inchescommon. Angling for largemouth bass is good Augustthrough September. Articial lures, spinner baits and rubber

worms are the most commonly used methods for bass.Water temperatures drop below 60F in October and thebass shing slows. The shing for the stocked rainbow trout,on the other hand, picks up mid-September is good throughNovember. If and when the ice becomes thick enough tosupport anglers, winter trout shing can produce sh. Troutshing should be fair this fall after water temperaturesdecrease, with 15 inch or larger sh present.

Haymeadow Reservoir

Slightly larger than Dacey; Haymeadow Reservoir is

the fourth reservoir open to shing on Kirch WMA. Thisreservoir is managed at a full, stable level to promote thenatural bass shery and stocked rainbow trout shery. Thebest months for trout shing are March through June andSeptember through October. Ice shing in winter can also bequite productive. Growth rates for the trout are excellent andsh up to 20 inches in length are periodically taken. Troutare captured on lures, ies and with PowerBait. Troutshing should be good and there should also be carryover of

approximately 30 percent from last year. With growth rates ofup to 1-inch a month, rainbow in the 15 to 17 inch size rangeshould be common. Average water levels should prevail.

Eagle Valley Reservoir

Constructed in a narrow canyon below several miles ofmeadow within Spring Valley State Park, Lincoln County,Eagle Valley Reservoir has a maximum depth of 43 feet. Theshery is made up of rainbow, tiger trout (brown trout x brooktrout hybrid) and brown trout, which are stocked annually.Approximately 5,000 tiger trout and 32,000 rainbow trout

were stocked between March and June. In the fall, 7,000rainbow trout are scheduled for stocking. Fishing should

begin picking up again in the fall, after the normal latesummer doldrums. Aquatic vegetation can pose a problem

during summer months. Fishermen can look forward tocatching 8-10 inch rainbow trout with an occasional tigetrout or largemouth bass. Anglers shing from a boat or oatube should do well.

Echo Canyon Reservoir

Echo Canyon Reservoir is located within Echo Canyon StatePark, approximately 10 miles downstream from Eagle ValleyReservoir. The shery is made up of rainbow trout, browntrout, white crappie, largemouth bass and a few bullheadcatsh. A total of 13,000, 9-inch rainbow trout were plantedover this past spring and 4,000 rainbow trout are planned fostocking in the fall, although low water level may delay fal

stocking.Nesbitt Lake

Nesbitt Lake is located on the Key Pittman Wildlife

Management Area, one mile north of Hiko. The lake isprimarily managed for waterfowl, with secondary concernsfor the shery which consists of black bullhead catsh andlargemouth bass. The lake also contains fathead minnowsthat serve as a prey base for the bass. Fishing is bestbetween February and June. Largemouth bass generallyrange in length between 8 and 10 inches with a maximumsize near 13 inches. Most anglers used jigs, spinner baitsrubber worms and top water plugs. The black bullheads

range in size between 10 and 12 inches. Black bullheadanglers use worms and some prepared catsh baits. Fishingshould only be fair this year for largemouth bass, bluegill andbullhead. Water levels are predicted to be normal. Aquaticweed growth increases in the summer, making shore shingdifcult. A boat or oat tube remedies the weed problem.

Upper Pahranagat Lake

Upper Pahranagat Lake is located on the PahranagaNational Wildlife Refuge just south of Alamo in LincolnCounty. Angling opportunities will be limited in fall 2010

because the reservoir was recently drained for repairsto the dam and has not been re-stocked with game sh

Eagle Valley Reservoir



23/26


24/26

Lake Tahoe

With a depth of over 1,600 feet, Lake Tahoe is more resistant

to drought than some of the shallower Nevada reservoirs.Anglers can catch rainbow, brown and lake trout as wellas kokanee salmon. Favored angling techniques includetop-lining and deep-lining. July and August are the mostproductive months, in sh per hour, although deep-linerscatch lake trout all year. NDOW stocks approximately 40,000catchable sized rainbow trout annually, split between CaveRock and Sand Harbor in the spring and summer.

