NDOW presents the Nevada Wild Podcast: Recent Episodes
Nevada Department of Wildlife
In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones sit down with Big Game Staff Specialist Mike Cox to get into the weeds talking about everything bighorn sheep. Mike shares what bighorn sheep harvest data he recommends you review to help decide what sheep hunts to apply for. He highlights ongoing bighorn sheep genetics work that has future management ramifications and details the approaching Northern Wild Sheep and Goat Council Symposium hosted by NDOW in Elko, Nevada this June. It will bring researchers and biologists from all over the western U.S. and Canada to Northern Nevada. The guys also talk in-depth about Nevada’s new management ram hunt opportunities which will allow hunters to help manage two small herds that pose huge disease transmission risks to healthy bighorn herds. If you’re interested in bighorn sheep, make sure to listen to this week’s episode with Mike Cox.
In this week’s Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones sit down with outgoing fisheries biologist extraordinaire Kim Tisdale to reflect on her 31-year career with NDOW. Kim shares the different roles she’s held over the years, highlights some of her favorite projects, and gives us a peek behind the curtain at the exciting changes coming to the Nevada Native Fish Slam Program.Kim is revered at NDOW not only as an exceptional biologist, but also as a friend and a mentor to many, and she will be sincerely missed. Be sure to give this week’s podcast a listen, and check out the link to the video below to learn more about Kim Tisdale and her incredible career.Kim talks about the different jobs she’s had here, highlights some of her favorite projects, and gives us a peek behind the curtain at the exciting changes coming to the Nevada Native Fish Slam Program. Kim is revered here at the Department as a biologist, a friend, and a mentor to many, she will be sincerely missed. Make sure to give this week’s podcast a listen and checkout the link to the video below to learn all about Kim Tisdale!
In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones sit down to talk with NDOW’s Publication Coordinator Jamie Roice-Gomes. She tells us about the work that went into combining NDOW’s two big game publications into one convenient publication. She also shares her personal story of how she always wanted to go hunting but never had the opportunity, until she took matters into her own hands this past year. Listen to this weeks’ episode to learn about the new publication and a story about how it’s never too late to try something new!
at the Expo: https://www.ndow.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Artemis-and-Leo-Social-media.png
In this week’s Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones sit down with NDOW’s Game Division Administrator Shawn Espinosa to talk about chukar hunting and the story of how chukar first came to Nevada in the early 1930’s. Shawn shares his thoughts on how the 2025-2026 chukar hunting season has played out, gives his tips for anyone planning to head out before the end of the season, which is this coming Sunday, February 1, and dives into the history of the Nevada exotic game bird program. If you’re interested in chukar or chukar hunting at all give this week’s episode a listen.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones sit down with NDOW's Migratory Game Bird Staff Specialist Russell Woolstenhulme to talk about the great conditions waterfowl hunters can expect this season. Russell shares some important information about waterfowl hunting for each Nevada hunt zone! The crew talks about bag limit changes, habitat conditions, discusses water levels at our Wildlife Management Areas and why they’re so excited to go waterfowl hunting this fall. Find updates for WMA's here: www.ndow.org/discover-your-public-land/
In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones sit down with NDOW’s Upland Game Staff Specialist Justin Small for a detailed conversation about the 2025 chukar hunting forecast. Justin talks about all the work that goes into the forecast from "boots on the ground" brood surveys to the chick production in Nevada counties. Listen to this week’s podcast to find out why this years’ forecast calls for another good year of chukar hunting in Nevada!
After 30 years of dedicated service, Conservation Education Division Administrator Chris Vasey is retiring from the Nevada Department of Wildlife. A native Nevadan, avid sportsman, and passionate outdoorsman, Chris brought his love for the wild to every aspect of his work. For the past 10 years, he has led NDOW’s education and outreach division, helping it grow into a nationally recognized, award-winning program admired by other states. Under his leadership, NDOW’s education, outreach, and social media efforts have flourished. His enthusiasm for the job was infectious, and his laughter was a familiar and welcome sound in the halls.Thank you, Chris, for everything you’ve done. You will be deeply missed.
In this week's Nevada Wild podcast, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones are joined by the Southern Region Hunter Education and Shooting Sports Coordinator Martin Olson to have a conversation about muzzleloader hunting in Nevada. Martin talks about NDOW’s free muzzleloader introduction classes and why he thinks shooting a muzzleloader is so fun. The guys also talk about how choosing to apply for muzzleloader tags can help both kids and adults go big game hunting more often in the Silver State. Thank you for supporting Nevada's wildlife!
The Nevada Department of Wildlife is a proud member of BearWise®, a program of the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies.Black bears have been in Nevada long before we lived here, but by the early 1900s they had been extirpated from the state. Conservation efforts and habitat regeneration allowed black bears to begin coming back into Nevada and reinhabit their old stomping grounds. Since the 1980s we have watched Nevada’s bear population in the western part of the state increase dramatically. It is now up to Nevada’s residents and visitors to live and recreate responsibly in bear country!In this episode of Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones are joined by Game Biologist and Bear Expert Becca Carniello. Becca explains her unique position in the Department, and they discuss solutions to human-caused problems for bears in Nevada and how we can all live with wildlife and what it means to be BearWise.Find more resources on living with bears and other wildlife here: https://www.ndow.org/learn-discover/wildlife-discovery/living-with-wildlife/
In this week's Nevada Wild podcast, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones are joined by Statewide Boating Education Coordinator Aaron Meier to talk about Operation Dry Water and boating safety. Aaron explains that Operation Dry Water is a national campaign designed to combat boating under the influence (BUI) through increased boat patrols over the three-day weekend. The guys talk about how much fun boating in Nevada can be and outline a few simple steps you can take to stay safe on the water.
In this week’s Nevada Wild podcast, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones are joined by Rendle Taylor and Ken Shoemaker, two Director’s from the Silver Arrow Bowmen Archery Club in Reno, Nevada. Rendle and Ken explain their roles on the board, the current goals of the club, NDOW’s recent investments in the archery range, and how you can get involved. They discuss the June 21-22, 2025, Bowhunter Bonanza, how to register, and the ins and outs of a competitive archery shoot.
In this week's Nevada Wild podcast, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones are joined by Fisheries Biologist Heath Korell to talk about one of everyone's favorite Nevada lakes, Cave Lake. Heath gives a great history lesson dating back to the 1930's and details the dam rebuild project that started in 2019. The guys discuss interesting facts about the area including that the state record brown trout was caught at Cave Lake in 1984! They also talk about the Grand Reopening of Cave Lake on Saturday, June 7 with festivities that include a fish planting, float tube seminar, and a ribbon cutting to commemorate the day. Thank you for supporting Nevada's wildlife!
In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones are joined by NDOW’s Mountain Goat and Bighorn Sheep Staff Specialist Mike Cox. Mike talks about an exciting project to bring more mountain goats to Nevada earlier this year and gives an update on how well they’re doing overall. He also gives the guys an overview of all three subspecies of bighorn sheep found in Nevada and outlines how the Department is working through a tough drought situation down south. Mike is a wealth of knowledge and is as passionate of a biologist as they come. Make sure to listen to what he has to say on this weeks’ episode. Thank you for supporting Nevada’s wildlife!
In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones are joined by NDOW’s Data and Technology Services Division Administrator Matt Maples. The guys talk about technology and data in the Department, the big game application and draw, bonus points and why they matter, and what makes applying for tags in Nevada unique. They also share some tips and tricks to up your odds of drawing a big game tag this year! Thank you for supporting Nevada’s wildlife!
In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones are joined by NDOW’s Game Division Administrator Shawn Espinosa to get an overview of the outlook for the upcoming big game hunting season. Shawn speaks to the uptick in quota recommendations for mule deer, antelope, and elk, and shares a bit about the challenges bighorn sheep are facing in Southern Nevada. If you’re applying for big game hunts in Nevada this year, listen in, you might pick up a hot tip or two in this weeks’ episode!Thank you for supporting Nevada’s wildlife!
In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones are joined by NDOW’s Mule Deer and Antelope Staff Specialist Cody Schroeder to get the latest update on Mule Deer and Antelope in Nevada. Cody talks about deploying mule deer collars across the state, mapping migration corridors and gives the guys an update on how our Mule Deer and Antelope populations are doing throughout the state.Thank you for supporting Nevada’s wildlife!
In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones are joined by NDOW’s Elk and Moose Staff Specialist Cody McKee to get the latest update on Elk and Moose in Nevada! Cody tells us about the first-ever Moose collaring project in the Ruby Mountains and shares some interesting information he helped uncover about historical accounts of Elk in Nevada. This is an exciting conversation you won’t want to miss. If you want to learn more about Moose in Nevada checkout the "Tracking Moose in Nevada" episode Outdoor Nevada here: https://www.pbs.org/video/tracking-moose-in-nevada-p2p6jz/
In this week’s Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones are joined by Eastern Nevada Conservation Education Supervisor Julie Gabrielson and Educator Nicole St. John to talk about the long-awaited 10th annual Elko Sportsman’s Expo! The expo is back on Saturday, March 1 and Sunday, March 2 with two days of outdoor related activities and booths presented by NDOW and the Ruby Mountain Rios Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation. Julie and Nicole explains what attendees can expect at this FREE event, why it’s the perfect event to experience with your friends and family, and how it's a great way to connect with the Elko community.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones are joined by NDOW Wildlife Staff Specialist Russell Woolstenhulme to talk about the best internship in the country, the James Lathrop and Wayne Capurro Memorial Internship Program. This program offers young adults who are passionate about pursuing a career in wildlife an exciting summer job working for the Department for up to four consecutive summers. On the job training is provided and work often consists of conducting a variety of wildlife surveys for species like bighorn sheep, mountain goats, and even moose! If you or someone you know is a graduating high school senior or a current undergraduate student passionate about wildlife, please have them listen to this episode for application tips and to learn more about this awesome program! Applications are open and are currently being accepted for several open positions within the program, so take your shot at the internship opportunity of a lifetime and apply today! The application deadline is February 7, 2025 at 5:00PM. For more information about the program and to download this years’ application use this link - https://www.ndow.org/blog/james-lathrop-and-wayne-capurro-memorial-internship/Thank you for supporting Nevada’s wildlife!
In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones are joined by NDOW Wildlife Staff Specialist Pat Kelly to talk about his career at NDOW. Pat shares stories about raising a family at the Mason Valley Wildlife Management Area and talks at length about why he’s enjoyed working at NDOW so much over the years. Pat has managed NDOW’s fish hatchery program for the past 14 years and is officially retiring later this month. Tune in this week to learn about NDOW’s fish hatchery program and listen to the guys swap stories about living and working at a fish hatchery. Who knows it just might be the perfect career for you!Thank you for supporting Nevada’s wildlife!
In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones are joined by Bat Conservation International’s (BCI) Conservation Research Coordinator Jessie Bunkley and NDOW Volunteer Charity Wanechek to talk about an exciting community science project focused on bat conservation in Nevada. Jessie gives us an overview of the pilot community science project she created and launched earlier this year, and we get a first-hand perspective from Charity about her role as an NDOW volunteer working on this project.This is a great story about how teachers, students, and NDOW volunteers like Charity and her 8-year old son Zephyr can be community scientists collecting important data on behalf of conservation organizations like BCI. Make sure you don’t miss this episode, and thank you for supporting Nevada's wildlife!
