OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Carson City Advisory Board to Manage Wildlife Meeting – May 4, 2026

Board of SupervisorsMonday, May 4, 2026
BodyCarson City, Nevada
SessionBoard of Supervisors
DateMonday, May 4, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record

STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE

Transcript — Verbatim
4:09

Before twenty twenty six meeting starting at five thirty one PM.

4:13

Just to notice to the public, members of the public you wish to view the meeting may watch the live stream with the Carson City Advisory Board Managed Wildlife Meeting at Carson City.gov front dashes and by clicking on in progress next to the meeting date and or by tuning in to cable channel one ninety one.

4:37

Chair Fleming.

4:48

From the roll call, I would like to jump to Pledge of Allegiance.

5:00

And to the Republic, to which it stands.

5:01

One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

5:10

All right.

5:11

Let's go ahead and move on to public comment.

5:13

I'll take any in person.

5:18

Any online.

5:21

Okay.

5:22

Since we did receive this from the Churchill County Advisory Board to manage wildlife, it is in a writing to respectfully propose the board consider adopting regulations authorizing the controlled use of trained blood trailing dogs and unmanned aerial systems.

5:45

I guess we can just keep this open right now.

5:47

For this is the place to talk about it as public comment on how the board sits feels.

5:54

Ideas, thoughts.

5:57

I just have questions to how this is going to be enforced.

6:02

I don't really know how much it could be enforced, is the issue, right?

6:06

And then I think the biggest concern I see with this is just the opening up of the door, right?

6:12

With the drones.

6:15

Yeah, what is it between catching someone with the drone that's out there saying, hey, shot would have got this instead of discussing.

6:23

Yeah.

6:24

That's kind of more.

6:25

Or I see the trained blood dog.

6:28

I don't know.

6:29

Yeah, we've talked about this in the past.

6:31

And I if there's some sort of certifying there actually are certified certifying bodies out there for this type of training.

6:41

And if that was something to be adopted, I wouldn't be against it.

6:44

But as we discussed, it's uh there's too much room for abuse in regards to drones.

6:50

Especially how you they want thermal.

6:54

Yeah.

6:54

Yeah.

6:55

Yeah, I don't I don't have a problem with the dogs.

6:57

That the drones are what's kind of setting me back on this, also.

7:02

So are there groups that certify dogs to do this?

7:06

There are groups that do that, yeah.

7:07

And it's and it's uh like in Africa, they use like two dogs most of the time they're Jack Russell's or other type of small dogs to trail.

7:19

Um I don't know what all they're using in America, they're probably using hounds and stuff more than anything.

7:29

So do we have any appetite then where we want to because we can't really take any action here, but we can respond back as a board to them, correct?

7:37

That's correct.

7:38

Is there something that we want to put our name on it in regards to yeah, the trained blood trailing dogs, but not the unmanned aerial systems, or is this just something that we want to let stay that we're not for the drones, but we're really not gonna throw our hat in the ring?

7:55

Yeah, I mean, if if it could be if this is being discussed at the commission meeting, or if they wanted like a response from us, I think I mean pretty much we're with the right certification.

8:08

I think we're all good with the blood training dogs for the most part.

8:13

Yeah, go ahead.

8:15

Why turn your bike on Dorsey?

8:17

If they can't track it a large animal through the rocks and stuff, how are they gonna trade it track a small dog?

8:26

So the dog actually tracks the scent of the blood.

8:29

I know so they've they the dog will follow the scent and alert somehow, either barking or waiting for the handler to show up.

8:38

Oh, that's that's all they do.

8:39

They just track the blood smell.

8:41

I think she's saying along the lines of if they can't track that, how are they gonna train a dog and get that and they're gonna find it and do that?

8:48

And then how are they gonna get the dog if you're gonna have to find the trail?

8:50

You're gonna have to figure that out on on the fly, I think.

8:53

But yeah, I don't know.

8:55

I mean, this is this is proposed for large game.

8:58

I'm assuming so we're talking deer and elk and big horn sheep and stuff like that.

9:04

Yes, okay.

9:05

Yeah, so I almost think whoever's at the Reno meeting, because that's the next one, right?

9:12

I think we just wait for this to get brought up, and then we can voice our opinion as the board in regards to on the line of supporting trained blood training trailing dogs with the right certification, right?

9:26

And that we don't support the unmanned aerial systems if everyone's okay with that.

9:30

Yeah, I'm gonna vote.

9:33

All right, perfect.

9:34

Yeah, so I think we're gonna lead into that in the next two topics, so we'll bring that up again on who's gonna go there.

9:42

Um last call for public comment.

9:45

All right, seeing none, we'll move on to item number five.

9:50

The for possible action, the approval of the minutes from the March 11th, 2026.

