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Nevada WildlifeNevada Wildlife is the official voice of the Nevada Wildlife Federation, Inc.

We are an affiliate of National Wildlife Federation and the oldest statewide conservation organization dedicated to sustaining Nevada’s natural resources for wildlife through conservation and education.

Volume 19, Issue 1 Spring, 2015

Conservation WorksNevada Wildlife Federation contributes to local area working group planU.S. Department of Agriculture

RENO, Nev. – U.S. Secretary of Interior Sally Jewell announced on April 21 that U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has determined that the Bi-state population of Greater sage-grouse does not require Endangered Species Act (ESA) protection.

Secretary Jewell joined with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary Robert Bonnie, Nev. Gov. Brian Sandoval, Calif. Natural Resources Agency Secretary John Laird, and other state and local part-ners to celebrate an extensive and long-term conservation partnership on behalf of the Bi-state sage-grouse population. Federal, state and pri-vate partners have come together to proactively conserve key habitat and significantly reduce long-term threats to this distinct population segment of Greater sage-grouse.

A key factor in the decision not to list the bird was the development of The Bi-state Action Plan, a conserva-tion plan developed by partners in the Bi-state Local Area Working Group over the past 15 years and secured with $45 million in funding. This adds to nearly $30 million worth of conservation work USDA and other partners have already completed to implement this plan.

“Thanks in large part to the ex-traordinary efforts of all the partners in the working group to address threats to Greater sage-grouse and its habitat in the Bi-state area, our biologists have determined that this population no longer needs ESA protection,” said Jewell. “What’s more, the collabora-tive, science-based efforts in Nevada and California are proof that we can conserve sagebrush habitat across the West, while we encourage sustainable economic development.”

“This is welcome news for all Nevadans. I applaud the local area See Bi-state sage-grouse on Page 7

Bob Wick/Bureau of Land ManagementA male Greater sage-grouse puffs up his chest on a lek in an effort to impress visiting hens.

SAGE-GROUSE STRUT IN NATURE SELFIESEvery year from March through May, male Greater sage-grouse come to communal mating grounds called leks to show off their moves. In hopes of impressing some very picky hens, the males puff their chests, fan their feathers and really strut their stuff. The same lekking grounds may be used year after year. That is why protecting lek habitat is critical to the Greater sage-grouse’s survival. The Nature Conservancy and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have launched a new LekCam to help people understand this special mating ritual and the importance of lek habitat. The camera streams live footage of the birds and their early morning lek ritual online.View the webcam: http://bit.ly/GRSGCAM.

Sportsmen say save public lands for sage-grouseBy Lew CarpenterNational Wildlife Federation

A poll by the National Wildlife (NWF) Federation shows that sports-men and women in the heart of Greater sage-grouse country want to protect the bird and the sagebrush landscape that supports it, other wildlife and the western way of life.

The results, released last fall, show that a majority of sportsmen surveyed in 11 western states back re-strictions in important habitat to save the greater sage-grouse and avoid its placement on the federal Endangered Species List. A listing likely would lead to more stringent, long-term constraints that would affect such ac-tivities as hunting, fishing, recreation and grazing, said John Gale, NWF’s national sportsmen’s campaign man-ager.

“First and foremost, it’s critical that we save this iconic western wild-life species,” Gale said. “We can do that with strong conservation plans that protect key Greater sage-grouse habitat while allowing responsible en-ergy development, grazing and other activities on other public lands.”

Greater sage-grouse are a na-tive game bird providing hunting and viewing opportunities in the western United States. They depend on sage-brush ecosystems that also support many other fish and game species. Habitat loss, invasive species, fire and other impacts have led to significant sage-grouse declines and lost hunting opportunities. As a result, the bird may become listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). State and federal wildlife agencies are considering plans to conserve sage-grouse habitat in a way that may prevent ESA list-ing and avoid hunting restrictions on public lands.

See Sportsmen on Page 8

2 Nevada Wildlife – Spring, 2015

Nevada WildlifePublished quarterly

by Nevada Wildlife Federation, Inc.Editor: Lorna WeaverAssociate Editor: Gale DupreeIn this Issue:No ESA for Bi-state sage-grouse 1Sportsmen agree on conservation 1Nature Notes 2New Wildlife Diversity Division chief 3Free Fishing Day poster winner 3Boating safety classes endorsed 3Clues sought in elk poaching case 3Be on the lookout for banded owls 4Owls quadruple in artificial burrows 4Plan to aid flycatcher conservation 5Enclosure protects Desert Dace 5Veteran gets hunt of a lifetime 6Wild book review 6Sheep create fuel break 7Calendar 8

Nevada Wildlife Federation, Inc.P.O. Box 71238, Reno, NV 89570

phone (775) 677-0927Web site: www.nvwf.org

President: Robert GaudetDistrict 1 (Reno) Vice Pres.: Ed WagnerDistrict 2 (Elko) Vice Pres.: Jack PrierDistrict 3 (Las Vegas) Vice Pres.: Kevin CabbleSecretary: Barbara McKinnonTreasurer: Tom GrimmNational Wildlife Federation (NWF) Representative: Robert GaudetAlternate NWF Rep: Kevin Cabble

Corporate SponsorsPatagonia – Reno

AffiliatesNational Wildlife Federation – NationAnimal Ark – RenoFriends of Nevada Wilderness – RenoGreat Basin Chapter Trout Unlimited – BakerMotorcycle Racing Assoc. of Nevada – Las VegasNevada Bowhunters Association – ElkoNorthern Nevada Outdoors – WinnemuccaTruckee River Flyfishers – RenoWalker Lake Working Group – Hawthorne

NATURE NOTESNevada rancher recognized

for sage-grouse conservationBi-state (Nevada/California)

sage-grouse thrive on the Masini Family’s Sweetwater Ranch south of Yerington. The Masini family proactively conserve sage-grouse (and wild trout) and raise cattle on the Sweetwater under the shadow of the Sweetwater Mountains.