In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones are joined by NDOW’s Aquatic Education Coordinator Abbey Czarnecki to talk about kayak fishing in Nevada. They talk about different types of kayaks, fishing gear, kayak fishing groups, and the best places to go kayak fishing in Nevada. They talk about targeting bass at Lake Mead, going after giant trout in Northern Nevada and the gang also tries to get to the bottom of a real life mystery which is finding out why Aaron Keller of all people does not own a fishing kayak.Whether you’ve never been kayak fishing in your life and want to get started, or you’re already an expert, there is something for everyone on this kayak fishing podcast.Thank you for supporting Nevada's wildlife!
In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones sit down with NDOW’s Upland Game Staff Specialist Justin Small to take a deep-dive into the 2024 chukar hunting forecast. Long story short, chukar are thriving in Nevada, and it’s going to be great chukar hunting season this year! Tune in to this week’s podcast to find out why this years’ forecast looks so good for chukar hunting in Nevada.
Hunting season is in full swing! Learn more about the awesome hunting opportunities that kickoff on Saturday, September 28 and why this fall is setting up to be one for the record books. In this podcast, Nevada Wild hosts Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones sit down with Logan Klonicke, Western Region Hunter Education Coordinator for the Nevada Department of Wildlife. Aaron, Bobby, and Logan are all avid hunters and share some great insight into what hunters can expect to see this fall. They discuss the upcoming youth hunting opportunities, classes being offered by NDOW, what they are looking forward to, and they share some great stories from the start of their season.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones continue the conversation about renewable energy in Nevada with NDOW’s Wildlife Diversity Division Administrator Jasmine Kleiber and they are joined by The Nature Conservancy Director of External Affairs for Nevada Jaina Moan. Jasmine and Jaina talk about the current renewable energy landscape, how NDOW collaborates with partners like The Nature Conservancy to help avoid impacts to wildlife and they discuss what the future could hold for the Silver State.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones sit down with Nevada Department of Wildlife Veterinarian Nate LaHue to talk about Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), a transmissible neurological disease that is always fatal to animals in the deer family. Currently, CWD is found in 34 states and 4 Canadian provinces, but not in Nevada. Nate explains the recent positive samples just over Nevada's western border in California, NDOW's efforts to prevent the disease from entering Nevada and what it means for Nevada's deer, elk, and even moose, if the disease enters the state. He also explains the new transport restriction zone and the different ways hunters can help, including the program that allows hunters to sample their own harvests.Find more information about CWD and prevention efforts in Nevada here: www.ndow.org/blog/chronic-wasting-disease/or here: www.cwd-info.org
Nevada's Free Fishing Day is Saturday, June 8. This is the one day of the year you can fish any public water in the state without a fishing license. If you have never been fishing, Free Fishing Day is the day to get out and try it!In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller sits down with NDOW Educators Nicole Hamblin, Jan Nemec and Abbey Czarnecki to talk about all of the fun Free Fishing Day events happening across the state, how you can volunteer, fishing conditions, and how kids 12-17 years old can receive a fishing license from the Nevada Youth License Fund: www.ndow.org/blog/nevada-youth-license-fund/Find a Free Fishing Day event near you here: www.ndow.org/blog/nevada-free-fishing-day/Find fishing reports, stocking updates, the FishNV tool, and more resources here: www.ndow.org/get-outside/fishin…your-fishing-trip/
In this week’s Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones sit down with lifelong angler, Mike Day, to hear his captivating story about how a typical day fishing quickly turned into a truly life-threatening situation. Mike’s recounting of that fishing trip is a story you don’t want to miss! Mike helps us underscore the importance of wearing a life jacket and gives us a perfect take-home message to put a bow on this year’s National Safe Boating Week!
In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones are joined by NDOW’s new Wildlife Diversity Division Administrator Jasmine Kleiber to talk about renewable energy in Nevada. Jasmine speaks to the current renewable energy landscape, how NDOW works with others to help avoid impacts to wildlife, and talks a bit about what we can expect the future to hold for the Silver State.
Nevada’s big game tag application deadline is almost here!In this week’s Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones are joined by NDOW Elk and Moose Staff Specialist Cody McKee to talk about the current status of Elk and Moose in Nevada and the positive hunting outlook for these species in 2024. The application deadline for Nevada big game tags is 11:00 p.m. PST May 8. Apply today at ndowlicensing.com! https://nevada.licensing.app/Resources mentioned in this podcast:NDOW's Moose Presentation - January 2024 Commission Meeting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5vjP-Qoq-A2024 Nevada Big Game Quota Recommendations: CR 24-12https://nvboardofwildlife.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/CR-24-11-Black-Bear-Quotas-CR-24-12-Big-Game-Quotas.pdfMay 2024 Commission Meeting Information: https://www.ndow.org/events/may-2024-commission-meeting/NDOW's Top 10 Big Game Hunting Resources: https://www.ndow.org/blog/top-10-big-game-resources/
Nevada's big game tag application period deadline is quickly approaching!In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones are joined by NDOW Mule Deer and Antelope Staff Specialist Cody Schroeder to talk about the current status of Mule Deer and Antelope in Nevada, how a couple wet winters effect populations and tips to follow when preparing to apply.2024 Nevada Big Game Quota Recommendations CR 24-12https://nvboardofwildlife.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/CR-24-11-Black-Bear-Quotas-CR-24-12-Big-Game-Quotas.pdfMay 2024 Commission Meeting Informationhttps://www.ndow.org/events/may-2024-commission-meeting/NDOW's Top 10 Big Game Hunting Resourceshttps://www.ndow.org/blog/top-10-big-game-resources/Apply for big game tags until 11 p.m. May 8 at www.ndowlicensing.com
The Youth Wildlife Conservation Experience (YWCE) is back! YWCE, the youth portion of the Wild Sheep Foundation's Sheep Show, will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on January 20 at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center. This FREE event is designed to excite and inspire the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts with 40 hands-on stations offering a variety of activities. New this year, the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) Statewide Tournament is taking place right next door on Thursday, January 18; another exciting way to get kids excited about the outdoors!In this week’s Nevada Wild, NDOW’s Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with the Wild Sheep Foundation’s Ryan Brock and NDOW Statewide Recreation Shooting Coordinator Adam Kavanagh to talk about all the activities to expect at this year's YWCE and fill us in on the NASP tournament and its growth. Special guest Chase Kincaid, Ryan's former student and YWCE volunteer, joins us for the second half of the show to tell us about his favorite YWCE stations and his love for archery.More details on YWCE: https://www.facebook.com/events/900465997777266/?ref=newsfeed
What’s New in 2024? A Lot!This year, NDOW’s Fisheries Division underwent a thorough review of statewide regulations with the intent of simplifying regulations throughout the State. As a result, numerous changes that were proposed by the Fisheries Division and accepted by the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commission will come into effect on January 1, 2024. In this week’s Nevada Wild, hosts Ashley Zeme and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW Sportfish Staff Specialist Kim Tisdale to fill you in on all the changes statewide, why they were made, and how our goal is to make it easier for you to enjoy Nevada’s waters! View the 2024 Nevada Fishing Regulations here: https://www.eregulations.com/nevada/fishing
Calling all procrastinators! Haven’t finished your Christmas shopping yet? Don’t worry! We have you covered.In this festive installment of Nevada Wild, hosts Ashley Zeme and Aaron Keller are joined by NDOW Outdoor Connection Coordinator Bobby Jones to help you fill your loved one’s stockings! Just days away from Christmas, they highlight thoughtful and affordable gifts that are perfect for anyone who enjoys spending time in nature, cooking, road tripping through Nevada, and more! They cover gifts ideas that can be enjoyed by anyone in your life!
In this week’s Nevada Wild, hosts Ashley Zeme (formerly Sanchez) and Aaron Keller sit down with Wildlife Diversity Division Administrator Jen Newmark and Wildlife Staff Specialist Jon Young to talk about the latest Nevada State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP). The plan represents the most important wildlife and habitats we must protect over the next 10 years, to ensure those species and landscapes are here for future generations.Our guests highlight the new, updated SWAP, the work that went into it, what’s new for this iteration, how it will engage partners and the public, its importance to funding, and more!Learn more and view the SWAP here: https://www.ndow.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/2022-SWAP-Full-Doc-FINAL-print.pdf
This week's Nevada Wild celebrates Bat Week, the annual, international celebration of the role of bats in nature!Hosts Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller are joined by NDOW Wildlife Staff Specialist Jess Brooks, who tells us all about her new role at NDOW in the Wildlife Diversity Division, the division that manages bats! She explains all the projects NDOW Wildlife Diversity Biologists are working on to monitor Nevada’s bat populations, and also shares some interesting bat facts and the important role they play in our ecosystem!
In this week’s Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller are joined by NDOW Winnemucca Fisheries Biologist Colter Feuerstein. Colter takes a break from his busy field season to tell us about a recent project he worked on to build Beaver Dam Analogs (BDA’s), or artificial beave dams, in Crowley Creek northwest of Winnemucca. As Colter explains, the goal is to restore Lahontan Cutthroat (LCT) habitat to its original state, since the stream supports one of the last endemic LCT populations in the northwest. Colter explains the role of BDA’s in doing this, the collaboration of partners supporting this work, and how this project not only helps LCT but also other wildlife and the ecosystem as a whole!