9:56

Carson City advisory to wildlife management board meeting.

10:02

Do I see a motion for approval?

10:06

I make a motion to approve the minutes as written.

10:09

I'll second.

10:10

All right, we have an approval from Danny.

10:12

Mr.

10:12

Thompson and second from Kurt.

10:16

All in favor say aye.

10:17

Aye.

10:18

Aye.

10:18

All posts say nay.

10:20

Passes unanimously without Rob being present.

10:24

All right, on to item number six for discussion only.

10:28

An update from attendees of the March 13th and 14th, 2026.

10:34

Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioner meetings.

10:36

And that is me.

10:38

The Boulder City meeting.

10:40

Hold on, let me get my notes up really quick.

10:42

So really had some interesting things.

10:46

I mean, to hit on the topics.

10:48

Daniel King did show up and fight his case for a sub guide being re-entered.

10:55

He lost that.

10:56

It was a little interesting because the board was taking the approach of if you're a sub guide or a guide, this is the standard on how you get treated for these fractions, infractions.

11:10

But when he got penalized for that infraction, he wasn't a sub guide or guide yet.

11:14

So he was trying to make that argument of I wasn't there yet for that.

11:18

So I don't know if I should be penalized as that.

11:21

And they recognized it, but continued forward saying at that time and approach that you're gonna have that.

11:28

There's the idea of the guide, so you maintain and hold that in value.

11:32

So they upheld the penalty.

11:35

Um Tyler Hubbard did not show up, didn't discuss it and dismissed it.

11:41

So they just dismissed it and by dismissing it, can no longer take any more action with the board.

11:47

So that was handed over the scoped auto range.

11:52

They um this supported the denial of the ranging scope, so they didn't want to move forward with it.

12:00

Same with the thermals.

12:02

And then one of the big things I took from it was just how many cow elk tags are gonna be moving up.

12:08

The big six units really, and a major cause for a significant cow elk tag increases the fires that they've seen out there and the trends from the data that they've noticed in previous in years past when they've seen I gotta try to remember this, two to four years of growth.

12:24

It seems to be a pop in the population from there, and that's what the trend was showing, and then it with the increase with the fire on how it decimated it.

12:34

They just increased a lot.

12:36

Tags, primarily in the unit 60, 061, 071, 076 through 091, 02, 072 to 074, and 11 to 115 will be cow elk.

12:48

Increases predator fee 1.1 million dollars.

12:53

RAIDs, 63%, 723,000 is for lethal removal and uplandbird contributions of 60,000.

13:03

It was kind of interesting.

13:04

They had a Utah State study there, professor and a master's or PhD student who was discussing the traits seen in Mountain Lions on between sheep, cow, um, deer, and horses, and really just kind of boiled down to whatever they have a preference on, they stay to, and it has an increase on what's present.

13:28

So more sheep, they go for sheep, more deer, they go for deer, more horses, they go for horses.

13:35

So just opportunist hunt, and then what they see is present and what they have.

13:39

What was kind of interesting I got from that was there's really no crossover.

13:43

It was like 95% of the food they ate was what they ate, and then it was five percent of the other.

13:50

So it was pretty interesting, and that's really all I had for major updates from the Boulder City, March 13th and 14th, 2026.

14:04

Anyone else?

14:05

Anything else?

14:05

Okay, we'll keep on moving then.

14:09

We'll go ahead and jump over to number seven for discussion.

14:13

Only an update and activity report on the Carson City Urban Wildlife Committee.

14:19

It's usually Rob, does anyone have anything?

14:23

No.

14:24

I did think just one interesting comment, and if anyone has any opinion on it, seems that the rattlesnakes have had a bigger presence as of recent, and there's been noticeable more bites.

14:38

And some relation to just the colder weather drawing out, so they're kind of I don't know how to say it, not really moving as much, but I thought that was an interesting report that I read.

14:50

What was that at?

14:51

It was on one of the local news websites.

14:55

Yeah, oh colour, but yeah, they reporting out on it, so I thought that was interesting.

15:05

All right.

15:06

Moving on to item number eight for discussion only.

15:10

Reports and informational.

15:12

Did anyone have anything on the board that they wanted to pull for 8A to AE?

15:25

I kind of just looked down.

15:27

They seem pretty straightforward from what we normally see.

15:29

Yeah, no, there's nothing.

15:30

Nothing really stuck out to me.

15:35

All right, we're cruising along then.

15:37

All right, we'll move on to item number nine for possible action.

15:42

The consent agenda.

15:44

Did anyone have from 9A to 9N.

15:52

Anything they wanted to pull?

16:04

So from the meeting that pretty much the uh nine owl is is like they're not going through with that.

16:11

Yes.

16:12

Yep, that was from the meeting.