Blue Lakes, Nevada’s best-kept secret (shh)The Pine Forest Range is located in northwest

Humbolt County, east of the Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge. Located in the Pine Forest Range is Blue Lake complex, the largest lake contains a variety of trout located near Duffer Peak. This lake has been my secret fishing spot for years. Now you all know about it. It has become more popular recently, and the trout size has declined from an average fish of 16 inches to 18 inches. The biggest fish caught that I know about was a 6-pound cuttbow. More common now are brook trout, rainbow and perhaps a few remaining tiger trout.

You can believe that you are in the Sierra Nevada when you arrive at the foot of Blue Lake because it looks like that area or the Ruby Mountains, southeast of Elko. If you draw a deer tag for this area, you can hunt the open terrain below Blue Lake or now hunt in the wilderness area on foot or horseback. ATV’s have abused the wilderness character of this area in past years. It’s only a quarter-mile hike to Blue Lake from the end of the four-wheel drive road. Now with wilderness designation, it may be more than a one-mile hike.

Years ago, my family met me there for the week-end. I arrived early on Friday. I fished Blue Lake that evening, caught my limit of trout, and on the way out I shot my deer. So I dressed it out, hung it in a tree and recovered it the next morning. I met the family Saturday afternoon, and we had all of our deer tags filled the next two days and drove home in time for school the next morning. You can’t beat those days now. Deer hunting and sage-grouse hunting is still good in this area. Even if you don’t luck out, you will still enjoy your trip to Blue Lake and beautiful sun-sets. The best to all of you who go.

Partners launch campaign to save monarchU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) launched

a new campaign in February aimed at saving the de-clining monarch butterfly. USFWS signed a coop-erative agreement with National Wildlife Federation (NWF), announced a new funding initiative with National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), and pledged $2 million in immediate funding for on-the-

ground conservation projects around the country. Introducing the new initiatives at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., were USFWS Director Dan Ashe, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, NWF President and CEO Collin O’Mara, and NFWF repre-sentatives.

While monarchs are found across the United States – as recently as 1996 numbering some 1 billion – their numbers have declined by about 90 percent in recent years, a result of numerous threats, particularly loss of habitat due to agricultural practices, development and cropland conversion. Degradation of wintering habitat in Mexico and California also has had a negative im-pact on the species.

To directly tackle these challenges, the new coop-erative effort will build a network of diverse conserva-tion partners and stakeholders to protect and restore important monarch habitat, while also reaching out to Americans of all ages who can play a central role.

“We can save the monarch butterfly in North America, but only if we act quickly and together,” said Ashe. “And that is why we are excited to be working with National Wildlife Federation and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to engage Americans every-where, from schools and community groups to corpo-rations and governments, in protecting and restoring habitat. Together we can create oases for monarchs in communities across the country.”

“Known for its beautiful orange color, fascinat-ing life cycle and remarkable annual migration, the monarch butterfly is the most iconic butterfly in North America,” Klobuchar said. “With the butterfly rapidly disappearing, I am pleased to see the Fish and Wildlife Service taking positive steps to reverse its decline. I will continue to call on the public and private sectors to join in the effort to protect the monarch butterfly.”

The memorandum of understanding between NWF and USFWS will serve as a catalyst for national collaboration on monarch conservation, particularly in planting native milkweed and nectar plants, the pri-mary food sources in breeding and migration habitats for the butterfly.

“If we all work together – individuals; commu-nities; farmers; land managers; and local, state, and federal agencies – we can ensure that every American child has a chance to experience amazing monarchs in their backyards,” said O’Mara. “By taking action to-day and addressing the growing threats that are affect-ing so much of America’s treasured wildlife ... we will preserve monarchs and America’s rich wildlife legacy. National Wildlife Federation and our state affiliates are proud to stand with the Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and other key partners on the front lines of action.”

Gale Dupree

Join Nevada Wildlife Federation today!Your membership dues fund wildlife

conservation and education programs in Nevada.

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Members who join or renew at a rate of $45 or higher can choose among several gifts:Campaign logo T-shirts – The slogans are: “Water for Wildlife,” “Share Your Backyard with Wildlife,” “Save Our Sagebrush Family” and “Support Elk on Public Lands.” A T-shirt with the NvWF logo is also available.

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Baseball hat with the federation’s logoBooks Best Easy Day Hikes of Death Valley, Animals of the Western Range Land, Hiking Death Valley National Park, Hiking Nevada, Nevada Wildlife Viewing Guide, Rockhounding Nevada, Basic Essentials for Survival, Also available is Beyond Fair Chase and Inherit the Hunt, which contain stories on the tradition of hunting by Jim Posewitz.Pocket guides Nevada Trees and Wildflowers, Nevada Birds, Birds of Prey, Ducks, Wilderness Survival, Animal Tracks, Nevada Wildlife, Invasive Weeds of North America. Please circle your choice of book. Your generous donation of $60 or more will be rewarded with a choice of any two items listed above (books and cloth-ing only). Please circle your two gift choices.

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LEGISLATURE WATCHNevada Wildlife Federation is

watching the following bills:SJR 1 – Urges Congress to enact

legislation transferring title to certain public lands to the state of Nevada.

SJR 11 – Proposes to amend the Nevada Constitution to preserve the right to hunt, trap and fish in Nevada.

Other wildlife-related bills:SB41, SB130, SB163, SB202,

SB387, AB78, AB82, AB136, AB142, AB335, AB338, AB345, AB408, AB431 and AJR2.

For more information on these bills and others see: www.leg.state.nv.us.

Nevada Wildlife – Spring, 2015 3

Wardens seek clues in Elko elk poachingNevada Department of Wildlife

Nevada game wardens are seeking any informa-tion on a poached bull elk found on the south side of the Meadow Creek-Jarbidge road in Hunt Unit 071, about 10 miles west of Diamond A Ranch.

“The bull was shot through the heart and left to rot only 50 yards from Forest Road 071,” said Jason Jackson, game warden for Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW). “We really want to catch the criminal that stole Nevada’s resources by poaching and wasting this animal.”

It is believed that the animal may have been shot sometime around the weekend of March 21. Anyone with information that can help game war-dens investigate this crime is asked to call Operation Game Thief at (800) 992-3030 or the Elko NDOW office at (775) 777-2300.