Fall is a great time to enjoy the Nevada outdoors. Not only is it beautiful, but the season brings a chance for excellent fishing opportunities, whether you are new to fishing or a veteran.In this week’s Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller are joined by NDOW Angler Educators Jan Nemec, Abbey Czarnecki, and Nicole Hamblin to talk about the fishing conditions across the state, the best waters to go, and the educational classes they offer for anyone interested in fishing and fly fishing. Buy your fishing license at ndowlicensing.com and view fishing reports here: https://www.ndow.org/get-outside/fishing/fishing-stocking-reports/database/
In this week’s Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller introduce you to two new NDOW employees, Urban Wildlife Biologist Becca Carniello and her bear dog, Badger! Becca tells us about her background, how she ended up working at NDOW and adopting Badger to work on NDOW’s Karelian Bear Dog (KBD) team. She tells us a bit about the KBD program, and also what western Nevadans should be doing to secure their homes to keep Nevada’s bears wild as they build up calories before heading into their dens.Learn more about living in bear country here: https://www.ndow.org/blog/living-with-bears/
This Saturday, September 30, is the youth waterfowl hunt for Nevada's Northwest Zone! Don't forget, the general waterfowl season opens for the Northwest Zone and South Zone (except for Moapa Valley) on October 14 and it's already underway in eastern Nevada!In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW's Waterfowl Staff Specialist Russell Woolstenhulme to talk about the great conditions waterfowl hunters can expect this year! Russell shares some important information hunters should be aware of before heading into the field. While our wildlife management areas are open in time for the youth season, some WMA's, like Carson Lake Wildlife Manage Area, have specific vehicle access points due to flooding over the spring and summer. Russell goes over everything you need to know to have a safe and successful season at these locations. See this map of Carson Lake WMA's access points to follow along as Russell explains: https://www.ndow.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/2023-Carson-Lake-WMA-Access-Map.pngFind updates for other WMA's here: https://www.ndow.org/discover-your-public-land/
Upland game hunters have a lot to look forward to! Our annual Chukar Forecast is out, the statewide youth chukar hunt is next Saturday, September 30, and the statewide general chukar season opener is right around the corner on Saturday, October 14.In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW's new Upland Game Staff Specialist Justin Small to prepare upland game hunters for the approaching seasons. Small introduces himself and tells us about his background, breaks down the 2023 Chukar Forecast, and explains the best locations across the state for hopeful hunters.Buy your license at ndowlicensing.com so you can join in on the fun. Make it a combination license so you can do some fall fishing while you're on your hunt!View the 2023-24 Chukar Forecast here: https://www.ndow.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/2023-24-Nevada-Chukar-Forecast.pdfView our Small Game Hunting Regulations and Seasons Book here: https://www.eregulations.com/assets/docs/guides/23NVSG.pdf
There are many unique adventures in Nevada that might require a special license, application or permit. Thankfully Biologist Nick Everett is here at NDOW to help customers through the process!In this week’s Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Nick to learn more about his important role at NDOW. Nick explains the various special licenses, applications and permits you may not even realize you need, what you need to do to apply for one, and more! Find NDOW’s Special Licenses, Applications and Permits here: https://www.ndow.org/apply-buy/apply-buy-slaps/
In this week’s Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Ashley Sanchez sit down with the 2022 Wayne E. Kirch Conservation Award recipient Elena Larson. Larson is the Vice President for Truckee Meadows Parks Foundation's (TMPF) Rosewood Nature Study Area and has made great strides in restoring the area to a functioning wetland. TMPF Executive Director Heidi Anderson also joins us to explain why she nominated Larson for this prestigious award.
The two explain the importance and status of this project, how crucial Americorps were to the effort, how to get involved and more!
If you are interested in joining TMPF as an Americorps member, click here: https://www.tmparksfoundation.org/employment-opportunities?fbclid=IwAR0C0exSbWZEwiXpKAivpDbQj_0Kl9fvypQFhHWkvMOfJ8Y4OryDCEGCfF0
Know someone or an organization who has demonstrated significant results towards conservation, management, or enhancement of wildlife in 2023? Find out how to nominate them for the Kirch Award here: https://www.ndow.org/news/wayne-e-kirch-nevada-wildlife-conservation-award/
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Nevada Department of Wildlife Veterinarian Nate LaHue to talk about Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), a transmissible neurological disease that is always fatal to animals in the deer family. Currently, CWD is found in 34 states and provinces but not in Nevada. Nate explains the state's efforts to prevent the disease from entering Nevada and what it means for Nevada's deer, elk, and even moose, if the disease enters the state. He also explains the different ways hunters can help, including a new program that allows hunters to sample their own harvests. Find more information about CWD and prevention efforts in Nevada here: www.ndow.org/blog/chronic-wasting-disease/
The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) is challenging you to spend 17 minutes outside every day! 17 minutes outside, is the new 10,000 steps! We know that a little bit of time outside, even 17 minutes, goes a long way to benefiting your personal health! In this week’s Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW Outdoor Connection Coordinator Bobby Jones who explains why 17 is the number we chose, what spending 17 minutes outside every day can do for your health, and more!
In this week’s Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator Kevin Netcher to talk about Aquatic Invasive Species(AIS) and the harm they can have on the ecosystem and economy. Kevin explains which AIS are threatening Nevada’s natural resources, NDOW’s prevention efforts, and how you can help us stop AIS from spreading to more of Nevada’s waters!
Learn more about AIS in Nevada here: https://www.ndow.org/get-outside/boating/aquatic-invasive-species-prevention-program/
This week’s Nevada Wild highlights the success of Nevada's Youth License Fund. Over several weeks this summer, this fund allowed members of the public and non-profit organizations to donate money to cover the cost of youth combination licenses for kids to remove a barrier to kids having FUN outdoors in Nevada!
Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW’s Outdoor Connection Coordinator Bobby Jones to talk about how many donations the fund received, how many licenses went out to kids who never fished before, what's next for the fund, how you can donate and more!
Learn more about the fund and how to make donations here: https://www.ndow.org/blog/nevada-youth-license-fund/
In this week’s Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW Migratory Game Bird Staff Specialist Russell Woolstenhulme. He explains how the birds people commonly refer to as pigeons are actually “Rock doves!” He introduces us to Nevada’s actual pigeon species, including the band-tailed pigeon, a new project he’s working on to learn more about these birds, and how you can play an important role in this work!
In this week’s Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW’s new Habitat Division Administrator Mark Freese to talk about his background with the agency, the important role the Habitat Division plays at NDOW, and the agency's many ongoing habitat restoration projects. In the second half of the show they also talk about wildfire restoration work, which could not be done without the support of conservation partners, including the Nevada Dream Tags program!
The Nevada Dream Tags raffle, happening now through June 30, is a chance at winning one of six premier big game tags. Funds raised through the Dream Tags raffle go straight into wildlife habitat conservation and rehabilitation in Nevada. Learn more and buy tickets here: https://shop.nvdreamtag.org/
The Wild Sheep Foundation’s Nevada Outdoor Experience, a FREE outdoor expo, was created to excite and inspire the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts. Whether you're interested in archery, wildlife conservation, leave no trace ethics, nature crafts, gold panning, rock climbing, or even metal detecting, there really is something for everyone!
In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Ashley Sanchez sit down with the Wild Sheep Foundation's Ryan Brock to go over event details and explain what activities to expect, why this is such a great event for families, and how the event keeps growing and getting better!
Nevada's Free Fishing Day is tomorrow, Saturday, June 10. This is the one day of the year you can fish any public water in the state without a fishing license. If you have never been fishing, Free Fishing Day is the day to get out and try it!
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW Educators Nicole Hamblin and Abbey Czarnecki to talk about all of the fun Free Fishing Day events happening across the state, how you can volunteer, fishing conditions, and how kids 12-17 years old can receive a fishing license from the Nevada Youth License Fund: https://www.ndow.org/blog/nevada-youth-license-fund/
Find a Free Fishing Day event near you here: www.ndow.org/blog/nevada-free-fishing-day/
Find fishing reports, stocking updates, the FishNV tool, and more resources here: https://www.ndow.org/get-outside/fishing/plan-your-fishing-trip/
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with local fishing legend Jan Nemec, NDOW’s Western Nevada Angler Education Coordinator. Jan tells us all about his history with the agency, and explains his passion for fishing, and even greater passion for fly tying! Jan fills us in on his upcoming events, including two of NDOW’s most fun events, the Kids Carp Derby and Free Fishing Day. He also highlights where to go for great fishing right now! Find details and registration on upcoming events here: https://register-ed.com/programs/nevada/210-angler-education
Memorial Day weekend kicks off the official start of boating season! The wet winter the state experienced this year is going to make for a prime year to get out on Nevada's waters, so now is the time to prepare your boat!In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW's Statewide Boating Education Coordinator Aaron Meier to discuss National Safe Boating Week and the steps to take to ensure you and your family have a safe, enjoyable time out on the water!Find out how to register your boat, enroll in a Boating Education course and more here:https://www.ndow.org/get-outside/#
Nevada's big game tag application period deadline is quickly approaching!In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller are joined by NDOW Hunter Education Coordinator Martin Olson to talk about frequently asked questions they've received about the application period, tools like NDOW's Big Game Application Workshop, and tips to follow when preparing to apply.Apply for tags until 11 p.m. May 10 at ndowlicensing.com.View our 2023 Big Game Tag Application Workshop here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUZv-JFMl0w
This week’s Nevada Wild celebrates National Volunteer Month! NDOW is lucky to have incredibly skilled and passionate volunteers working hard across the state. From field work to educational programming, volunteers are vital to this agency. Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller are joined by NDOW Volunteer Program Coordinators Nicole Hamblin, Michelle Lopez, and Julie Bless. They explain why volunteers are so important to NDOW’s conservation programs and projects, upcoming volunteer opportunities across the state and how you can get involved!Find everything you need to know to get started as a volunteer here: https://www.ndow.org/learn-discover/get-involved/
Great Basin Bird Observatory’s (GBBO) 2023 Nevada Bird-a-thon is a great way to set out on a fun adventure with your family while also supporting important bird research! During this statewide birding community event and fundraiser, teams and individuals are invited to participate by choosing one 24-hour period between May 5 and May 15 and then record as many bird species within Nevada as possible! In this week’s Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller are joined by GBBO’s Ned Bohman, who fills us in on the history of the Bird-a-thon, how to participate, the new categories and how you can win prizes and more!Learn more about the Bird-a-thon here: https://www.gbbo.org/birdathon-details
This week’s Nevada Wild highlights the brand-new Nevada Youth License Fund. This fund will allow members of the public and non-profit organizations to donate money to cover the cost of youth combination licenses for kids to remove a barrier to kids having FUN outdoors in Nevada! Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW’s Outdoor Connection Coordinator Bobby Jones to talk about the fund, why it’s important to getting more kids outside, and explains how those applying for Nevada big game tags can donate to it!Learn more about the fund here: https://www.ndow.org/blog/nevada-youth-license-fund/
We wrap up NDOW’s Women’s Month celebration by introducing you to our new Chief Game Warden Kristy Knight! Knight has almost 20 years of experience as a game warden for the agency. She has worked in various capacities throughout the state, including captain, supervising lieutenant, and statewide supervising game warden!In this week’s Nevada Wild, Knight sits down with Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller to reflect on her time with the agency, share how it feels to represent women in a male dominated field, and explain her goals for NDOW’s Law Enforcement Division moving forward.