16:13

They were they had one person say they would support it, but if there are others within the board didn't support, they were okay with not supporting it.

16:24

And I think that was the individual from the younger individual from the Lovelock area, if I remember correctly.

16:59

Yep.

16:59

So I was gonna pull nine I and nine Just because we did on the other ones the appeal for the sub guide license and see if there's any discussion that anyone wanted to have, and then we could go ahead and pull 9M as well, the big game quotas.

17:18

And 9N also and the black bear quota, yeah.

17:22

Perfect.

17:24

Sound good.

17:27

All right.

17:28

So in the before we go ahead and do that, do I hear a motion to support consent agenda items 9A through 9 H.

17:41

H.

17:42

And then 9K through 9 Light a motion to approve um agenda items 9A through 9H and 9K through 9L.

18:03

Do I hear second?

18:04

I'll second.

18:05

All in favor say aye.

18:07

Aye.

18:08

All opposed.

18:09

All right.

18:10

Passes unanimous.

18:11

So really just wanted to pull these just to stay consistent for 9i.

18:16

And I don't have much discussion.

18:19

I think I know where the board's gonna be and how we lean, but I just wanted to leave it for anyone here, or if anyone within the public, because we will I can open this one up for the public to have any opinion on 9i, the appeal for Mr.

18:36

Braxton Billabo at the May 8th, 2026 meeting of the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners, Mr.

18:42

Bilbo Bill Bowell.

18:45

I think I'm saying that right.

18:46

Something like that.

18:47

Is appealing the denial of his sub guide license?

18:54

I have nothing.

18:56

That was another one.

18:57

It seemed pretty cut and dry.

18:58

I have nothing.

19:00

All right.

19:01

Did he do something to make it so that he's being denied this license?

19:05

Or is it just there's too many sub there's too many of these subguide licenses, and he's not no, that was an infraction, yeah.

19:14

Oh okay.

19:15

Do we?

19:16

That's a good question.

19:17

I actually don't know that off the top of my head.

19:18

Do we limit total subguide and guide license?

19:21

Yeah.

19:21

Okay.

19:22

I think anyone's allowed to go to the book.

19:26

All right.

19:30

All right.

19:31

Do I hear a motion to approve nine eye?

19:35

And the support of the denial of the sub guide license.

19:40

I motion to approve.

19:43

I hear second.

19:44

I second.

19:45

Favor, say aye.

19:47

Aye.

19:47

All opposed.

19:49

All right.

19:49

Nine I passes.

19:50

9J appeal to Mr.

19:52

Paul Bad Padilla at the May 8-2026 meeting of the Nebatta Board of Wildlife Commissioners.

19:57

Mr.

19:57

Padia is appealing the denial of his subguide license.

20:02

Similar, just staying consistent.

20:04

Any open comments to the public.

20:11

Yep.

20:13

Yep.

20:15

All right.

20:16

I had a feeling this is how that was going to go, but one to stay consistent.

20:20

Do I hear a motion to approve 9J, the denial of Mr.

20:25

Padilla's sub guide license?

20:30

I make a motion to approve item 9J.

20:33

Your second.

20:34

All in favor, say aye.

20:36

All post.

20:38

Nay.

20:38

Passes unanimously.

20:40

All right.

20:41

Now let's move on to consent agenda item 9M.

20:45

Commission regulation 26-11, big game quotas for the 2026-2027 seasons at the May 9th, 2026 meeting of the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners.

20:54

The commission will consider and may take action to approve setting regulations for the number of tags to be issued for mule deer, antelope, elk, moose, bighorn sheep, and mountain goat for the 2026 through 2027 season.

21:06

And like I said, the biggest thing on this one was really just the supporting and providing evidence and background on why there was such a significant increase in cow elk tads in those certain ones.

21:21

And through the discussion, the gentleman from the Elco side, considering the majority of that is within the Elco region, had a good amount of questions.

21:31

And I know they had a subcommittee meeting the day before this was all said, and I guess they had some pretty productive conversation during that as well.

21:40

And ultimately throughout it, I felt that they provided enough information and justification just using the previous year data and the trends that they've seen, and given the impacts that they've seen over in those units with the fire that it was worth supporting, and then the board supported as well.

21:58

But primarily through what we've discussed already, right?

22:01

A lot of them stayed just about the exact same.

22:04

Yeah, there's some variation compared to last year.

22:08

Well so yeah, but I mean there's still significant draw opportunities.

22:19

Is that quick, Carl?

22:21

Good question in regards.

22:22

I was looking at the um wheel deer for 92, 94, and then 95.

22:29

I know we had a reduction last year because of the population.

22:33

I was just wondering are we seeing even a more reduction in uh recruitment and uh number of uh fawns per dose?