Big game poaching in Nevada is a felony. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a re-ward if the information leads to a conviction.

Nevada Department of Wildlife

Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) hired Jennifer Newmark in April as Wildlife Diversity Division Administrator. The position oversees the division responsible for Nevada’s diverse wildlife heritage through the protection, management and restoration of non-game species.

Newmark has nearly 16 years of experience working with Nevada’s wildlife. In her most re-cent position, Jennifer was the Administrator of the Nevada Natural Heritage Program, an agency within the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

“Jennifer is well-suited to this role, having a strong background in governmental program ad-ministration as well as recognized excellence in managing Nevada’s sensitive species,” said Tony Wasley, NDOW Director.

During her extensive career, Newmark has fo-cused on a variety of species including bats, spotted frogs, Amargosa toad and Tahoe yellowcress. In ad-

dition, she has worked in all ecosystems of the state, including wetlands and isolated springs within both the Great Basin and the Mojave deserts.

“Our state is one of the most biologically di-verse states in the nation,” said Newmark. “I look forward to helping preserve this legacy for future generations through implementation of the Wildlife Action Plan.”

Nevada’s Wildlife Action Plan was created to help guide the actions of wildlife managers to prioritize efforts towards those species of greatest conservation concern. Through sound science, data management, innovative partnership and implemen-tation of the plan, the Wildlife Diversity Division is working to maintain healthy, diverse populations and habitats.

Newmark earned a master of science in biol-ogy from Boston University and a bachelor’s of sci-ence in conservation biology from the University of Nevada, Reno. Additionally, she is the U.S. Section Council Representative for NatureServe, a network connecting science with conservation, consisting of natural heritage programs and conservation data centers found across the United States, Canada and Latin America.

Agency appoints Wildlife Diversity Division chief

Jennifer Newmark

Nevada Department of Wildlife

Fifth-grader Ava Balderrama has im-pressed teachers at French Ford Middle School in Winnemucca with her artwork all year. So when her teacher Carol McKim learned that Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) was holding its annual Free Fishing Day poster contest; she knew exactly who she would tell.

“I sought out Ava to compete in this contest, because I felt if Ava just did half of what she does on her regular assignments she would have a good chance of winning,” said McKim.

Balderrama’s entry beat out 267 entries from around the state to be this year’s winner.

“I am so excited to have one of my students win the state Fishing Day Poster Contest especially when I found out that student was Ava, “said McKim. “Ava was very surprised when she found out that she won. She was also thrilled, but humble.”

The runner-up spots went to Mia Bertolone,

fifth-grader from Minden Elementary in Minden, and fifth-grader Garret Pargas from Alice Maxwell Elementary in Sparks.

As the winner, Balderrama will receive a framed copy of her artwork and a fishing rod and reel. She and her family also will be treated to a guided fishing outing.

While almost all of the entries were done with crayons or markers, Balderrama painted her entry. She said she believes her artistic talents come from her mother with a little help from Bob Ross videos she watched. She also added that her favorite part of fishing is catching a fish with her Dad’s help.

This year’s theme for the Nevada Free Fishing Day Poster Contest was “Fishing is On the Hook.”

Free Fishing Day is June 13 this year. The state-wide event allows anglers to fish any public fish-ing water without a fishing license or trout stamp, while all limits and other regulations apply. Visit www.ndow.org to find out about Free Fishing Day events taking place locally.

Agency honors fifth-grader in Free Fishing Day Poster Contest

provided by Nevada Department of WildlifeAva Balderrama’s painting was selected to represent Nevada’s Free Fishing Day.

Nevada Department of Wildlife

This spring, Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) in conjunction with the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) encourages boaters to enroll in a boat-ing education course for safer boating as well as to comply with interstate boating laws. Working in partnership with the states, many course providers will offer incentives or course discounts for stu-dents who enroll in or complete a course during the Spring Aboard campaign.

In Nevada, boaters can visit www.ndow.org to find online courses or local Coast Guard Auxiliary courses. Boaters can also visit NDOW offices in person and get a free correspondence course. Boaters born on or after Jan. 1, 1983, are required to take a boating education course to operate a boat on Nevada’s interstate waters, which includes lakes Mead, Mohave, Topaz and Tahoe, as well as the Colorado River South of Davis Dam. NDOW has also released a podcast on www.nevadawild.org that talks in great detail about boating safety and

education in Nevada.“An informed boat operator is much more

likely to be a safer boater,” said Game Warden Captain David Pfiffner, Nevada’s Boating Law Administrator. “As a boating education agency, we want boaters to be safe, because safe boating saves lives.”

If boaters who fall under the law do not have a boating card, they will very likely receive cita-tion if stopped on the water, according to Pfiffner. Although game wardens aren’t on the water looking to write tickets, boating education has been law in Nevada so long that there is no reason for a boater to not have it.

In 2013, U.S. Coast Guard statistics showed that, when the level of operator education was known, 80 percent of boating deaths occurred on boats where the boat operator had never received boating educa-tion instruction.

Many states require completion of a course verified by NASBLA as meeting the national boating education standard for powerboat rental or operation.

State promotes boating education for safety, law

By Christiana Manville,U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

The western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) consid-ered a National Bird of Conservation Concern by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is threatened by habitat loss and destruction of bur-rows due to human disturbance and land conversions for agricultural and urban development. The Nevada Partners in Flight Bird Conservation Plan classifies the burrowing owl as a priority bird species and recommends several actions to protect and maintain burrow habitats, including increasing the number of owl nest sites by con-structing artificial burrows.

Since 2010, USFWS’s Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program has been partnering with Red Rock Audubon Society (RRAS) and the city of Las Vegas to enhance burrowing owl habi-tat at Floyd Lamb Park. Over the past four years, four volunteer work days were held to install 13 artificial bur-row clusters for burrowing owls. Each cluster of artificial burrows consists of three separate burrows, which can pro-vide a home for one pair of burrowing owls since this species is territorial. Artificial burrows are an important tool for burrowing owl conservation efforts in areas where natural burrows have been lost to urban and suburban development. Four the past four breed-ing seasons, owl monitors visited owl nests once a week to document owl use and breeding in the new and exist-ing artificial burrows in the park. In the park, the number of breeding owl

pairs has increased from 4 in 2011 to 15 in 2014. Eleven of 13 artificial bur-row clusters are being used by breed-ing owls, with two clusters being used by multiple owl pairs.

