Date: 02/04/09
Contact: C. Douglas Nielsen
Phone: (702) 486-5127, ext. 3500

SPORTSMEN DIG DEEP TO HELP WILDLIFE

Thanks in large part to the generosity of local sportsmen’s groups the Nevada Department of Wildlife recently acquired a badly needed piece of equipment, a new four-wheel drive backhoe and trailer for its Southern Region Habitat Division. This backhoe will make it more cost efficient for NDOW personnel to build new small-volume water developments for upland game and other wildlife.

Three local organizations, the Fraternity of the Desert/ Bighorn, Wildlife and Habitat Improvement of Nevada (WHIN), and the local chapter of Safari Club International contributed a total of $10,000 toward the purchase of the new John Deere. “We needed something that could be towed with a pickup truck so we could access remote project sites,” said Roddy Shepard, project coordinator for NDOW’s water development crew. “That is how we get projects done in Nevada, by working directly with sportsmen. Their continuous support is essential to our program.”

The Clark County Advisory Board to Manage Wildlife matched the sportsmen’s donations, bringing the contribution total to $20,000, or just about one third of the $61,000 cost of the backhoe and trailer. The remaining $41,000 came from funds generated through the sale of upland game bird stamps.

“This project should serve as a model for cooperation between state and local government and private citizens,” said Shepard.

In addition to building new projects, the water development crew repairs and replaces existing water developments. These developments, also known as guzzlers, are designed to trap rainwater on a large metal apron and store it in an underground tank. Quail and other wildlife can access the water by walking down a ramp to the water’s edge.

The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) protects, restores and manages fish and wildlife, promotes fishing, hunting, and boating safety. NDOW’s wildlife and habitat conservation efforts are primarily funded by sportsmen’s license and conservation fees and a Federal surcharge on hunting and fishing gear. Support wildlife and habitat conservation in Nevada by purchasing a hunting, fishing, or combination license. For more information, visit www.ndow.org.