22:42

I think you know the rules, but if you don't mind coming up and state your name for the recording, department of wildlife um 192, 194, 196, carston front.

23:00

Uh yeah, we are recommending uh small reductions in both those units again this year.

23:10

Any legal weapon quota remaining the same.

23:14

Um ninety two.

23:21

192 is where we're recommending the decrease.

23:25

Um those herds both got hammered much, I think much more than we accounted for in the models uh back in that letter.

23:40

Some of the metrics were starting to come up, like the fondo adult ratio reports from hunters along with some of the metrics like the success rates and the four points are better.

23:58

Um those are still those are still early over now.

24:03

Um I just I don't feel comfortable raising it yet.

24:07

Oh, keep that date down.

24:10

Yeah.

24:11

The last two years, all I've heard from uh is not saying here we have a hard time finding on the junior success last two years, 27%, 29%.

24:28

That doesn't go more.

24:34

Um with that said, I'm I I struggle to get surveys, survey time for the cars and one year I'll get a call survey not spring, and next year I'll do a spring and on fall.

24:49

Um last year I did not get all surveys at all.

24:53

We were down one ship.

24:55

And uh that that ship will spend also the time we used to read it.

25:00

Um and then for spring surveys, uh I got, and I'll explain this, but very little time in 192 and 194 because we spent the hours over in 291.

25:14

Um I did count a spend just a brief amount of time kind of hot spot in 194, classified almost 200 deer.

25:23

Uh fawn ratios were not bad, but I I think what we're still seeing is uh recovering population from that really hard winter and uh fawn recruitment has been decent in the last couple years, but there are a lot of younger age class animals.

25:43

I'd like really like to give it another year or two with lower clothes and that was population control.

25:49

No, yeah, I and I and I agree with you 100% living up on the west side where we get the herds moving through the yard, and I noticed by first move here 10 years ago, there'd be 30 big in like half of them big bucks, and I think last year I've only saw two, like decent four-pointers.

26:09

Yeah, and so I was just curious.

26:11

I like, you know, if you're if it's just because of the of the weather event or we have some sort of health event, or is just natural selection going on as far as reduction.

26:20

Because there is a there is obviously a reduction in the herd.

26:23

Well, you know, a combination of things.

26:25

Um the the hardware obviously took its toll.

26:31

And I and I will clarify 194, the quotas are remaining the same.

26:36

Yeah, but yeah, yeah, they don't have it on here though.

26:38

But they're still the press, yeah, where they were several years ago.

26:42

Uh you know, 194 though, the quotas are almost down to where 192 are.

26:47

Uh through it.

26:49

But a combination of things.

26:51

One is just constant development on the Carson Fruit.

26:55

We have what, 2500 homes going up now across from Cabellas and that new uh right, yeah.

27:03

Yeah, and that is right where the critical beer meter range at the you know for decades.

27:13

Yeah, for 96 Adam.

27:15

File.

27:17

Combination of when you guys see it here in the West Carson, the western Carson Valley along the Foothill Corridor, and West Brino.

27:25

A lot of those deer, including the mature bugs, never leave residential areas.

27:32

More and more mature mature bugs hanging out in town safe.

27:38

And uh I think that's a big part of it as well.

27:42

Uh do you see that the uh the feral horse population in 195 affecting a herd deer herd over there?

27:50

Yeah.

27:52

I mean, I I I couldn't tell you the last time I flew over 195 when I saw a deer.

27:57

Yeah, um, I fly it for sheep every other year.

28:02

Uh but it's been years since I saw here.

28:07

The BLM now estimates, and they're not BLM horses.

28:12

Almost all of them are on private property.

28:15

But BLM still surveys it, and they estimated 4,000 horses in that unit.

28:23

So yeah, that definitely had an effect on deer.

28:26

I mean, the only deer really in 195, when you talk to the story county cat guys, um, they see a few of them, very few, you know, in the flowery range and places like that.

28:38

They have a lot of the in-town deer, you can see on the river.

28:50

Yeah, wow.

28:54

Thank you.

28:55

You guys want to want any information on 291?

29:00

Sure.

29:01

Since you're here.

29:02

Well, yeah, I'll touch on that and then give you that the outcome anyway.

29:08

Um we had we had not flown surveys in the pine nuts since the spring of 2002.

29:17

That was before I took over deer management.

29:20

It was all management the last time to fly.

29:24

And that was due simply to the um the density, high density of pinion juniper in that unit, and it just wasn't worth the the survey time and the dollars uh to fly over a bunch of trees.

29:42

You can't seem to hear any.

29:44

Um he quit flying back in 2000 to we well, some effects from the bison fire and the umisother sucker fires in there, and then the pine nut land health project that's been going on for 15 years, cutting down PJ and habitat improvement.