This project relied on volunteers to construct, install and monitor arti-ficial burrows for burrowing owls. To date, 82 volunteers have worked 1,588 hours on the project. The Partners bi-ologist provided financial and tech-nical assistance, including artificial burrow design, construction, volun-teer instruction and monitoring train-ing.

These artificial burrows use a hard plastic irrigation box (either the 12-inch or jumbo size) as a nest cham-

ber buried 3 feet under ground. A 12-foot-long piece of 4-inch flexible plastic perforated drain pipe is used as an entrance tunnel sloping gently down to the nest chamber. A cement block is placed at the end of the pipe to protect it from digging predators.

For the 2015 breeding season, 16 nest monitors are watching 17 pairs of owls in the park. They are eagerly awaiting the emergence of the owlets in late May and June.

The USFWS’s Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program provides assis-tance to landowners, tribes and local governments for wildlife habitat res-toration projects. For information visit www.fws.gov/nevada/partners/index.

4 Nevada Wildlife – Spring, 2015

NEvAdA BIRdING

Biologists seek help in sighting banded owlsU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

LAS VEGAS – U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) biologists are asking the public to report banded burrowing owls they see in back-yards, around town, or when hiking in the desert. The USFWS and Red Rock Audubon Society (RRAS) cap-tured burrowing owls last summer and placed colored leg bands on them at several Pahrump locations and at Floyd Lamb Park in Las Vegas.

Western burrowing owls are small, long-legged, ground-inhabit-ing owls that are often seen during the daytime resting outside of their bur-rows. They appear earless and have large yellow eyes. They eat mostly insects, small rodents and lizards. These owls are found in open areas with very little vegetation. In the fall and winter, the young burrowing owls move to new areas. Some remain in southern Nevada year round, while others migrate south or go to other areas for the winter, where there may be more food.

The western burrowing owl is considered a species of conservation concern due to loss and degradation of habitat. At Floyd Lamb Park, USFWS and RRAS enhanced habitat for the species by installing artificial bur-rows to replace natural burrows lost through development of surrounding land. Now it will be possible to rec-ognize individual owls, because each banded owl has its own number.

Banding birds is a tool that wild-life biologists use to mark individuals so that a bird can be recognized over time. This will allow USFWS biolo-gists to study the owls at Floyd Lamb Park and in Pahrump more thoroughly to better understand where the band-ed young owls go when they leave their parents’ burrow. This informa-tion will improve USFWS’s ability to conserve burrowing owls in southern Nevada.

Each banded owl has a blue me-tallic band on its left leg and a silver band on its right leg. USFWS asks the public to try to read the number on the blue band, which will be a two-digit number above a letter. Binoculars or a spotting scope should be used to read the number at a distance because the owls will fly away when they are ap-proached too closely. The location of the owl is to be noted, either to the closest cross streets or its GPS loca-tion. Participants are asked to call the Southern Nevada Fish and Wildlife Office at (702) 515-5230 to report a banded owl, whether or not the num-ber can be read.

Banded birds of many species pass through southern Nevada dur-ing migration. Anyone who reads the band on a bird or finds a dead banded bird can report it at www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbl/ or call (800) 327-2263.

M. J. KammererAdults and juvenile burrowing owls are photographed outside artificial burrows in Las Vegas.

Richard CantinoVolunteers install artificial burrows at Floyd Lamb Park in Las Vegas.

Owls quadruple in park’s artificial burrows

Nevada Wildlife – Spring, 2015 5

U.S. Department of Agriculture

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) unveiled an ecosystem-wide model in late March to aid the Southwestern willow flycatcher and help western landown-ers. The model will enhance or restore habitat for at-risk, threatened and en-dangered species while supporting working lands in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah. The program builds on exist-ing partnerships with landowners in the Southwest to support habitat im-provement for the Southwestern wil-low flycatcher, along with 83 other species that depend on the same ripar-ian ecosystem. This action will result in healthier ranges, more productive ranches and more robust rural econo-mies.

“By focusing on predictability on an ecosystem level, we will bring together an even larger group of ag-ricultural producers in the Southwest to create habitat for the flycatcher and other wildlife,” said NRCS Chief Jason Weller. “These efforts will not only support the many species that depend on this riparian ecosystem, but also help ranchers move to more sustainable grazing systems and give them the support they need to keep their lands working.”

“These efforts will help ensure not only the long-term health of ecosys-tems and countless species vital to the West, but they will assist rural land-owners and provide tangible benefits to local economies,” said USFWS Director Dan Ashe. “The Service has a long record of working with federal and state agencies and private land-owners in creating holistic, long-term solutions such as this.”

These efforts are part of the Working Lands for Wildlife (WLFW)

partnership between NRCS and USFWS, which helps create habi-tat on working landscapes for seven different at-risk, threatened or en-dangered species, including the fly-catcher. Through WLFW, producers who maintain conservation practices and systems that benefit the targeted species will be covered for any inci-dental take that may occur as a result of the conservation activities for up to 30 years.

Over the past three years, NRCS has worked with landowners in these six states to restore or enhance more than 7,000 acres of riparian land that the Southwestern willow flycatcher re-lies on for nesting habitat. Expansion of this program will engage more landowners by providing incentives for six additional conservation prac-tices. It will also expand the scale of the program by providing predict-ability under the Endangered Species Act for 83 species in addition to the flycatcher. Some of the other species that share riparian habitat with the fly-catcher in the Southwest include: New Mexico meadow jumping mouse, yel-low-billed cuckoo, Chiricahua leop-ard frog and the Least Bell’s vireo.