Lahontan Reservoir

Lahontan contains 273,000 acre-feet of water when full. Asof mid-August, the reservoir contained only 119,000 acre-feet of water. Access for larger boats at the improved boatramps is available until the reservoir drops below 90,000acre-feet. Fishing for walleye, white bass and wiper isexpected to be fair this season. At Lahontan, some of thebest shing of the year occurs in September and earlyOctober for anglers shing off points. These anglers usebait to intercept wandering schools of white bass, walleyeand wipers. Fishing can also be productive in the narrows or

at the Truckee Canal entrance near the dam. The reservoirhas produced state records wipers and there have been

many others caught over 20 lbs. Wiper shing is best inJune and September. In recent years, many anglers havealso capitalized on large carp which are plentiful in thereservoir. These sh ght hard and can be easy to catchwith ies or corn.

NOTE: The Nevada Division of Health is advising consumersto refrain from eating sh caught from the Carson River in thevicinity of Dayton downstream to, and including Lahontan

Reservoir and all waters in Lahontan Valley. Studiesperformed by the State Division of Environmental Protectionand Department of Wildlife have shown that a public healthproblem exists due to elevated levels of mercury in game sh

and carp from these waters. Women who are pregnanor are planning on being pregnant should be especiallycareful in limiting consumption of sh.

Walker Lake

Located north of Hawthorne on Highway 95; waterlevels at Walker Lake have continued to decline duringthe last 10 years, consequently shing has declinedsharply and few anglers are reporting any successBoat launching is also becoming very difcult, with

continual maintenance of the Nevada State Parks boaramp near the town of Walker Lake providing the onlysafe launching conditions.

Topaz Reservoir

Located south of Gardnerville on Highway 395, Topazis a gem located on the Nevada-California borderAccess for larger boats is available at Douglas CountyPark near the dam and Topaz Marina on the west side othe lake. Boat anglers will do well trolling Rapalas andash rigs at varying depths. Shore anglers should shwith PowerBait and worms as far out as they can cas

for the best success. Most trout are averaging 15 to 17

inches. As nighttime temperatures drop, trout shingshould heat up at Topaz. Bass shing is becoming more

popular and in the fall anglers can target bass in shallowerwaters where they will be moving in to feed on bait sh andcraysh. Fishing season closes on September 30 at Topaz

East and West Walker Rivers

Winter shing has been fair to good during low winter owsAfternoon shing has been most productive when insecactivity is at its peak. On the East Walker, anglers should

be aware that the upper 2.5 miles of the river in Nevada hasbeen closed to public shing. The section from the RosaschRanch down offers seven miles of catch and release water

Beyond this stretch, shing regulations change to generalimits and bait shing is allowed. There are big brown trout upto 20 inches everywhere on the East Walker down to RaccoonBeach. As there are some private lands interspersed alongthe river, anglers are advised to obey any No Trespassing

signs. Conditions are now good and it is best to sh prior tospring runoff or late fall when ows subside again.

The best waters on the West Walker River are locatednext to the highway in Wilson Canyon, in Hoye Canyon jusabove Wellington and the Topaz canal. All of these areas areregularly stocked by NDOWs Mason Valley Hatchery. Thereare also big brown trout in the West Walker, but in fewer

numbers. Anglers can expect most of the catch to be brownand rainbow trout in the 10-12 inch range. Public access is

difcult between Hoye Canyon and Wilson Canyon as mosof the river is privately owned.

East Carson River - Carson City Area

East Carson River below Ruhenstroth Dam is stronglyrecommended. The area holds white sh, rainbow andbrown trout in good numbers and is stocked regularlyAnglers are reporting good trout shing in the East Carsonabove the conuence of Bryant Creek to the California stateline. Horseshoe Bend is also a good place to try y shingfor wild trout.