Guzzlers are man-made watering holes, built in areas where there is not enough water to support wildlife. While guzzlers are built to primarily benefit big game and upland bird species, they also provide a valuable source of water formany of Nevada's diverse wildlife species. Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) relies heavily on partners and volunteers to build guzzlers and has a number of opportunities coming up.In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller are joined by NDOW Habitat Biologist Sam Hughes and Statewide Volunteer Coordinator Julie Bless to talk about NDOW’s guzzler program, upcoming guzzler builds across the state, and how you can get involved!Find volunteer opportunities here: https://www.ndow.org/learn-discover/get-involved/
This year Nevada Outdoor School (NOS) celebrates 20 years! Through its outdoor programs NOS inspires the exploration of the natural world, responsible stewardship of our habitat and dedication to community. This women founded and led non-profit is the perfect organization to feature for NDOW’s Women’s Month celebration.In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Nevada Outdoor School Executive Director Melanie Erquiaga to talk about the history of NOS, its open AmeriCorps opportunities, and all the great events and programs they have coming up! Get involved with NOS here: https://www.nevadaoutdoorschool.org/home.aspx
NDOW funds improvements at shooting ranges across Nevada to make them safer and more accessible to the community. We're now accepting applications for these funds from anyone who would like to see upgrades at their local shooting range.In this week's Nevada Wild, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller explain how this grant program works, how you can apply for grant-funded improvements at a shooting range near you, current projects, and the need for safe, accessible shooting ranges throughout the state.Find the 2023 Shooting Range Grant Application form here: https://www.ndow.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Shooting-Range-Grant-Application-2023.pdf
In this week’s Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller are joined by Eastern Nevada Conservation Education Supervisor Julie Gabrielson to talk about the long-awaited 6th annual Elko Sportsman’s Expo! The expo is back on Saturday, March 4 and Sunday, March 5 with two days of outdoor related activities and booths presented by NDOW and the Ruby Mountain Rios Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation. Julie explains what to expect at this FREE event, why it’s the perfect event to experience with your friends and family, and how it's a great way to connect with the Elko community. Learn more here: https://fb.me/e/5epNeh6W5
In this week’s Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Ashley Sanchez are joined by Bighorn Sheep Staff Specialist Mike Cox at the Wild Sheep Foundation’s Sheep Show, where Mike was inducted into the Biologist Wall of Fame for the work he has put into bighorn sheep conservation across the west! Mike talks about the honor, his commitment to wildlife conservation, and dives into the status of Nevada’s bighorn sheep populations. View the 2022 Bighorn Sheep Checkout Summaries he refers to in the podcast here: https://www.ndow.org/blog/hunt-statistics/
In this week’s Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller record from the Wild Sheep Foundation’s Sheep Show, with new NDOW Wildlife Education Coordinator Margaret Lord and Hunter Education Coordinator Logan Klonicke. Logan and Margaret took a break from running stations at the Sheep Show’s youth component, the Youth Wildlife Conservation Experience (YWCE). They fill us in on this year’s YWCE, how they’re adjusting to their new positions after working as Americorps for NDOW last year, and their goals for future programming to continue connecting kids to wildlife, nature, and outdoor recreation.The public portion of YWCE takes place tomorrow (Saturday, January 14) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Hall 4 and the F-Meeting rooms of the Reno-Sparks Convention Center. The event is FREE and parents who bring their kids can receive a voucher to get into the Sheep Show exhibit hall for free. Note: Do NOT go the Sheep Show registration and pay to get in, simply head to Hall 4.Find more information on YWCE here: https://fb.me/e/26yl3StAV
In this week’s Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Ashley Sanchez sit down with Nevada Department of Wildlife Outdoor Connection Coordinator Bobby Jones to dive into one of NDOW’s big undertakings of 2022, the Pathways to Relevancy Project. The goal of this project is to help the agency better understand the general public’s views on nature, wildlife, outdoor recreation, and NDOW as a whole to help us better serve the state. As part of this project, Bobby analyzed survey results from the Outdoor Foundation’s 2022 Outdoor Participation Trends Report that surveyed participants on their views of outdoor recreation. Bobby quizzes us, fills us in on the results, and explains how this information will benefit the agency and Nevadans. You can view the full 2022 Outdoor Participation Trends Report here: https://outdoorindustry.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/2022-Outdoor-Participation-Trends-Report-1.pdf
The Youth Wildlife Conservation Experience (YWCE)is back! YWCE, the youth portion of the Wild Sheep Foundation's Sheep Show, will take place at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center on January 12-14. School groups will attend a private experience on the first two days, and on January 14, YWCE opens up to the public for FREE!In this week’s Nevada Wild, NDOW’s Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with the Wild Sheep Foundation’s Ryan Brock and NDOW Conservation Educator Zac Campbell to talk about all the activities to expect at this year's YWCE, and how there’s something for everyone from the outdoor enthusiast to the artist. Special guests Rilee Brock (Ryan’s daughter!) and Luke Bryant (Ryan's student) fill us in on their favorite activities at the event, and what they're looking forward to most attending YWCE as students for the first time. Find more details on the event here: https://www.wildsheepfoundation.org/mission-and-programs/youth-programs/ywce
Whether you’re interested in fishing for warmwater species, like bass, in southern Nevada, ice fishing in eastern Nevada, or casting a line in a river in western Nevada, the Silver State has it all when it comes to fishing opportunities!In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW Angler Education Coordinators Jan Nemec, Nicole Hamblin, and Abbey Czarnecki. They cover fishing conditions across Nevada, share ice fishing safety tips, and get into the 25 Days of Fishmas spirit by sharing gift ideas for the angler in your life!Buy your fishing license at ndowlicensing.com. View our fishing reports here: https://www.ndow.org/get-outside/fishing/fishing-stocking-reports/database/
Game Warden Reserve Lieutenant James Kocijanski, our most recent NDOW Volunteer of the Month, will be retiring at the end of the year. Kocijanski, better known to most as “Kozz,” has been an essential member of the NDOW Law Enforcement Division for the last decade. As one of two Reserve Game Wardens in the state, Kozz has been instrumental in assisting with patrols, promoting the Operation Game Thief program, training fellow law enforcement officers in TECC (Tactical Emergency Casualty Care), and training civilians in the lifesaving Stop the Bleed course. In this week’s Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Ashley Sanchez sit down with Kozz as he looks back at his 10 years of service for NDOW.To get involved in NDOW’s Game Warden Reserve program, scroll down to the “Volunteer Game Warden section here: https://www.ndow.org/learn-discover/get-involved/Learn more about Stop the Bleed trainings here: https://www.stopthebleed.org/
The Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Nevada State Parks, and their partners recently announced the launch of Nevada Trail Finder, a FREE web-based map featuring thousands of miles of outdoor recreation trails and waterways statewide, tools to keep track of your outdoor adventures, and much more!In this week’s Nevada Wild, NDOW’s Ashley Sanchez, Aaron Keller, and Bobby Jones sit down with one of the main forces behind the creation of Nevada Trail Finder, Janice Keillor with Nevada State Parks. Janice explains how the project started and walks us through the Nevada Trail Finder website. She also shows us why, no matter how you enjoy spending your time outdoors whether it’s biking, hiking, paddling, snowmobiling or more, you’ll want to put this tool to use!Check out Nevada Trail Finder here: https://www.nvtrailfinder.com/
In honor of Bat Week and Halloween, this week's Nevada Wild looks at some of the projects NDOW is working on to learn more about bats, extremely misunderstood, but important animals to the ecosystem!Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW Wildlife Diversity Biologists Mackenzie Jeffress and Michael West to talk about the different bat surveys they're working on. This includes a new effort for the North American Bat Monitoring Program (NABat), an international interagency program designed to monitor bat distributions on public and private lands. NDOW’s effort with NABat includes acoustic work involving specialized detectors that record bat calls to help us determine which bat species live in which parts of the state. On top of explaining their work, Mackenzie and Michael also share some of their favorite bat facts!
Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller, hosts of The Nevada Wild Podcast teamed up with Tim Akimoff and Beth Quillian, hosts of Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Beaver State Podcast at the 6th International Human-Bear Conflicts Workshop in South Lake Tahoe, Nevada. We take you on a journey around North America to look at solutions to human-caused problems for bears in places like Arviat in Nunavut where the mayor, Joe Savikataaq Jr., talks about efforts to reduce polar bear conflicts by redirecting bears away from town as they wait for sea ice to form each year. We also talked to Chris Servheen, retired USFW national grizzly bear recovery coordinator, about how work to reduce conflicts between humans and bears is going and finally to Mexico with Dr. Diana Doan-Crider, Executive Director at Animo Partnership in Natural Resources, who talked about incorporating indigenous knowledge into black bear management in northern Mexico.
Upland game hunters have a lot to look forward to! Tomorrow, Saturday, Oct. 15, statewide chukar and quail seasons open!In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW's Upland Game Staff Specialist Shawn Espinosa, who breaks down the 2022 Chukar Forecast, explains the best locations for hopeful hunters, and gives us an update on other upland game species.Buy your license at ndowlicensing.com so you can join in on the fun. Make it a combination license so you can do some fall fishing while you're on your hunt!
In this week's Nevada Wild, we introduce you to NDOW's new Western Nevada Fisheries Biologist Sam Sedillo. Sam fills Nevada Wild hosts, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller, in on his background and passion for fish! He tells us about the projects he's been working on since beginning his position at NDOW in March. He also highlights a major project near Wall Canyon Reservoir to protect a unique Nevada species called the Wall Canyon Sucker, which is only found in the Wall Canyon watershed.
In celebration of Elk Week, we're featuring special guest, Randy Newberg! At his core Randy is a hunter, an advocate for public land, and uses a variety of platforms to advocate for hunters and public land access! Some of his platforms include Fresh Tracks (TV/YouTube), Hunt Talk Radio (Podcast), RandyNewberg.com (Website), and Hunt Talk (Web Forum). In short, Randy is a leading voice for public land hunters across the nation!
In this week's Nevada Wild, he joins hosts Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller, and NDOW Big Game Biologist Cody McKee on Zoom from a Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation event in Park City, Utah. He explains his deep connection to Nevada, why it is so important for him to connect people to conservation and our landscapes through hunting, and shares some elk hunting experiences he's had in the Nevada!
Learn more about Randy Newberg, his shows, and podcast here: https://randynewberg.com/
Tomorrow, Saturday 24, is National Public Lands Day (NPLD), a celebration that brings out thousands of volunteers to help restore and improve public lands around the country.
In this week’s Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Bureau of Land Management Archaeologist Alicia Jensen, who fills us in on an NPLD cleanup volunteer opportunity at the Fernley Swales. This site a mile north of Fernley, is the only place where emigrant wagons and oxen left deep sand swales as they traversed the California Trail. Alicia fills us in on the history of the site, the cleanup event, other NPLD events, and how critical these events are in protecting Historic Preservation sites, like the Fernley Swales.
Find information on the Fernley Swales Cleanup here: https://www.neefusa.org/npld/fernley-swales/fernley-swales-cleanup
Find a map of all NPLD events here: https://www.neefusa.org/npld-event-search
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Nevada Department of Wildlife Veterinarian Nate LaHue to talk about Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), a transmissible neurological disease that is always fatal to animals in the deer family. Currently, CWD is found in 34 states and provinces but not in Nevada. Nate explains the state's efforts to prevent the disease from entering Nevada, and explains what hunters can do to help.
Find more information and a list of the check stations mentioned in this podcast here: https://www.ndow.org/blog/chronic-wasting-disease/
With dove season opening yesterday, we thought it was the perfect time to sit down with NDOW Migratory Game Bird Staff Biologist Russell Woolstenhulme to get an update on populations and tips to be more successful.
In this week’s Nevada Wild, we cover everything you need to know if you’re interested in hunting dove. We switch gears and talk about banding projects, including the state's first ever band-tailed pigeon banding project and annual duck banding efforts, which help agencies across the nation track migratory birds. We also discuss what hunters should know about the avian influenza outbreak that has been detected across the nation since December 2021 in multiple wild bird species.
In this week’s Nevada Wild, we sit down with Miranda Crowell. As part of her PhD work for University of Nevada Reno, Miranda has been working on a collaborative project for over five years to learn more about pygmy rabbit populations in Nevada and how they are changing over time. She explains how she got involved in working with pygmy rabbits, the work she's doing for her study, and why it’s so important to learn about this species! See the posts/photos we refer to in the podcast here: https://www.facebook.com/NvDOW/posts/pfbid037XrP3gWQNhfdTcX7VD46k3vopFG8UjxY9WdSmeE6CMGRmzTo3Mq6N4KfqMCmokn2l
NDOW's Conservation Education Division has a wide variety of educational programming free for classrooms, homeschoolers, after-school programs, and really anyone interested in learning more about Nevada's wildlife.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW Statewide Wildlife Education Coordinator Julie Bless to talk about a variety of education programs available to teachers, students, and the public. She covers award winning classroom programs, like Nevada Kockout and Know Your Nevada, brand new programs available to teachers, and take home educational kits available to anyone for free!