SOUTHWESTERN WILLOW FLYCATCHER FACTS

The Southwestern willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus) is a small Neotropical migratory bird that lives in riparian areas and wetlands in the arid Southwest. It is listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act.The flycatcher’s current range is similar to its historic range, but its population has declined because of a decrease in habitat caused by surface water diversion, groundwater pumping, changes in flood and fire regimens, and spread of non-native and invasive plants.The flycatcher nests in native trees and shrubs where available but also nests in thickets dominated by the non-native invasive species like tamarisk and Russian olive. Efforts to control non-native species can be detrimental to flycatchers, especially if those plants are removed in places lacking in suitable native riparian habitat.

The six new conservation prac-tices available through WLFW for the flycatcher include: installation of a stream crossing; pumping plant; micro-irrigation system or livestock shelter; mulching; and planting for species habitat. These are among the supporting conservation practices that NRCS offers to ranchers.

This effort builds on the historic success of voluntary conservation practices on private lands that benefit wildlife while supporting working lands.

For more on technical and fi-nancial assistance available for con-servation, visit www.nrcs.usda.gov/GetStarted or a USDA service center.

U.S. Geological SurveyFederal agencies are engaging landowners in the conservation of the endangered Southwestern willow flycatcher.

Plan to aid landowners in flycatcher conservation

Bureau of Land Management

WINNEMUCCA, Nev. – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Black Rock Field Office coordinated with Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Friends of Nevada Wilderness to install an exclosure fence around a spring in the Fly Canyon to protect a popu-lation of Desert Dace, a rare Nevada fish.

Wild horses and burros frequently use the spring at Fly Canyon as a water source, and heavy use has caused damage to the spring habitat. These impacts have been compounded due to continuing drought. Agency biologists were concerned that without some type of protection this Desert Dace population would not survive the summer. The exclosure will reduce impacts caused by heavy use while allowing wild horses and burros access to the spring water.

In 1985, USFWS listed the Desert Dace as a federally listed threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). At that time,

the species was only known to occur in Soldier Meadows, another area managed by BLM. In 2010, NDOW discovered a separate population of Desert Dace in a geothermal spring in Fly Canyon, located in the High Rock Lake Wilderness. Desert Dace require specific types of spring environments. The Fly Canyon population of Desert Dace is separate from that found in the Soldier Meadows area and may have different genetic traits.

While ESA protection was the driving force for the project, the land surrounding it is protected by the Wilderness Act, which prohibits the use of mechanized equipment in designated wilderness areas. Materials for the project were flown in by helicopter and the fence was installed by hand to prevent damage to the land while providing protec-tion for the Desert Dace.

“The project was critical to prevent the loss of this population of the Desert Dace, and we very much appreciate the assistance of both the BLM and USFWS in completion of the exclosure” says Jon Sjoberg, NDOW Chief of Fisheries. “With the

protection now in place, NDOW will be continu-ing Desert Dace population and monitoring surveys over the next several years, while inspecting the fence for functionality and maintenance.” Adjacent to Fly Canyon is the Soldier Meadows Area of Critical Environmental Concern, which the BLM manages to ensure harmony between recreational use of the area and the needs of its many sensitive species.

“The recovery of species like Desert Dace ul-timately depends upon our ability to work together toward common goals. The determination and com-mitment of our partners at NDOW, BLM, USGS and Friends of Nevada Wilderness proves that we can come together to conserve Nevada’s imperiled species and most unique natural resources for future generations,” says Ted Koch, Field Supervisor for the USFWS’s Reno Fish and Wildlife Office.

For information about the project, contact Kathy Cadigan, Wildlife Biologist for the Black Rock Field Office at (775) 623-1500 or kcadigan@blm.gov.

Agencies collaborate to protect Desert Dace in Fly Canyon

ENdANGEREd SpECIES ACT

6 Nevada Wildlife – Spring, 2015

provided by Danny RiddleLeft to right: Master guide Shane Evans, Jeremy’s father Andy Joyner, Master guide Dennis Rechel, Wounded Hero Jeremy Joyner and Jeremy’s brother Ty Joyner.

by Danny RiddleFreelance writer

Jeremy Joyner has always been patriotic. People who knew him while he was growing up in Yerington, Nev., expected him to serve his country. At 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, graduated from boot camp and in-fantry school with honors for being company high marksman during range qualification. He was deployed to Iraq in 2004. Jeremy is a two-time recipient of the Purple Heart, and he received the Bronze Star with a “V” attachment for Valor for heroic ac-tions in combat.

Jeremy was wounded for the first time with shrapnel in his arm. He was treated in Iraq and returned to com-bat. A few months later, his Humvee was being impacted by bullets. Jeremy returned fire with his machine gun while the Humvee burned. He helped other wounded soldiers exit, and he was finally forced to exit himself. Jeremy’s body was 85 percent burned with third-degree burns on his hands, arms, neck and face.

Nevada Outfitters and Guides Association (NOGA) selected Jeremy to be the 4th Wounded Hero Project recipient. He received a totally free, once-in-a-lifetime hunt, which in-cluded an elk tag, hunting equipment, lodging and guide service.

Jeremy’s dad, Andy is a veteran, his two brothers, Shane and Ty are also marine veterans with 2 and 3 tours in Iraq, respectively. Andy and Ty were able to participate in the hunt.

The NOGA guide in charge was Master Guide Dennis Rechel. Also guiding was NOGA Master Guide Shane Evans. Both licensed guides, who have been guiding hunts state-wide for many years.Public support

The Wounded Hero Project was inspired by Nevada Outfitters and Guides Association’s member Dwight Landquist of Wells, Nev. Optics man-ufacturer Leupold Stevens and the Winecup Gamble Ranch in Montello, Nev., are the major sponsors. Leupold donated a rifle scope, a spotting scope, and a range finder. The Winecup Gamble Ranch could have sold their landowner tag for thousands of dol-lars, instead they chose to donate to

one of our wounded heroes. In addi-tion to the tag, they donated six days of lodging for the entire crew in their five-star-plus equivalent lodge, and provided Chef Eric Ettesvold. Ranch manager James Rogers said, “We have been excited about this and have been looking forward to this for sev-eral months.”