30:03

Um deer started uh to kind of rebound the last four or five years.

30:10

I think it was 2021 thereabouts.

30:13

We adjusted the population estimate to reflect that.

30:20

Without a survey, all our estimates and all our quotes are based on housing existence.

30:26

Uh sold.

30:28

So the increasing deer herd, we've been thinking about flying it again, and soft powers we didn't let this fly this spring.

30:39

Um counted 135 deer scattered, you know, not a whole lot, right?

30:44

But scattered from north to south, east to west.

30:49

Um, and with really good uh ratio is up to about I think 48 per 100 adults, which is really good.

30:59

Um really want to get a good fall survey, so that's planned this fall, probably November.

31:10

Really want to get a good fall survey so we can get that puck ratio.

31:14

And once we get a punk ratio established by survey, uh then we'll be able to create a model for that for that unit.

31:22

Probably fly it from here on outs.

31:26

Harvest statistics are good.

31:28

That that area's got great success rates the last two or three, four years for four-point class representation.

31:38

But I don't want I don't want to shoot it out.

31:41

And we recommended a lower quota last year, and the commission a little bit recommended a lower quota again this year.

31:51

All the anecdotal reports that I get from hunters are that they're seeing fewer over in box this year than in pastures.

32:01

I'm talking to guys that go out and hunt up with other people every year.

32:07

Um so I just I just want to it it's a it's a herd that's that's looking good.

32:13

I don't want to go in there and blow it out.

32:15

So recommended a reduction of any 10 tags in that unit for any legal weapons just to be on the same side, give it a couple more years of good production.

32:30

Good, thank you.

32:32

And at some point before I leave on to the guy's update about the first one.

32:37

Uh sheep in 195, and then turkeys in the pine nuts.

32:42

Oh, turkeys in the pine nuts.

32:45

That right now because we're on 9M anyways that has the sheep.

32:49

Okay.

32:49

Yep, so which is continue going.

32:52

All right.

32:52

Well, sheep in 1955, it's not uh it's not a hobble unit.

32:55

We may go that we put just the background back in 2011.

33:01

Yes, would you mind turning your mic on?

33:03

Please, I don't think this is going to fix out by that.

33:07

How's that?

33:07

Yeah, better than you.

33:08

Okay, sorry.

33:10

Uh back in 2011, we put uh 53 sheep into unit 195 on uh Lance Gilman's property.

33:20

Uh and over the course of uh well, right about then we put in two guzzlers on Clark Mountain, and then the following year or two, we put another guzzler in the guzzler uh in the gooseberry hills, and then a guzzler over on the EP mine.

33:35

So four uh water sources.

33:38

That population is now estimated at about two hundred and eighteen.

33:43

Wow.

33:44

Uh and I don't have we uh I don't have the the numbers in front of me, but the ram to you ratio is like 70 or 80.

33:55

Um John Ivonick, the Washoe County biologist.

33:58

We've been out two or three times this this spring, uh looking at sheep just from the ground, and just groups, ram groups everywhere.

34:10

Three and four-year-olds, yeah.

34:12

There's some real bomber rams in there, uh, but just tons of of younger age class ram groups uh scattered all over that mountain.

34:21

Uh the Derby Hills, Derby, both sides of the Derby Dam mountain, uh in the EP mine, and then over on Clark Mountain.

34:30

So really pleased with how those sheep are doing.

34:35

Um but again the horses were we're seeing more and more.

34:41

It used to be the sheep could get up on that derby mountain mountainside and get away from the horses.

34:46

Now we're seeing horses up there.

34:47

Yeah, about high.

34:49

Yeah, and of course, the the private companies out there continue to feed and water the horses.

35:01

Um, so it's not helping.

35:03

And the and the range conditions reflect that.

35:08

Turkeys and the pine nuts.

35:10

Um I don't know if I gave you guys an update last year, but a year ago, March.

35:18

Um, it's kind of been on the on the works for a while, but a year ago, March, we got 36 turkeys from Utah for the pine nuts.

35:30

There's a whole bunch went into the eastern region.

35:34

Um the 36 uh comprised a lot of toms and jakes in that group.

35:43

We released them on the east side of the pine nuts, kind of on the east slope of Como.

35:49

Um Mount Como.

35:51

And uh we had uh well, Paul Howell from the Douglas County cab was keeping an eye on them for a while, found their roosting trees, they kind of hung out in between the pine nuts and the buckskins and some of that stuff for a while, and then and then they just disappeared.

36:10

This year I was supposed to get 50 more, and uh trapping conditions in Utah just weren't favorable.

36:18

I ended up with 26, but every single one of them was a hen.

36:23

So we were really wanting to, we were really hoping that they would hook up with with all the the birds from last year, all those toms.