If you interested in NDOW's Wildlife Education programs, learn more here: https://www.ndow.org/learn-discover/outdoor-education/ If you want to receive our educator newsletter email Julie Bless at jbless@ndow.org.
In this week’s Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Ashley Sanchez sit down with NDOW Biologist Heather Reich to talk about bears! Heather corrects some common misconceptions surrounding Nevada’s black bear populations and explains some steps to take as bears get more active due to hyperphagia, the phase they go through to build up calories before spending the winter in their dens. She also tells us why these tips apply to anyone in Nevada, not just those who live or spend time in northern Nevada.
Find more resources on living with bears and other wildlife here: https://www.ndow.org/learn-discover/wildlife-discovery/living-with-wildlife/
Take your best guess! How much money do you think big game and upland game hunters spend on hunting in Nevada per year?
In this week’s Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez, Aaron Keller, and Bobby Jones dive into the dollars and cents details of hunting in Nevada with UNR Research Scientist Alec Bowman. Alec lets us know just how much Nevada hunters support our state’s economy using an in-depth report he worked on detailing Nevada hunting expenditures. View the report: https://www.ndow.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Nevada-Hunter-Expenditures-Summary-Report.pdf
Have you ever been interested in learning how to shoot a bow or rifle? NDOW offers learn-to shoot classes throughout the state to teach safe and responsible shooting practices to youth and adults.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW’s new Statewide Recreational Shooting Coordinator, Adam Kavanagh to talk about the shooting programs NDOW offers. Adam also explains his hopes of getting the National Archery in the Schools Program into more local schools to expand the opportunity to more kids.
Find a shooting range near you or sign up for an NDOW class at ndow.org.
As animals get more active in the late spring and early summer, NDOW sees an increase in phone calls from community members asking questions about wildlife they come across in their neighborhoods, whether they've found an injured animal or they have an unexpected visitor in their yard. Those are the calls that keep our Urban Wildlife Coordinators busy.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW’s new Urban Wildlife Coordinator Raquel Martinez and former Urban Wildlife Coordinator, now Wildlife Educator, Jess Wolff. They explain the urban wildlife and wildlife education positions, list the common calls NDOW receives this time of year, and explain the best steps to take if you come across wildlife in your neighborhood.
You can also find species-specific information on living with wildlife here: https://www.ndow.org/species-information/
In this week’s Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW Wildlife Diversity Biologist Mackenzie Jeffress to talk about North America’s cutest mammal, the pika, and the new Nevada Pika Atlas. The atlas is a compilation of information from researchers across the west shows where pika can be found across the state! Mackenzie explains why this is important in helping us learn more about pika and protect the species. She also explains how she found her love of researching pika and how she hopes the Pika Atlas is used moving forward.
Learn more about these tiny, mountain dwelling animals and where you can spot one and view the Nevada Pika Atlas here: https://www.ndow.org/species/pika/
In this week’s Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Wildlife Education Coordinator Julie Bless and Conservation Education Division Administrator Chris Vasey to talk about the Nevada Department of Wildlife's "Conserve Wildlife" license plate, which is available at any Nevada Department of Motor Vehicle office. They explain how proceeds from the sale of this license plate featuring a mule deer, sage-grouse, and cutthroat trout against a classic Nevada landscape, benefits different NDOW education and volunteer programs.
To Learn more about ordering a "Conserve Wildlife" license plate, check out the Charitable & Collegiate Plates section of the Nevada DMV website: https://dmv.nv.gov/platescharitable.htm
Nevada's Free Fishing Day is tomorrow, Saturday, June 11. This is the one day of the year you can fish any public water in the state without a fishing license. If you have never been fishing, Free Fishing Day is the day to get out and try it!
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW Angler Educators Jan Nemec, Julie Gabrielson, and Abbey Czarnecki to talk about all of the fun Free Fishing Day events happening across the state, the annual Free Fishing Day Poster Contest, fishing conditions, and what to do next if you get hooked on fishing!
Find a Free Fishing Day event near you here: https://www.ndow.org/blog/nevada-free-fishing-day/
Find fishing reports, stocking updates, the FishNV tool, and more resources here: https://www.ndow.org/get-outside/fishing/fishing-stocking-reports/
Boating season is here! We encourage you to prepare before you head out on the water, so you can be sure to have a safe and fun boating experience with your friends and family.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW's Statewide Boating Education Coordinator Aaron Meier to talk about the steps to take to prepare your boat and stay safe while boating or paddling, and they highlight some of the great waters to explore!
Find boating education courses on ndow.org here: https://www.ndow.org/learn-discover/outdoor-education/
Now is also a good time to make sure your boat registration is up-to-date. Register your vessels today at ndowlicensing.com.
This week's Nevada Wild is shell-e-brating Wild Turtle Week! Hosts Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller talk to NDOW Wildlife Diversity Biologist Matt Flores and clear up some confusion around the difference between turtles and tortoises. He gives us an overview of Nevada species, and explains the threats they face. We're also joined by Christian Daniels, the creator of the Desert Balloon Project, a Facebook page that encourages everyone to do their part to clean up balloons and litter in the desert to protect desert tortoises and other wildlife. He talks about how he started this project and what you can do to help.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW Educators Zac Campbell, Jan Nemec, and Abbey Czarnecki to talk about carp fishing in Nevada! Abbey recaps the recent annual Carp Rodeo at Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge, and Jan fills us in on the Kids Carp Derby on Saturday June 4, at Lahontan Reservoir, along with other western Nevada Carp Derbies this summer. Find information on the June 4 Kids Carp Derby here:https://www.register-ed.com/events/view/182658?fbclid=IwAR2F6eYWU6Rcl9y9XmISxq-CFWnNOyxHc58E3qrPngaYs9MUzGLm6aeLqbQ
Keep an eye out for other upcoming events on ndow.org here: https://www.ndow.org/calendar/
Nevada's big game tag application period deadline is quickly approaching!
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller are joined by NDOW Conservation Educators Martin Olson and Julie Gabrielson to talk about frequently asked questions they've received about the application period, tools like NDOW's Big Game Application Seminar, and tips to follow when preparing to apply.
Watch the Big Game Application Seminar here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOVfvcn7CI4
Apply for tags until 11 p.m. May 10 at ndowlicensing.com.
This week's Nevada Wild goes on the road at Walker River State Recreation Area! Ashley Sanchez and Bobby Jones are joined by Nevada Division of Natural Heritage Botanist Janel Johnson as she leads a tour at the state recreation area to show NatureServe CEO and President Sean O'Brien around. This is one stop on Sean's journey across the country to visit with natural heritage agencies in different states to learn how we can all work together to achieve great outcomes for conservation.
As discussed in this podcast, NatureServe works with a network of more than 60 organizations and over 1,000 conservation scientists to collect and analyze standardized information on imperiled species and ecosystems. The NatureServe Network includes the Nevada Division of Natural Heritage as the entity tracking rare species and ecosystems in Nevada. Janel and Sean explain the importance of their work, the role it plays in conservation, and much more! Sean also shares his trip highlights and what he found most unique about Nevada.
Follow Sean on his van tour here: https://www.natureserve.org/natureserve-network-van-tour
Learn more about the Nevada Division of Natural Heritage here: https://heritage.nv.gov/
NDOW has released a new hunt planning tool for hunters to use during Nevada's big game application period, which is now open at ndowlicensing.com. The tool, HuntNV, includes an interactive hunt unit map, harvest data, draw data, and bonus point data. The map can be filtered by many different hunt options.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with HuntNV creator, NDOW's Mitch Gritts and NDOW Big Game Biologist Cody McKee. They walk us through HuntNV, explain its value to hunters, and how to use the data provided not only to apply for tags but to plan out your hunt. Explore the tool to start planning your adventure here: https://www.hunt.wildlifenv.com
For the opening week of Nevada's big game application period, and the conclusion of our Women's Month podcasts, we thought it was the perfect time to introduce two of our eastern Nevada game biologists.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW Game Biologists Sarah Hale and Samantha Fino. The two explain how they recently became biologists at NDOW, their backgrounds and goals, and give encouraging advice to women entering this field.
In this week's Nevada Wild, we continue our Women's Month celebration with guest Cynthia Scholl. Cynthia is the Education Coordinator at University of Nevada, Reno's Museum of Natural History, and the Associate Director of Nevada Bugs and Butterflies. Cynthia fills NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller in on both of her positions, her passion for bugs (especially butterflies!) and natural history, and explains how the two fields intertwine. She also talks about how she loves inspiring future generations of women to enter these career fields.
In this week’s Nevada Wild, we celebrate women who fish for Women’s Month! Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW Angler Educator Abbey Czarnecki and avid bass angler Ryan Pendarvis. Ryan explains her love of bass fishing, and how she got started with fishing and tournaments. Abbey fills us in on fishing hotspots in southern Nevada. They explain how to get started with fishing and find communities online who can support you in learning, and they encourage more women to get out there!
In this week's Nevada Wild Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW Big Game Biologists Kari Huebner and Travis Allen to provide an update on Nevada's growing moose population. Kari and Travis fill us in on the number of moose they have collared to help learn more about the animals, the number of sightings in an ongoing database, and the work they're doing to continue to learn more! They also explain how you can help.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller are joined by NDOW Fisheries Biologist Travis Hawks and Granite Construction Environmental Manager Tina Mudd to talk about a new trail that improves access to a portion of state land along the Truckee River in Sparks. NDOW partnered with the Tahoe-Pyramid Trail, Nevada Division of State Lands, Washoe County Regional Parks and Open Space, Granite Construction, and a private landowner to complete the new trail system in an undeveloped, underused area that connects to Washoe County’s Lockwood Park trail system. Granite Construction made a substantial donation in material, equipment, and labor to lay base material for a foot path, construct two bridges and install fencing.
Travis and Tina explain how this new access will allow anglers and other recreationalists the ability to more easily enjoy the Truckee River, and why this project was so important to all partners involved.
NDOW’s James Lathrop and Wayne Capurro Memorial Internship program gives selected graduating Nevada high school seniors, college, or university students an opportunity to earn funds to support their college education, while receiving “on-the-job” training as a seasonal NDOW employee. This wonderful program is currently accepting applications!
In this week’s Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller caught up with Wildlife Staff Specialist Russell Woolstenhulme and Nevada Bighorn Unlimited’s Chris Cefalu at the Sheep Show in Reno. They talk about the success of the program; explain how funding comes from two organizations, NBU and Nevada Wildlife Record Book; and highlight those organizations two founding members. Current NDOW biologist and former intern Josh Kirk joins the second half of the podcast to talk about his experience with the program and how it led to a career at NDOW.
For an application and information on how to apply for the internship use the following link: https://www.ndow.org/blog/james-lathrop-and-wayne-capurro-memorial-internship/
NDOW funds improvements at shooting ranges across Nevada to make them safer and more accessible to the community. We're now accepting applications for these funds from anyone who would like to see upgrades at their local shooting range.
