NPS Photo – Watson – 1951 – Public domain image.

Battle Born Public lands Extremism report

Non-Target Trapping Data 2002-2013

Trapping season starts again in October.  More non-target species will be caught, including domestic pets.  The Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners has done nothing to recognize or remedy these numbers.  And these numbers are from only a handful of Nevada trappers.  Imagine what they would look like if all the trappers contributed.

Coyotes and mountain lions have been killed in Nevada for many years in a forlorn hope that their deaths will “create” more mule deer for sportsmen to kill. Many sportsmen  believe, erroneously, that predators determine prey numbers instead of the other way round.  In the past dozen years, the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners has spent over $5 million to kill these animals (and poison ravens to “create” sage grouse).  Here are numbers reflecting the total annual kill of coyotes and mountain lions, statewide, from all causes for each year alongside NDOW’s official estimate of the mule deer population in this state.  You can decide whether sportsmen are “out to lunch” on this issue.

Click NDOW Coyotes Lions Killed vs Mule Deer Numbers 2000 – 2013

Cougar

Harley Shaw, well-known retired Arizona Fish and Game biologist, mountain lion expert and a bit of a philosopher (if I say so myself) had this interesting piece in Wild Felid Monitor recently. It should sound familiar to some of you since the very same conditions now exist in Nevada.

Wildlife Services 9th Circuit Opinion 080315