36:32

We had a uh couple backpack transmitters on two of these hens, so we're able to follow them.

36:38

One of the transmitters failed just right off the get-go.

36:42

Uh the other one is still working, and we've been out two or three times looking at those birds.

36:50

They're very close to where we released them, and uh happy to say that they we're able to find them in a big group with at least five toms from last year's release.

37:02

So, and then I talked to a property owner out there who didn't know she was supposed to report it, but last summer uh she said that they would sit in their lawn chairs and and watch little hens with turkey polts running around last summer.

37:17

So we're getting some some reproduction, which is great.

37:19

Oh, wow.

37:20

And I'll add that they're a Merriam's cross, so they're more of a forested type bird.

37:25

Okay, and so they're staying up where we put them and not going down into those Smith Valley pivots, which was another worry.

37:31

Yeah, so yeah, really good news there.

37:34

Uh it's a huge success.

37:36

Hey, just uh no, maybe not your area, but have you heard anything in regards to the transplants and the health that occurred in the clan alpine?

37:45

No, I haven't.

37:46

Sorry.

37:46

No, I that's yeah, nope, just curious.

37:54

That's awesome.

37:54

Good.

37:55

Anything else?

37:57

No, I'm good.

37:57

No, I was good.

37:58

Thank you.

37:59

Okay.

38:01

All right.

38:02

Do I hear motion to support 9M and the quotas being proposed?

38:08

I'll make a motion to support 9M as the quotas are written.

38:12

So I hear a second.

38:14

I second that.

38:15

All in favor say aye.

38:17

Aye.

38:18

All opposed say nay.

38:19

Passes unanimously.

38:22

All right.

38:22

Moving on to consent agenda item nine and commission regulation 26-12, 2026 black bear quotas.

38:34

Go ahead, Kurt, if you want to bring this up.

38:38

Get to it.

38:39

I'm still scrolling.

38:41

There we go.

38:43

There we go.

38:44

Uh there wasn't any change from last year, correct?

38:51

No.

38:52

No, no change, and we even had that conversation.

38:54

Sorry, I think that might have been for you, Carl.

38:56

But that's fine.

38:58

Yeah, we had that previous conversation with I forget the lady's name that comes here.

39:03

Oh, that was Becca that came last year.

39:05

There you go.

39:06

Yep.

39:06

And had that conversation with us, right?

39:08

And pretty similar outcome that we normally ask.

39:12

How many take in, how many harvest, any change, how many killed from vehicles, any effect with the similar answers of more killed by vehicles than harvested, and no effect on the population with increases.

39:26

But I think we took the stance just because we've seen in the past that we were going to support what the quota was.

39:32

Yeah.

39:33

Well, what were the big bears for last year?

39:36

Did we get any records?

39:39

Carl I burnt while I um top of my head.

39:44

No, yeah, there were a couple bigger, bigger bears killed.

39:48

Uh, but I don't know about any records.

39:52

I haven't seen that.

39:52

The record book uh their little shows coming up here in the next week or so in Reno.

40:00

But no, I don't recall anything gigantic.

40:03

All right.

40:07

Got anything else?

40:08

Anything good first on that?

40:10

Uh no, Becca would be here, but she's down in Southern Cala, California.

40:15

Um work or vacation.

40:18

Uh family matters, yeah.

40:21

Uh you guys, you guys hit on all the things.

40:25

I mean, the the population estimate.

40:29

We're to that point with black bears in in western Nevada, where the population is just going like this.

40:35

You know, it increased pretty substantially for a lot of years, and now it's just kind of stable.

40:42

Um slight uptick this year, which really doesn't mean anything.

40:47

Doesn't mean anything more than the slight downtick last year.

40:51

Just the way stable populations go.

40:54

Um 12 bears killed in the hunt, 28 bears killed by cars.

41:00

Touch on that point.

41:02

Um more females last year than than males, but we're still our harvest rates for both males and females is still down in that that two percent mark.

41:15

It just we're we're not we're not touching the population at all.

41:20

If you wanted to affect the population, uh, you know you'd have to be uh hunting bears and in the magnitude of 10 to 15 percent at least.

41:34

Um you guys saw the black bear report, it's got application hunt numbers and all that.

41:39

All those all those metrics just keep on climbing every single year.

41:43

More and more people applying for it.

41:46

Um yeah, unless you have some questions.

41:53

No, I don't think that's when it's in the conversation.

42:00

Me, no, I'm good.

42:00

We've had enough with it.

42:01

Yeah.

42:06

I'm good.

42:06

Thanks.

42:08

It'll just be Becca from here on out.

42:10

Um I'm done in July, so oh congratulations.

42:13

Yeah.

42:15

I highly recommend it.

42:20

Well, do I hear a motion to approve 9N as written?