In this week's Nevada Wild, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller explain how this grant program works, how you can apply to have a shooting range near you funded, some examples of how this funding has worked in the past, and the need for safe, accessible shooting ranges throughout the state.
View the application here: https://www.ndow.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Shooting-Range-Grant-Application-2022-1.pdf
This week's Nevada Wild was recorded on location at the Wild Sheep Foundation's Sheep Show, which takes place at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center and Peppermill Resort Spa & Casino through Saturday, January 15. In the spirit of Sheep Week, NDOW Bighorn Sheep Staff Specialist Mike Cox joined Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller to talk about the status of Nevada's bighorn sheep, the latest bighorn sheep hunt summaries, and work being done to keep the state's bighorn sheep populations healthy and growing!
Learn more about the Sheep Show and register here: https://www.renoevents.com/events/detail/2022-wild-sheep-show
After 21 years of educating the public on NDOW's work, Conservation Educator Joe Doucette is retiring. Joe, a Nevada Wild podcast regular and familiar face to many Nevadans, ran educational programming in eastern Nevada. He spent years creating videos on NDOW's various projects and recording news segments to help share the agency's story.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Joe to look back at his time at NDOW, give NDOW's future employees some encouraging words, and talk about the adventures he's planning next!
The youth portion of the Wild Sheep Foundation's Sheep Show, the Youth Wildlife Conservation Experience (YWCE), is back! YWCE will take place during the Sheep Show at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center on January 13-15. School groups will attend a private experience on the first two days, then on January 15, YWCE opens up to the public for FREE!
In this week’s Nevada Wild NDOW’s Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with the Wild Sheep Foundation’s Ryan Brock to talk what activities to expect at YWCE, and how there’s something for everyone from the outdoor enthusiast to the artist. Special guests Rilee and Dylan Brock(Ryan’s kids!), and their friend Gus join us to fill us in on their favorite activities at the event, and Dylan and Rilee tell us about some of the stations they’ll be leading for the first time this year!
For more details on the event click here: https://www.wildsheepfoundation.org/mission-and-programs/youth-programs/ywce
In this week’s Nevada Wild, we’re covering a perfect way to get outdoors this winter, snowshoeing!
NDOW’s Ashley Sanchez, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones sit down with author of Snowshoeing Around Lake Tahoe, Kathryn Reed. Kathryn fills us in on great snowshoeing advice, the best places to go, and where you can find her book, along with her other books that focus on outdoor adventures around Lake Tahoe!
The cold weather and recent snow in northern Nevada means it's almost time for great ice fishing!
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller talk to Conservation Educator Joe Doucette about when waters will be safe for ice fishing, and which waters to head to when the time is right. They also go over ice fishing equipment and gear that could make great gifts for the angler in your life, and safety information to keep in mind when heading out on the ice.
For fishing reports click here: https://www.ndow.org/get-outside/fishing/fishing-stocking-reports/database/?region=eastern&reports=fishing&show_all=false
In the spirit of NDOW’s 25 Days of Fishmas celebration, this week’s Nevada Wild covers Trout in the Classroom (TIC), a popular education program NDOW has put in classrooms for more than 20 years to teach students about the science, art, recreation and other values of fish and aquatic life.
Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller talk with NDOW Angler Educators from across the state Abbey Czarnecki, Jan Nemec and Julie Gabrielson to explain what to expect for this year’s program, how your kids can join in on the fun even if they aren’t in a participating classroom, and how to sign up your student's class in the future. Learn more about TIC here: https://sites.google.com/view/troutintheclassroomonline/home
Black Friday weekend is here! That means people are rushing to the stores to find the perfect gifts for their family and friends. NDOW wanted to help you out with some gift ideas!
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Bobby Jones are joined by NDOW’s Amanda Perez and Eric Cachinero to share gift ideas for hunters, anglers, and anyone who enjoys spending time outdoors.
In the spirit of Thanksgiving next week, this Nevada Wild covers all things turkey.
Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Upland Game Staff Specialist Shawn Espinosa to talk about the history of Nevada's wild turkeys. Shawn explains how they got here, and where you can find turkeys in the state. They also cover turkey hunting and some fun turkey facts, like explaining what a snoods and wattles are!
In this week’s Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Ashley Sanchez sit down with western Nevada’s former Supervising Fisheries Biologist, now Grant Coordinator for NDOW’s statewide Sportfish program, Kim Tisdale. Kim fills us in on her 27 years with the agency, how she started her career at NDOW, and the most memorable projects she’s been a part of. She also explains her new role and tells us about the state’s Trophy Fish and Native Fish programs, which are open to anyone to take part in.
Learn more here: http://www.ndow.org/Fish/Angler_Recognition_Program/
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones are joined by writer, angler, cook, forager, among many other titles, Hank Shaw!
For more than a year NDOW has shared Hanks's recipes on social media for Wild Food Friday. Hank, who has five published cookbooks, manages the popular Hunter Angler Gardner Cook website, and hosts the Hunt Gather Talk Podcast, explains how he first started with wild game cooking, tells us about his cookbooks, gives great insight to help you become a great wild game cook, and more!
Learn more about Hank and find his recipes and cookbooks here: https://honest-food.net/
This week's Nevada Wild celebrates Bat Week, the annual, international celebration of the role of bats in nature!
Hosts Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller are joined by Wildlife Educator Jess Brooks, who explains the educational programs NDOW runs to inform the public on bats and other wildlife. Programs include the popular bat walks that Jess and other wildlife educators organize around the state. Jess also shares some interesting bat facts and explains the important role they play in our ecosystem.
Find events and learn more about NDOW's wildlife education programs here: http://www.ndow.org/Education/Wildlife_Ed/
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW Biologist Heather Reich to talk about Nevada's black bears. She explains everything from their population size, where in Nevada they can be found and where the population comes from to their diets and behavior. She also covers how to live responsibly in bear country.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW's Wildlife Veterinarian Nate LaHue to talk about Chronic Wasting Disease(CWD), a transmissible neurological disease that is always fatal to animals in the deer family. Nate explains the state's efforts to prevent the disease from entering Nevada, and explains what hunters can do to help.
For more information and a list of the check stations mentioned in this podcast, visit here: http://www.ndow.org/Nevada_Wildlife/Health_and_Disease/Chronic_Wasting_Disease/
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller are joined by Sara Gedo with Clark County Water Quality and NDOW Angler Education Coordinator Abbey Czarnecki to discuss Stormwater Pollution Awareness Month in October. Sara explains the importance of the campaign's slogan to put #OnlyRainInTheStormDrain to preserve the water quality of Nevada’s precious waterways. Abbey explains what you can do to prevent the impacts of stormwater pollution on Nevada's fisheries and highlights NDOW's Fish Camp, which will feature Sara as a guest speaker.
Upland game hunters have a lot to look forward to! The youth chukar hunt continues this weekend, ending on Sunday (Oct. 3), and the general season opens October 9!
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW's Upland Game Staff Specialist Shawn Espinosa, who breaks down the 2021 Chukar Forecast and gives great chukar hunting tips to hopeful hunters! He also talks sage grouse and quail.
View the Chukar Forecast here: http://www.ndow.org/uploadedFiles/ndoworg/Content/Hunt/Seasons_and_Regulations/Upland_Game/2021_NV_Chukar_Forecast.pdf
Buy your license at ndowlicensing.com so you can join in on the fun. Make it a combination license so you can do some fall fishing while you're on your hunt!
In this week’s Nevada Wild, we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month by spotlighting Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting and the Outdoors (HECHO), an organization created to provide a platform for Hispanics/Latinos to contribute knowledge and perspectives about public land conservation.
Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with HECHO Program Manager Bianca McGrath-Martinez and NDOW Outdoor Connection Coordinator Bobby Jones to talk about the importance of HECHO’s mission and connecting more communities with the outdoors. They also provide information on how you can get involved.
To learn more, connect with HECHO on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn @hechoonline. You can also sign up for the HECHO newsletter at https://support.nwf.org/page/28220/subscribe/1?mode=DEMO and for our HECHO Advocacy Network at https://support.nwf.org/page/25620/subscribe/1?mode=DEMO. Feel free to reach out to Bianca at bianca@hechoonline.org.
There is no better excuse to explore Nevada than by celebrating Nevada Public Lands Day next Saturday, September 25. Nevada Public Lands Day, which also falls on National Public Lands Day (NPLD), encourages Nevadans to discover the many exciting and affordable recreation opportunities right in their own backyards.
In this week's Nevada Wild, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller talk to Jenny Ramella, Kim Zuch, and Carson Fehner with Nevada State Parks to highlight parks you can explore near you, fun ways to celebrate your National Public Lands Day, and how to respect the outdoors while exploring. As Park Interpreters Kim highlights Washoe Lake and Carson highlights Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort and all the NPLD activities happening at and in the surrounding areas of both parks.
To celebrate Nevada Public Lands Day, Nevada State Parks is waiving park fees, including entrance costs, camping, and for the day. Find a state park near you here: parks.nv.gov/
You can also look for virtual and in-person volunteer events to celebrate National Public Lands Day here: www.neefusa.org/npld Saturday is also National Hunting and Fishing Day. Buy your fishing license today at ndowlicensing.com to join in on the fun.
In this weeks’ Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Ashley Sanchez are joined by NDOW Outdoor Connection Coordinator Bobby Jones and Outings Leader for Latino Outdoors Dagmar Galvan to discuss Hispanic Heritage Month. Dagmar tells us about her background and how she came to Las Vegas to pursue her career. The group has a great discussion on the importance of outdoor experiences for young and old. As a Latino Outdoors Outings Leader, Dagmar explains how she plans to engage with Latinx communities and share her passion for teaching the rich cultural history and archaeology that the Southwest and its environment has to offer.
NDOW's Conservation Education Division has a wide variety of education programming free for classrooms, homeschoolers, and after-school programs!
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW Wildlife Educator Jess Brooks and Urban Wildlife Coordinator Lauren MacLeod to talk about two programs classrooms will take part in this fall: Know Your Nevada, which teaches fourth-grade students all about Nevada's living state symbols and Nevada Knockout, NDOW’s award-winning animal battle program that gets students doing a deep dive on some of Nevada’s wildlife and what makes them so special. They also discuss other programs that are in the works, explain the importance wildlife and urban wildlife education and more!
If you interested in putting these programs in your student's classrooms, fill out this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScIZxUki28V-JSC1h4NvzTdPDlZFzkUbekntvq2DEp7xD-asQ/viewform?fbclid=IwAR1g3XvCco4IAHSWQvIex4SbC6KgeyUZUCKMvJ0GYkQMRZF9Q8dt-Ue1ODc
Upland Game hunters... it's that time of year! September 1 is the opener for dove, ruffed grouse, blue grouse, Himalayan snowcock and crow. On top of that, many more upland game seasons are approaching!
In this week's Nevada's Wild Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW Upland Game Staff Specialist Shawn Espinosa and Migratory Game Bird Staff Specialist Russell Woolstenhulme to talk about the upcoming upland game seasons, the best places for hunters to have success, and more!