Lake Tahoe



25/26

Dufurrena Ponds

Fishing for largemouth bass, sunsh, yellow perch, andcrappie should be excellent this fall. Anglers shing theponds during the summer months reported good shingusing small streamers, soft plastics, and spinners. A boator oat tube can be very helpful to reach the deeper tuleedges that are not accessible from shore. Areas near the

dam provide the best shing opportunities for shore anglers.

Rye Patch Reservoir

Rye Patch Reservoir has recovered after low water levels atthe end of 2009 and approximately 900,000 walleye fry wereplanted in mid-April to provide future shing opportunities.Fishing throughout 2010 has been slow for most anglerswith cooler than normal water temperatures. Anglers havebeen catching 10-12 inch wipers trolling along the steepshorelines. Throughout 2010 anglers have been catching

fewer walleye, but most of the walleye have been in the 5-6pound range with main lake points offering the best walleyeshing. Currently ows are very high below the dam forshing.

Blue Lakes

High water levels have made for great shing at Blue Lakesthis year. Anglers are reported catching a variety of rainbows,bowcutts, tiger trout, and brook trout. Flies, lures, and baitshing have all been productive. Early morning and eveningoffer the best shing as trout move into the shallows. For

those willing to hike in with a oat tube, shing can remainproductive all day long as you sh the deeper water.

Onion Valley Reservoir

The water level reached within ve feet of spilling this year,which is the highest in many years. Carryover sh wereobserved during the summer with 17-19 inch trout being

caught. Over 12,000 trout were planted in June, whichprovided excellent shing throughoutthe summer and these sh shouldcontinue to grow during the fall

months. The shoreline near the campsites and near the dam has providedconsistent shing this season foranglers using bait, lures, and ies.

Knott Creek Reservoir

Access into Knott Creek Reservoir isstill slow going with many exposedboulders and ruts in the road. Water

levels remained exceptionally highthrough mid-July when water releases

began for irrigation. The high waterlevels and cool water temperaturesdelayed the vegetation growth alongthe shorelines which increasedopportunities for shore anglers. Floattubes and small boats increase theamount of water anglers can sh. Flysherman continue to have successwith a wide variety of tactics. Anglers

using conventional gear can also do

well. Special regulations exist at Knott Creek Reservoir witha limit of one trout, minimum size 18 inches and articialures with single barbless hooks.

Chimney Reservoir

NDOW is taking advantage of low water levels at ChimneyReservoir to improve the shery for coming years. Chimneyis currently being drained and will be treated this fall toremove carp from the system. Prior to treatment, game sh

will be salvaged and moved to other Nevada warmwatersheries. If low water conditions persist, the reservoir maybe drained again next fall to ensure the carp population iseliminated. Chimney will then be relled and restocked withwarmwater sh including walleye, wiper, bass and whitecrappie. As a result, no shing opportunity is currentlyavailable at Chimney Reservoir.

Urban Fisheries

A variety of urban sheries are available throughout westernNevada including Sparks Marina, Davis Creek Park, Wilson

Common, Marilyns Pond, Paradise Pond, Liberty Pond inFallon and the Derby Canal in Fernley. Carson City will seethe opening of their much anticipated new urban shingpond in Fuji Park this October, with a Kids Fishing Day evenscheduled for October 23. During September and Octoberas soon as surface waters cool, catchable trout will bestocked at all these waters.

Western Region Fall Fishing Season Closures

On September 30 the shing season closes on the followingwaters: Mason Valley Wildlife Management Area, For

Churchill Cooling Ponds, Hobart Reservoir, Marlette Lakeand Topaz Lake.

On November 15 the shing season closes on thefollowing waters: Catnip Reservoir, Onion Valley Reservoir

Blue Lakes, and Knott Creek Reservoir.

Knott Creek

Reservoir


Nevada Department of Wildlife


26/26

2010 Wildlife Almanac

Documents