The list of contributors is exten-sive and public support is massive. The Elko County Commission issued a supportive proclamation, many com-missioners contributed individually, and Commissioner Charlie Myers at-tended the first evening’s hunt orga-nizational meeting. A Savage mdl 111 7mm mag rifle was donated and mounted with a Leupold scope, which Gunworks had accuratized for 168 grain Berger bullet.

Elko County Veterans Post 2350 donated $4,800; taxidermy and meat cutting were donated; as was a pack, bedroll, binoculars, tripod and cus-tom bullets. A presentation to the Winecup Gamble Ranch Manager James Rogers was a denim quilt with the Winecup Brand on it, made by Terry Bowers of Ruby Valley.

In respect to public support; get-ting to know the deserving hero, Jeremy, and his dad and brother; participating with other donors; and contributing to a great cause: Rechel said, “This is as good for us as it is for Jeremy. We are proud to be able to support a life-long dream of his.”The hunt

It was shortly after daylight, yet before sunrise on the first morning of the hunt, when Jeremy used his 10x42 Leica binoculars, donated by Peri & Sons – NV Fresh Pak, to spot the elk about three miles away. We then used his Leupold spotting scope to develop a consensus that at least one of the bulls was a shooter.

Of course, the young Iraq veter-ans; Jeremy and his brother Ty, want-ed to start an immediate stalk. Their father Andy and the guides thought the chances of success would increase if we exercised patience. Our recom-mendation was to wait for the elk to bed down, then perhaps we would wait even longer for them to start feeding in the afternoon. After all, we did not see anyone else, it looked like we had the mountain to ourselves.

We maneuvered a truck along the edge of the roadway, far enough from the elk to not bother them, but where we could sit in the truck out of the wind, (1 degree outside), and keep watch.

About an hour and half into the watch, Evans said, “Hey, we have company.”

An ATV was driving off-road to-wards the bedded down elk. We were speculating on how this would affect our Wounded Hero’s hunt. One way or another, it was likely to spook the elk: Either they had discovered the elk, and were driving around to place a shooter ahead of us, or they would just bumble around until eventually they jumped the herd.

Not long after, and unusual for that time of day, the elk started get-ting up, then they started moving, and moving faster.

Rechel said, “Sometimes we need to sit and watch, and sometimes we need to go. We have to go.”

Almost one-half mile later, the es-caping herd was seen moving through a juniper forest. Jeremy’s brother Ty used his Leopold rangefinder to mea-sure the distance to the big bull at 630 yards. Then he set the dial on the tur-ret improved Leopold scope to 600 yards, rested his accuratized 7mm Magnum rifle on a cold icy rock, squeezed off a shot, then he squeezed off a second shot for insurance. Both shots were fatal, penetrating the elk’s boiler area, the bull fell.

We studied a nearby juniper for unique features so we could find the elk, and the real work of de-boning and packing it out began.

The bull was old, and showed signs he did his job during the rut. While guides were de-boning him, Dennis pointed to signs of arthritis, aging bone, worn teeth, three broken antler tines, and torn ears.

After we returned to the lodge and were sitting around the warm fireplace, I asked Jeremy about his hunt.

“It definitely was the hunt of a lifetime,” he said.

Donations toward future Wounded Hero Elk Hunts can be sent to: Nevada Outfitters and Guides Association, P.O. Box 28-1251, Lamoille, NV 89828.

Wounded Hero project provides elk hunt of a lifetime

Nevada Wildlife Federation

Alice Hutchison’s enthusiasm for ecology led her to create a new, self-published children’s book titled, Mommy, What is Eggcology? The Arizona author said she got the idea from her young daugh-ter who misheard the word “ecology” and restated it as “eggcology.” Hutchison’s fiction story about this memory takes readers on a journey in the mind of a small girl who tries to imagine what “eggcology” means. Hutchison combines whimsy and realism to illustrate the girl’s persistent pon-derings of flora and fauna, and the many types of

eggs they might produce. Each contemplation is a micro-lesson on a different species and its habi-tat. The illustrations are brilliantly colored and detailed for visual inspiration. Carefully selected rhyme and alliteration provide rhythm that en-courages young readers. The art and story provide children an easy-to-understand vocabulary lesson on the word ecology, while revealing some of the grandeur the subject entails. This book is recom-mended for nature lovers and science buffs ages 6 to 10 years. Mommy What is Eggcology? in paper-back is available for sale at www.amazon.com for $9.99, plus shipping.

WILd BOOk REvIEWMommy, What is Eggcology?, by Alice Hutchison

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Nevada Wildlife – Spring, 2015 7

U.S. Forest Service

Carson City, Nev. – Sheep began grazing cheatgrass the first week of April on the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Carson Ranger District to help create a fuelbreak along the wildland-urban interface on the west side of Carson City.

The grazing will occur until the end of the cheatgrass growing season on National Forest System lands just west of Reno, Nevada, in and around Thomas Creek and Whites Creek within the Arrowhawk Fuels Reduction Project.

“Cheatgrass has the potential to completely al-ter the ecosystem it invades, which alters fire re-gimes. Taking a proactive approach to removing excess, non-native vegetation using sheep will re-duce catastrophic wildland fire hazard in the area, which is especially critical given ongoing drought conditions,” said Carson District Ranger Irene Davidson.

Borda Land and Sheep Company of Gardnerville, Nev., are providing approximately 800 ewes that two herders and their dogs will moni-tor. Nevada Division of Forestry will provide water

Bi-state sage-grouse from Page 1working group, private citizens, tribes, the Nevada Department of Wildlife and our federal partners for their tremendous efforts to develop conserva-tion actions that preclude the need to list the spe-cies while still allowing for sustainable economic development,” Sandoval said. “Today’s announce-ment highlights the critical partnerships that must exist for our conservation strategies to be effective and demonstrate that sage-grouse and economic development can coexist in both the bi-state area and across the range of the Greater sage-grouse.”