NDOW is working on duck banding projects across Nevada through the end of September. NDOW uses these projects to capture waterfowl and place bands on them to help track the species and collect data.
In this week’s Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Migratory Game Bird Staff Specialist Russell Woolstenhulme to explain the duck banding process, why data from these bands is critical in making management decisions, how you can help us track our waterfowl populations, and more!
Bighorn sheep exist in the desert where no other native ungulates (hooved mammals) inhabit because of the limited water resources and plant life, and the rugged, precipitous terrain. But even desert bighorn sheep must drink water during the hottest months of the summer, which is why NDOW works with other land management agencies and conservation organizations to build “guzzlers” or water developments to provide water to bighorn sheep and other wildlife.
In this week’s Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Southern Nevada Game Supervisor Joe Bennett and Water Development Biologist Sam Hughes to talk about the importance of guzzlers, especially in the extreme drought conditions the state is experiencing, recent emergency water hauls to fill these water developments, the biology of bighorn sheep and more!
The Nevada Department of Wildlife is so lucky to be able to host Americorps members. Americorps is a nationwide community service program that gives young people a chance to gain professional experience while giving back to their communities. NDOW has been fortunate enough to attract really amazing members that have done invaluable work for the agency.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Ashley Sanchez speak with NDOW Wildlife Education Coordinator Julie Bless, and Americorps Claire Clarke and Amanda Mulholland to talk about the importance of Americoprs within the agency, the work they're doing, and their future plans!
If you're interested in becoming an Americorps, check out the links below.
Southern Nevada: https://naaee.org/eepro/jobs/wildlife-educator-americorps-member-5
Western Nevada: https://naaee.org/eepro/jobs/wildlife-educator-americorps-member-6
Eastern Nevada: https://naaee.org/eepro/jobs/wildlife-educator-americorps-member-4
In this week's Nevada Wild, we're looking at the importance of preparing for your hunt as seasons begin to open across the state. Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller are joined by NDOW Big Game Staff Specialists Cody Schroeder and Mike Cox to talk about the best strategies for scouting, other critical ways to prepare for your hunt and more!
This week is Latino Conservation Week: Disfrutando y Conservando Nuestra Tierra, an initiative of Hispanic Access Foundation (HAF), to support the Latino community getting into the outdoors and participating in activities to protect our natural resources.
In this week’s Nevada Wild, NDOW’s Ashley Sanchez and Bobby Jones sit down with Jessica Godinez from HAF’s Conservation Team to talk about Latino Conservation Week, the importance of this initiative and how to get involved. We also explain how HAF works toward providing Latino families and youth with outdoor recreation opportunities and removes barriers for them to get involved in conservation.
Learn more here: http://latinoconservationweek.com/
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller are joined by Wildlife Diversity Biologist Jason Jones to talk about the impact of drought conditions on reptiles, including snakes and Gila monsters. Jones clears up some common misconceptions, explains how important these critters are to Nevada's ecosystem, and walks you through what to do if you come across one.
The Summer Nevada Nature Blitz is underway, and anyone who wants to get outside this summer is invited to take part! This project is simple! The challenge is to record as much biodiversity as possible in northern Nevada during your outdoor adventures by downloading the iNaturalist app, join our project ‘Summer Nevada Nature Blitz’ and start snapping photos!
In this week's Nevada Wild Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller are joined by NDOW's Julie Bless and Cynthia Scholl with the Museum Of Natural History UNR to talk about how easy it is to participate in the blitz, how observations can be used by real-life scientists to learn more about Nevada’s flora and fauna, prizes you have a chance at winning and more!
With summer in full swing, now is the perfect time to get out on the water and cast a line.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW Angler Education Coordinators Jan Nemec, Joe Doucette, and Abbey Czarnecki. They cover fishing conditions on waters across Nevada, places to go to beat the heat, and provide new anglers with tips.
American Eagle Day (June 20th) is a special day to commemorate the anniversary of the bald eagle’s selection as our National Symbol and to celebrate its return to America’s skies.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller are joined by Wildlife Diversity Staff Specialist Joe Barnes to talk about Nevada's eagles, the bald eagle and golden eagle. He talks about the work being done to manage these species, population sizes and a lot more!
Learn more about American Eagle Day, and how to do your part to protect bald eagles and other species here: https://www.eagles.org/take-action/american-eagle-day/
After four decades with NDOW's Fisheries Division, Division Chief Jon Sjoberg is hanging up his waders!
In this week's Nevada Wild, Jon joins Aaron Keller and Ashley Sanchez to reflect on his more than 40 years with the agency! He talks about the many positions he held around Nevada before landing in NDOW's Headquarters as the Fisheries Division Administrator, his favorite memories, success stories, even his favorite fish, and much more!
In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Ashley Sanchez are joined by NDOW's Wildlife Staff Specialist Mike Zahradka and Nevada Division of State Lands Administrator Charlie Donohue to talk about the recent announcement that more than 23,000 acres of wetlands and pasture in Churchill County has been transferred to the state. The area, referred to as Carson Lake and Pasture, will also soon be designated as NDOW's 12th Wildlife Management Area!
The guests explain why and how this transfer happened, what it means for outdoor recreation and wildlife, what people who visit the wetlands can expect to see, and more!
The Nevada Outdoor Experience is back! The goal of the FREE event, co-sponsored by the Wild Sheep Foundation and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, is to excite and inspire the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Ashley Sanchez sit down with the Wild Sheep Foundation's Ryan Brock to go over event details, explain what activities to expect and why this is such a great event for families.
National Safe Boating Week begins Saturday, May 22 and runs through Friday, May 28. The national campaign partners state and federal agencies to promote safe boating during the week leading up to Memorial Day weekend.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Ashley Sanchez are joined by Boating Education Coordinator Aaron Meier and Game Warden Captain Brian Bowles. The guests share tips that are critical to ensuring you and your family have a safe and enjoyable day out on the water.
In this week's Nevada Wild, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones sit down with Trout Unlimited (TU) biologist Jason Barnes to talk about the conservation work TU does, his role as a biologist, his passion for Nevada's native Lahontan Cutthroat Trout, and how he's dedicated his life to protecting the species.
We also recommend checking out NDOW's Instagram page, nevadawildlife, to view Jason's Instagram takeover, where he shares the story of how he became a biologist, and a lot of other great adventures!
The Maison T Ortiz Youth Outdoor Skills Camp is back! Founded in 2011, the camp, near Pyramid Lake, is designed to immerse kids in outdoor skills training. The camp is named in honor and memory of Maison T Ortiz, a 15-year-old Galena High School student who tragically died in a snowboarding accident in January 2011.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Maison's father Tom Ortiz, and Conservation Educator Zac Campbell to talk about the history of the camp, what it means to Tom and other camp organizers to see the event grow year after year, NDOW's involvement, what changes campers can expect this year and more!
Applications will be accepted until May 15. Apply to be a youth camper, junior mentor or volunteer here: https://www.mtoyouthoutdoorskills.com/camper-applications/
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the camp will be split into three three individual camp days on July 16. 17 and 18th. Learn more about the camp here: https://www.mtoyouthoutdoorskills.com/
In this Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller are joined by Chris Vasey and Martin Olson to talk all about the big game application period, why they wait so long to apply, and answer a bunch of FAQ’s they’ve been answering on the customer support phone line. They also discuss the big game application webinars and all of the new hunts for this year. You have until 11 p.m. PT on May 10 to apply for big game tags at ndowlicensing.com. You can view the Top 10 Big Game Tag Application Resources they refer to here: www.ndow.org/Hunt/Resources/ Also, if you have any questions about submitting a big game application or accessing your online profile you can call us 7am - 7pm, 7 days a week throughout the application period at 1-855-542-6369.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Ashley Sanchez speak with two NDOW heroes, Game Wardens Zachary Blackwood and Sean Flynn. Both were recently involved in rescues and saved lives on Lake Mead. Zachary happened to be in the right place at the right time and worked with National National Park Service Law Enforcement Rangers to rescue a kayaker who had spent more than an hour in 40-degree water after his kayak capsized. Sean rescued a three-year-old girl from under a capsized boat on Lake Mead when more than a dozen members of a church group were thrown into the water.
The two game wardens recount these intense rescues and share important information that you can use to ensure you and your family's safety while boating on Nevada's waters.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller are joined by NDOW Elk Staff Specialist Cody McKee for a podcast that looks at Nevada's elk populations. They cover the history of elk in Nevada, the health of the state's elk herds, hunt stats, other helpful information for hunters and more!
You can view the hunt statistics Cody talks about here: http://www.ndow.org/Hunt/Resources/Statistics_and_Draw_Odds/
NDOW's big game application period is open at ndowlicensing.com. Apply for tags for Nevada big game species including elk until 11 p.m. PST on Monday, May 10.
Nevada Magazine's Spring 2021 issue featuring an article on wild-game cooking was just released! The magazine teamed up with Nevada Foodies Wild Game Cuisine to bring an awesome perspective on harvesting; preparing; and cooking clean, organic game meat. They even included a recipe or two. In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Ashley Sanchez are joined by Nevada Magazine's Executive Editor Megg Mueller, former Nevada Magazine Associate Editor, now NDOW Publication Coordinator Eric Cachinero, and Nevada Foodies Kristy Crabtree! The group talks about the article, how the magazine decided to feature this topic, how Kristy feels to have her cooking highlighted in the magazine, recipes, and more!
View Nevada Magazine's Spring issue here: https://nevadamagazine.com/issue/spring-2021/16748/?fbclid=IwAR28HfdE1-V9Pv8POKfT5WdmRVjuQvBDI--YHwGNe2_uwzh0jHRJ7nX7UyY
Find more recipes from Kristy on her Nevada Foodies Wild Game Cuisine website here: https://nevadafoodies.com/
Also, check out a recent NDOW cooking webinar featuring Kristy here: https://youtu.be/Y9vbsUr9h7Y
In a historic moment in January 2020, the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW)and Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe (PLPT) partnered to release bighorn sheep on the Pyramid Lake Paiute Reservation. The goal was to return bighorn sheep to an area where they once thrived.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Ashley Sanchez sit down with NDOW Bighorn Sheep Staff Specialist Mike Cox and PLPT Biologist Emily Hagler to talk about the status of the bighorn sheep released on tribal land and the work being done to keep the population growing.
In celebration of Women's History Month, Emily also tells us all about her background and role as a biologist for PLPT, and the discusses the work she put into this project. Mike talks about other work being done around the state to keep Nevada's bighorn sheep populations thriving!
In this week's Nevada Wild, we continue our Women's History Month celebration and get ready for the opening of Nevada's big game application period on Monday, March 22 at ndowlicensing.com. Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller talk to NDOW's first female game biologist Kari Huebner about her career at the agency, her love for both, working for NDOW and getting outside in Nevada, and she encourages anyone who has an interest in hunting and conservation to get involved! Game Division Administrator Mike Scott also joins the podcast to give hunters information that could help when applying for tags in 2021.