42:26

I motion to approve.

42:27

Do I hear a second?

42:28

All second.

42:29

All in favor say aye.

42:30

Aye, aye.

42:31

All opposed say nay.

42:33

All right.

42:33

Passes unanimously.

42:35

Thanks, everyone.

42:36

That'll close out the consent agenda item number nine.

42:40

Moving on to number 10 for discussion only.

42:44

The Carson City Advisory Board to Manage Wildlife will discuss members' commitment to the meetings on May 8th and 9th, 2026 in Reno and June 26th and 27th, 2026 in Winnemucca.

42:58

Do we have any takers?

43:02

I if Rob's not going to go, I can make the 8th.

43:09

Anyone on the ninth?

43:11

I'm working that day, so yeah, I'm tied up all weekends.

43:14

Taking the overtime.

43:16

But I looked at the agenda on the ninth, and it was like two items.

43:21

Yeah.

43:22

Okay.

43:22

So it looks like we got May 8th and 9th covered, if anything.

43:29

I'll try to make it in a point.

43:30

I'll reach out to Rob and yeah, just listen to it or something.

43:33

Yeah.

43:33

Or if I'm in the Reno area, I guess go up there.

43:36

Um, anyone for the June 26th and 27th in Winnemucca?

43:42

That is way too far out.

43:43

Way too far up.

43:45

I can I'm not gonna make the June 26th and 27th in Winnamucca.

43:50

So we'll have to talk to Rob Dorsey.

43:53

You want to go?

43:54

Probably not.

43:55

Have you been to Winnemucca?

43:57

No, I've been to Winnemaka, but yeah.

44:00

They also have a bass restaurant out there.

44:02

I know they do.

44:02

It's a good one.

44:06

All right, we'll leave um May 8th and 9th covered.

44:10

We'll touch on the 26th and 27th, probably in our June meeting beforehand.

44:14

Just to confirm what we've got going.

44:17

Perfect.

44:17

Thanks, everyone.

44:18

And then we'll move on to item number 11 for discussion only.

44:23

Future agenda items.

44:25

Did anyone on the board have future agenda items?

44:29

I don't have any.

44:30

Nope.

44:31

Seeing none, we'll go ahead and move on to item number 12, the final public comment.

44:37

Any public comment in person?

44:41

Any online?

44:42

All right.

44:43

Seeing no public comment, we'll go ahead and close this out and then move on to the final action.

44:49

Do I hear a motion to adjourn the May?

44:54

May the May 4th.

44:57

Carcity Advisory Wildlife Management Board meeting.

45:00

I'll make a motion to adjourn there.

45:03

I think I wouldn't say all in favor say aye.

45:07

Aye.

45:08

Aye.

45:08

All right.

45:10

Motion passes unanimously.

45:11

Closed at 612 p.m.

45:14

Thank you, Zach.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
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Summary of Proceedings

Carson City Advisory Board to Manage Wildlife Meeting – May 4, 2026

The Carson City Advisory Board to Manage Wildlife met on May 4, 2026, from 5:31 PM to 6:12 PM. The board discussed a proposal from the Churchill County Advisory Board regarding the use of trained blood trailing dogs and unmanned aerial systems (drones), received updates from the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners meetings, and voted on several consent agenda items including appeals of subguide license denials, big game quotas, and black bear quotas.

Consent Calendar

  • Minutes Approval (March 11, 2026): Approved unanimously.
  • Consent Agenda Items 9A through 9H and 9K through 9L: Approved unanimously without discussion.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • A board member raised questions about enforcement of the proposed drone and dog regulations. Board members expressed support for the use of certified blood trailing dogs but opposed the use of unmanned aerial systems, citing concerns about abuse and enforcement challenges. No formal public comment was received from the audience.

Discussion Items

  • Proposal from Churchill County Advisory Board: The board discussed a written proposal to adopt regulations authorizing trained blood trailing dogs and unmanned aerial systems (including thermal imaging) for tracking wounded game. Board members were generally supportive of certified blood trailing dogs but opposed drones, citing potential for abuse and enforcement difficulties. The board decided to wait for the May 8–9, 2026 Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners meeting to voice their position: support for certified blood trailing dogs, opposition to unmanned aerial systems.
  • Update from March 13–14, 2026 Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners Meeting (Boulder City): A board member reported:
    • Daniel King’s appeal of a subguide license denial was denied; the commission upheld the penalty despite King’s argument that the infraction occurred before he became a guide.
    • Tyler Hubbard’s case was dismissed, preventing further action.
    • The commission supported denial of ranging scopes and thermals.
    • Significant cow elk tag increases in units 060, 061, 071, 076–091, 072–074, and 11–115 due to fire impacts and population trends.
    • Predator fee of $1.1 million, 63% for lethal removal ($723,000) and $60,000 for upland bird contributions.
    • A Utah State University study on mountain lion diet showed 95% preference for a single prey type with little crossover.
  • Update on Carson City Urban Wildlife Committee: No formal report, but a board member noted increased rattlesnake presence and bites in the area, attributed to colder weather.
  • Reports and Informational Items (8A–8E): No discussion; items were straightforward.
  • Attendance at Upcoming Commission Meetings: The board discussed sending representatives to the May 8–9, 2026 meeting in Reno (covered) and the June 26–27, 2026 meeting in Winnemucca (to be determined at the next meeting).