As its name suggests, the Bi-state Distinct Population Segment straddles the California-Nevada border, where biologists estimate that be-tween 2,500 and 9,000 of these ground-dwelling birds inhabit about 4.5 million acres of sagebrush. Greater sage-grouse are known for the males’ flamboyant mating displays on traditional danc-ing grounds, also known as leks. The birds use a variety of sagebrush habitats on private and public lands.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service declared the Bi-state population of Greater sage-grouse a Distinct Population Segment (DPS) under the ESA in 2010 because genetic analysis shows it has been separated from other Greater sage-grouse for thousands of years and the genetic differences are significant.

In October 2013, the Service proposed listing the Bi-state DPS as threatened under the ESA based on significant population declines due to the loss and fragmentation of its sagebrush habitat from urbanization and associated infrastructure devel-opment, encroachment of sagebrush by conifers, and a vicious cycle of wildfire and fire-adapted invasive grasses. These threats, combined with the relatively limited number of birds, the small popu-lation size and their isolation, were determined to pose a significant threat to the species.

USFWS is withdrawing this proposal in large part because of the success of the Bi-state Action Plan. The plan is the product of the Bi-state Area Local Working Group, comprising federal, state and local agencies and landowners from Nevada and California, which has been pursuing sage-grouse conservation since the early 2000s. Since then, the working group’s technical advisory com-mittee has finalized plans on nearly 80 science-driven conservation projects specifically designed to reduce identified threats and protect the sage-brush-steppe habitat.

The working group’s executive oversight com-

mittee has raised more than $45 million in fed-eral and state funding to ensure the projects are implemented and completed over the next 10 years. Long-term projects implemented under the Bi-state Action Plan include population monitor-ing, urbanization abatement measures, livestock management, wild horse management, pinyon and juniper removal, disease and predation stud-ies and other habitat improvement and restoration projects.

Each of the projects is tied to a specific popu-lation management unit within the region, led and funded by a specific agency or partnership, and ranked by the immediacy of the threat to the spe-cies.

The comprehensive plan and funding commit-ments give USFWS confidence that effective con-servation measures needed to address threats to the species are highly likely to be implemented.

The working group members include private landowners in California and Nevada, Nevada Department of Wildlife, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Nevada Division of Forestry,

California State Parks, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, nongovernmental orga-nizations such as Nevada Wildlife Federation, Washoe Tribe of California and Nevada, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Department of Defense and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Conservation work on private lands – through easements and habitat restoration – has played an important role in connecting national forests and other public lands, working to keep habitat intact. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service has already in-vested nearly $20 million in conservation assis-tance to ranchers through this effort. This has helped ranchers protect 7,300 acres of key sum-mer habitat through easements, with an additional 4,500 acres in process. This investment has also helped them remove invading juniper and pinyon trees, enhancing nearly 4,000 acres of important sagebrush-steppe habitat.

This summer, the Forest Service will begin treatments to improve sagebrush ecosystem health on 29,000 acres of key habitat for the sage grouse.

USGS has been a key partner in monitoring the Bi-state population and interpreting data col-lected to assure the Bi-state partners are using the best science in their conservation efforts.

Along with withdrawing the listing proposal, USFWS is also withdrawing proposed rules under section 4(d) of the ESA and the proposed designa-tion of critical habitat.

USFWS is conducting a separate status review for the Greater sage-grouse across its 11-state range. In 2010, it determined Greater sage-grouse was warranted for protection but that action was precluded by higher priorities. A determination on whether the species still requires protection is due Sept. 30, 2015.

The deteriorating health of Greater sage-grouse and western sagebrush landscapes has sparked an unprecedented and proactive partnership across 11 states to conserve the uniquely American habitat that supports diverse wildlife, outdoor recreation, and ranching and other traditional land uses that form the cornerstone of the Western way of life.

For detailed information on the Bi-state DPS of the Greater sage-grouse and its habitat, along with more information about conservation proj-ects that are being done to help protect this unique species, visit www.fws.gov/greatersagegrouse.

Provided by U.S. Forest ServiceSheep graze on the west side of Carson City to reduce cheat grass and create a fuel break.

at predetermined locations. The sheep will be re-moved once the cheatgrass has begun to cure (turn purple).

Those visiting the area are asked to keep their

dogs leashed at all times. Livestock guard dogs present with the sheep instinctively protect the herd from any form of predator seen as a threat.

For information, call (775) 884-8114.

FEdERATION WEIGHS INPast Nevada Wildlife Federation

President Gale Dupree represented the organization in the Bi-state Area Local Working Group from its inception. He was pleased with the recent findings by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to not list the Bi-state population for protection under the Endangered Species Act. Dupree commented via e-mail after the announcement of the findings:

“The Bi-state Sage-Grouse Action Plan is a sound plan as noted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,” Dupree said. “We did not warrant a listing.

“Look at the Bi-state plan. It was a group consensus. A lot of funding is allocated to it.

“The first on-the-ground project selected by the U.S. Forest Service was my plan for the Mt. Grant PMU, a 700-acre removal of pinyon pine to provide access to a meadow previously used by sage-grouse and within two miles of two leks. Hens can now walk their broods from their nesting site to this meadow to find insects and forbs that are critical for chick survival.”

Sheep create fuelbreak near city for Forest Service

8 Nevada Wildlife – Spring, 2015

Sportsmen from Page 1Historically, sage-grouse likely

ranged over 14 western states and three Canadian provinces. The birds have been extirpated from Arizona, New Mexico and Nebraska, as well as British Columbia. Throughout the 20th century and into the 21st, the birds declined as their range dwin-dled from cultivation, loss of sage-brush, and other alterations. The issue is gravely important regionally as we look at landscape-scale challenges af-fecting wildlife management.

While Greater sage-grouse num-bers have been declining for years, the chicken-sized bird with the spiky tail feathers and extravagant mating dance still occupies about 56 percent of its historic range. Its habitat has been carved up and diminished by, among other things, urban growth; oil and gas drilling; invasive species; and drought.

Under a court-ordered agreement, Fish and Wildlife will decide during 2015 whether to list the Greater sage-grouse.

“If we are to prevent the listing of the sage-grouse under the Endangered Species Act, we must engage in col-laborative implementation strategies that will lead to population increases throughout the bird’s range,” said Ed Arnett, director of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership Center for Responsible Energy Development. “More than 350 species of plants and animals rely on healthy sagebrush habitat. The Greater sage-grouse is the canary in this particular coal mine, and how we deal with it will affect an entire ecosystem.”

Summary Observations of the PollNearly four out of five hunters

in the West have hunted or fished on public lands and the results of this large survey show clearly that they appreciate and understand the impor-tance of protecting wildlife habitat on federal lands. While recognizing the competing demands for federal lands, the responses to the survey make plain

that hunters favor conservation efforts that are aimed at preserving wildlife habitat and maintaining opportunities to fish and hunt on those lands. With the Greater sage-grouse as a specific case, large majorities of hunters fa-vor steps to limit activities that might jeopardize the quality of sage-grouse habitat or hinder the public’s enjoy-ment of the natural environment on those lands.

• From a list of 11 different uses of federal lands, the two that ranked highest in importance are providing habitat for fish and wildlife, and pro-viding hunting and fishing opportuni-ties. More than 90 percent of hunters identified those uses as somewhat or very important and they were deemed as “very important” by 64 percent and 55 percent of hunters, respectively.

• The least important uses of fed-eral lands, according to hunters, are providing opportunities for motorized recreation and providing minerals and

metals from mining operations (47 percent and 40 percent of hunters, re-spectively, are neutral or view those uses as unimportant).

• Nine out of 10 hunters believe it is important to take action to pro-tect sage-grouse habitat within their state. Moreover, 84 percent of hunt-ers support steps by Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to protect criti-cal sage-grouse habitat even if it means limiting energy development, grazing rights or access for motorized recreation on those lands.

• Nearly 81 percent of hunters see value in providing state agencies with a greater role in protecting and re-storing sage-grouse habitat on state-owned and private lands, if it part of a broader strategy to prevent the bird from being listed under the federal Endangered Species Act.

• Hunters generally link protec-tion of sage-grouse habitat with main-taining healthy populations of other

wildlife species. More than 81 per-cent of hunters are at least somewhat convinced that steps taken to protect the sage-grouse, such as maintaining large tracts of undisturbed lands or limiting resource extraction activi-ties, also benefits other game species that share the same habitat (e.g., elk, mule deer, pronghorn) and preserves hunting traditions that have been long associated with the American West.

Land Tawney, executive director of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, said because the majority of greater sage-grouse habitat is on public lands, BLM and states where the bird is found must step up now.

“It’s not just about the bird; it’s about the herds of mule deer and pronghorns, the hunting and other recreation made possible by healthy habitat,” Tawney added.

And it’s about the continued health of the countryside enjoyed by people from all backgrounds, said Nevada Wildlife Federation Vice President Kevin Cabble.

“The Greater sage-grouse’s fu-ture is tied to the landscapes where we camp, hike, hunt and fish. The bird’s fate will be a barometer of fate of our public lands heritage and outdoor leg-acy,” Cabble added.

The survey of western hunters comes on the heels of a recent report showing minimal overlap between important Greater sage-grouse habi-tat and existing energy leases and rights of way and that 73 percent to 81 percent of areas with medium to high potential for energy develop-ment are outside the bird’s habitat. A recent analysis found that recreation on BLM-managed sagebrush lands generated more than $1 billion in eco-nomic benefits in 2013.

Southwick & Associates sur-veyed 1,335 randomly selected sportsmen and women for the poll in states: Montana, Colorado, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming, Washington, Oregon, Northern California and Idaho. The poll’s margin of error is 2.7 percent.

May22-25 The Black Rock Rendezvous will be held May 22-25 in the Black Rock Desert about 14 miles north of Gerlach, Nev. off of Hwy 34.

The rendezvous will feature tours to High Rock Canyon, the old Geode Mine and Black Rock Point.

Volunteers can participate in the main stewardship project at Soldier Meadows. Tours and stewardship projects will be held on both Saturday and Sunday due to the travel time to the site locations.

Bring your favorite recipes for a Dutch oven cook-off.

Kids Camp will be run by Nevada Outdoor School.

For information, visit www.black-

rockrendezvous.org. To RSVP for this event, contact Michael at mmeyers@blackrockdesert.org.

23 The Washoe Nursery will host a Monarch Butterfly and Native Plant Workshop on May 23 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Explore the benefits of gardening with native plants, and develop your own backyard habitat. Learn how to be a citizen scientist and record monarch butterfly activ-ity. Help our pollinators and take home native plants. You must pre-register to save your spot. Contact Michelle Hunt at michelle_hunt@fws.gov, or (775) 861-6341 to pre-register. Washoe Nursery is located at 885 Eastlake Blvd., Carson City, Nev., (775) 849-0213.

30 Nevada Wildlife Federation

Annual Meeting and election of of-ficers will be May 30 at the Nevada Department of Wildlife Office, 4747 Vegas Dr., Las Vegas, Nev. The meet-ing runs from 9 a.m. to early af-ternoon. For more information call Robert at (702) 438-2485 or (702) 271-5573 or email rpcjtag@embarqmail.com.

June5 Join Friends of Nevada Wilderness, Bureau of Land Management, Friends of Black Rock, Nevada Outdoor School to improve Steven’s Camp and the Upper High Rock Canyon Trail for National Trails Day. Contact Richie at richie@nevadawilderness.org

6 and 7 The general ses-sions of the Kids’ Fishing Derby will be held June 6 and 7 from 8 a.m. to 2

p.m. at Lampe Park in Gardnerville, Nev. A session for children with spe-cial needs will be held June 6 from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. All children ages 3 to 12 will be provided with every-thing they need to have a fun fishing experience, free of charge. As part of the Derby experience, every child is given a gift, and special prizes are also awarded for the biggest fish caught each session and for every tagged fish caught. For more informa-tion email KFDVolunteers@aol.com or call Steve at (775) 392-3579.

13 Kids Fishing Derby on Free Fishing Day at Echo Canyon State Park, Day Use Area in Pioche, Nev., from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event will offer tagged fish with prizes and a raffle. It is great way to get the kids outdoors and catch a few fish.

CALENdAR

Nevada Wildlife Federation to hold annual meeting in Las Vegas