Key Outcomes

  • Item 9I – Appeal of Braxton Billabo (subguide license denial): Approved unanimously to support the denial.
  • Item 9J – Appeal of Paul Padilla (subguide license denial): Approved unanimously to support the denial.
  • Item 9M – Big Game Quotas for 2026–2027: The board heard detailed input from NDOW biologist Carl, who explained:
    • Mule deer quotas in units 192 and 194 are reduced slightly due to poor herd recovery from a hard winter and ongoing development; unit 192 sees a decrease while 194 remains unchanged.
    • Unit 195 has severe impacts from feral horses (estimated 4,000 horses) and few deer.
    • Unit 291 (Pine Nuts) has a recovering deer herd; quota reduced by 10 any-legal-weapon tags to avoid overharvest.
    • Sheep in unit 195: population estimated at 218, with good ram ratios, but horses are encroaching on habitat.
    • Turkeys in the Pine Nuts: successful release of 26 hens in 2026, with reproduction observed; previous release of 36 birds (including toms) appears to be integrating. The board voted unanimously to support the quotas as proposed.
  • Item 9N – Black Bear Quotas for 2026: No change from previous year. NDOW biologist noted the population is stable; 12 bears harvested in 2025, 28 killed by vehicles. Board voted unanimously to support the quotas as written.
  • Meeting Adjourned at 6:12 PM.

Meeting Transcript

Before twenty twenty six meeting starting at five thirty one PM. Just to notice to the public, members of the public you wish to view the meeting may watch the live stream with the Carson City Advisory Board Managed Wildlife Meeting at Carson City.gov front dashes and by clicking on in progress next to the meeting date and or by tuning in to cable channel one ninety one. Chair Fleming. From the roll call, I would like to jump to Pledge of Allegiance. And to the Republic, to which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. All right. Let's go ahead and move on to public comment. I'll take any in person. Any online. Okay. Since we did receive this from the Churchill County Advisory Board to manage wildlife, it is in a writing to respectfully propose the board consider adopting regulations authorizing the controlled use of trained blood trailing dogs and unmanned aerial systems. I guess we can just keep this open right now. For this is the place to talk about it as public comment on how the board sits feels. Ideas, thoughts. I just have questions to how this is going to be enforced. I don't really know how much it could be enforced, is the issue, right? And then I think the biggest concern I see with this is just the opening up of the door, right? With the drones. Yeah, what is it between catching someone with the drone that's out there saying, hey, shot would have got this instead of discussing. Yeah. That's kind of more. Or I see the trained blood dog. I don't know. Yeah, we've talked about this in the past. And I if there's some sort of certifying there actually are certified certifying bodies out there for this type of training. And if that was something to be adopted, I wouldn't be against it. But as we discussed, it's uh there's too much room for abuse in regards to drones. Especially how you they want thermal. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I don't I don't have a problem with the dogs. That the drones are what's kind of setting me back on this, also. So are there groups that certify dogs to do this? There are groups that do that, yeah. And it's and it's uh like in Africa, they use like two dogs most of the time they're Jack Russell's or other type of small dogs to trail. Um I don't know what all they're using in America, they're probably using hounds and stuff more than anything. So do we have any appetite then where we want to because we can't really take any action here, but we can respond back as a board to them, correct? That's correct. Is there something that we want to put our name on it in regards to yeah, the trained blood trailing dogs, but not the unmanned aerial systems, or is this just something that we want to let stay that we're not for the drones, but we're really not gonna throw our hat in the ring? Yeah, I mean, if if it could be if this is being discussed at the commission meeting, or if they wanted like a response from us, I think I mean pretty much we're with the right certification. I think we're all good with the blood training dogs for the most part. Yeah, go ahead. Why turn your bike on Dorsey? If they can't track it a large animal through the rocks and stuff, how are they gonna trade it track a small dog? So the dog actually tracks the scent of the blood. I know so they've they the dog will follow the scent and alert somehow, either barking or waiting for the handler to show up. Oh, that's that's all they do. They just track the blood smell. I think she's saying along the lines of if they can't track that, how are they gonna train a dog and get that and they're gonna find it and do that?

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