In this week’s Nevada Wild, we continue our Women’s History Month celebration. NDOW’s Ashley Sanchez, Aaron Keller and Julie Watson sit down with guest Sam Bickert. Sam is an outdoorswoman, mother, and the co-founder of the Wild Babes Nevada Support Group, a community of Reno-Tahoe moms who are dedicated to staying adventurous while caring for their little ones! Join the community by joining the Wild Babes Nevada Support Group Facebook page at the link below or by following the group on Instagram at @wildbabes_nvsg
In honor of Women's History Month, in this week's Nevada Wild NDOW's Ashley Sanchez, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones sit down with Marcia Brownlee, Program Manager for Artemis, an initiative of the National Wildlife Federation that's dedicated to connecting women to hunting, fishing and the conservation that is a part of those activities. Marcia fills the group in on Artemis, it's mission, how it works to remove barriers for women interested in getting outdoors, why it's so important to inspire women to get involved in conservation and how you can join the effort!
Learn more about Artemis, join in on the fun and listen to the program's podcast here: https://artemis.nwf.org/
In this week’s Nevada Wild, NDOW’s Ashley Sanchez, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones sit down with Colin Robertson, Administrator of the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation’s new Division of Outdoor Recreation (NDOR). Colin's focus is advancing Nevada’s immense variety of outdoor recreational opportunities to improve public health and wellness, educate Nevada’s youth, engage underserved populations, and attract new outdoor recreation-oriented businesses to the state. Colin talks to the Nevada Wild crew about his new role, the importance of outdoor recreation to the economy, how NDOW and NDOR will collaborate to enhance Nevada’s outdoor recreation, how you can give your input on what recreation projects you’d like to see funded with a new survey(see link below), and more!
What kinds of outdoor recreation projects would you like to see funded in Nevada over the next 5 years? Would you like to see new bike paths, playgrounds, or other outdoor recreation infrastructure in your community? You have the opportunity to weigh in on key topics like these to help shape the future of outdoor recreation in their neighborhoods, communities, and Nevada-wide. Take the survey here: https://bit.ly/3pQMbDP
NDOW funds improvements at shooting ranges across Nevada to make them safer and more accessible to the community. NDOW is now accepting applications from communities for grants that would go toward needed improvements at their local shooting range.
In this week's Nevada Wild, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller discuss why it's important now more than ever before to have safe, accessible shooting ranges in Nevada, NDOW's involvement in funding them, the application process, and a new tool that you can use to find a range that's had improvements near you.
Find the map discussed in the podcast here: https://fws.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/159b2789c573462f8787d41b2401a592
Find the application in the "Grant Opportunities" section at this link: http://www.ndow.org/Our_Agency/Grants/
Starting today, Friday, February 12, 2021 through Sunday, February 15, 2021, people from around the world come together to watch, learn about, count, and celebrate birds for the Great Backyard Bird Count. This is a global event that anyone can take part in from anywhere!
In this week's Nevada Aaron Keller and Ashley Sanchez talk to NDOW Wildlife Educators Julie Watson and Jess Brooks about the Great Backyard Bird Count, how easy it is to take part in it, great local spots for bird watching and a free birding webinar series NDOW is holding for those wanting to learn more about birding!
Learn more about the Great Backyard Bird Count here: https://www.birdcount.org/
Register for NDOW's Birding Series webinars here: https://www.facebook.com/NvDOW/events/
Check out all webinars on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuC0SE9pUmam8ijRB48kVRA
For the first time, state and federal wildlife biologists have come together to begin mapping the migrations of mule deer, elk, pronghorn, moose and bison across America’s West.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Ashley Sanchez virtually podcast with NDOW's Mule Deer Staff Specialist Cody Schroeder, and first time Nevada Wild guest, Dr. Matthew Kauffman with U.S. Geological Survey's Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. They talk about how these maps came about, the collaboration between agencies, and how the maps will help to sustain big game populations not only in Nevada, but across the west.
For more details about big-game migrations in the Western United States, read the report, Ungulate Migrations of the Western United States: Volume 1, which includes maps of over 40 big-game migrations in Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming here: https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/
You can also download the data via www.ScienceBase.gov.
To explore the Western Migrations web viewer, visit the online portal here: https://www.westernmigrations.net/
In this week’s Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller talk with NDOW Angler Educators from across the state Abbey Czarnecki, Jan Nemec and Julie Gabrielson about Trout in the Classroom (TIC), a popular education program, NDOW has put in classrooms for the past 20 years. TIC delivers tanks and trout eggs to local classrooms, in which students learn about aquatic life as about six weeks, until the eggs hatch and students release the fry into local water ways. The group talks about the history of the program, how the program benefits students, how they’ve continued it this year in a virtual setting, and how you can get your kids involved. See the livestream of the trout tank referred to in the podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8uPJGg5q_M Join in on the webinars: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf6NZwe0hFU&t=2747s Learn more about TIC: http://www.ndow.org/Education/Wildlife_Ed/Trout_In_The_Classroom/
In this week’s Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller are joined by NDOW Outdoor Connection Coordinator Bobby Jones and Ducks Unlimited (DU) Biologist Amelia Raquel to talk about wetland conservation. Amelia tells us about her role as a DU biologist, lets us know what wetland conservation projects are currently underway here in Nevada, and explains how DU partners with groups, agencies, and private landowners across the country.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller talk with Nevada Wild regular and avid birder Rob Lowry, who recently broke a birding record!
Lowry fills us in on his birding adventures over the last year, tells us about his record, and explains why now is a great time to get into birding and how easy it is to get started.
This holiday season, NDOW launched FishNV, a convenient new tool to help you locate Nevada’s sportfish species, and a guide and map of all state waters.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Ashley Sanchez talk with NDOW GIS experts, Jinna Larkin and Mitch Gritts, and NDOW Fisheries Biologist Chris Crookshanks about what went into developing the FishNV app, the inspiration behind it, and how it can be used to benefit anglers and to plan the perfect fishing trip!
Give the tool a try here: https://fish.wildlifenv.com/
Some of our favorite fishing spots are freezing over, making for great ice fishing.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller talk to Conservation Educator Joe Doucette about which waters are safe for ice fishing right now, and what waters will be in the near future. They also go over ice fishing equipment, and safety information anglers should keep in mind when they head out on the ice.
For fishing reports click here: http://www.ndow.org/Fish/Fishing_Report/
In the winter months it's common to see wildlife like waterfowl, deer and other animals in neighborhoods.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller talk to NDOW's Urban Wildlife Coordinators Jessica Wolff and Lauren MacLeod about the common wildlife-related calls they receive this time of year, why it is important that people don't give in to the urge to feed wildlife in these colder months and the impact that can have.
Learn more about Nevada's wildlife at our webinars here: https://www.facebook.com/NvDOW/events/
With the holidays approaching, NDOW wanted to give you some ideas to help you find the perfect present for the outdoor enthusiast in your life.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW Conservation Education Division Administrator Chris Vasey, and Nevada Wild regular Julie Watson to share gift ideas for hunters, anglers, and anyone who enjoys spending time outdoors.
In this week's Nevada Wild, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with first time Nevada Wild guest, Wildlife Diversity Biologist Mark Enders. Mark explains his work around Lake Tahoe, the unique species that live there, the work NDOW does to learn more about raptors that spend their winters in Nevada, and the importance of this work.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller introduce NDOW's Wildlife Veterinarian Nate LaHue. LaHue explains his role at NDOW, and the various projects he works on to monitor the health of Nevada's wildlife. Currently, LaHue and NDOW biologists are busy working to prevent Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), a fatal disease to animals in the deer family, from entering the state. While it hasn't been found in Nevada, CWD has been detected in our neighboring state, Utah. LaHue explains what hunters need to know before heading into the field to help us stop CWD from entering Nevada.
Find more information on CWD here: http://www.ndow.org/Nevada_Wildlife/Health_and_Disease/Chronic_Wasting_Disease/
In the spirit of Bat Week and Halloween, this week's Nevada Wild focuses on bats, along with one of our favorite creepy crawlers, snakes!
Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller talk with NDOW Wildlife Diversity Biologists Jason Jones and Jason Williams about the common misconceptions revolving around bats and snakes. They also highlight what makes these creatures so important to our ecosystems.
For information on bat houses mentioned in the podcast click here: https://www.batcon.org/about-bats/bat-houses/
The fall season has some of the best fishing of the year in Nevada! If you haven't already, buy your fishing license at ndowlicensing.com so you can get out there and enjoy it!
In this week's Nevada Wild, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller are joined by NDOW's Angler Educators Jan Nemec, Joe Doucette, and Abbey Czarnecki to talk about what makes fall a prime time of year for fishing, the best places to go, and fish stocking updates around the state. They also highlight a great learning opportunity for both, avid anglers and people interested in learning to fish, NDOW's first Virtual Fish Camp, happening next week, Monday, October 26 through Thursday, October 29.
Learn more about Fish Camp, and get registered here: https://www.facebook.com/NvDOW/events/
For fishing reports head here: http://www.ndow.org/Fish/Fishing_Report/
Do you have ground elk, venison, or antelope in your freezer? Get it thawing out so that you can cook enchiladas tonight!
On this week’s Nevada Wild, we hear from Ashley Sanchez, who had been interested in cooking with wild game meat, and tests it out for the first time in her life with venison enchiladas (elk version of the recipe below)! NDOW's Outdoor Connection Coordinator Bobby Jones joins Sanchez and Aaron Keller to talk about how you can get more creative with cooking wild game.
Whether you have never cooked with wild game before or you're a professional chef, the elk enchiladas recipe discussed in this podcast is a great one to try. Don't have elk? Don't worry. You can cook this recipe with any type of meet!
Find the complete Elk Enchiladas with a Spicy Red Sauce recipe on Kristy Crabtree’s Nevada Foodie website here: https://nevadafoodies.com/elk-enchiladas-with-a-spicy-red-sauce
Watch a video tutorial here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOhhtT2oOII&feature=youtu.be
For more wild game recipes, check NDOW's Facebook every Friday for the latest Foodie Friday recipe! https://www.facebook.com/NvDOW/
Beginning this weekend, all of northern Nevada will be open to waterfowl hunting for the season! The season opener for northwest Nevada is tomorrow(Oct. 10), and the season is well underway in the eastern side of the state.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller talk with NDOW's Waterfowl Staff Specialist Russell Woolstenhulme and Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge Manager Pete Schmidt about what hunters can expect for waterfowl hunting this year, they share some recommended places to go, and explain what to do before heading out.
If you're going out hunting, remember to bring the fishing gear so you can get in some fishing while you explore the outdoors. Buy a hunting, fishing or combination license at ndowlicensing.com.
You have one more weekend left to take your kids hunting for the youth chukar hunt, which ends this Sunday(Oct. 4). On top of that, the chukar opening is on October 10. There's a lot to prepare for!
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller talk to NDOW's Upland Game Staff Specialist Shawn Espinosa and Chukar Chasers Foundation President Damon Booth about this year's chukar forecast, the best spots to take your kids upland game hunting and more! Be sure to buy your hunting license at ndowlicensing.com so you can join in on the fun. Make it a combination license so you can do some fall fishing while you're on your hunt!
If you're a passionate about chukar hunter, learn more about the Chukar Chasers Foundation here to get involved: http://www.chukarchasers.com/foundation
View the chukar forecast here: http://www.ndow.org/Hunt/Seasons_and_Regulations/Upland_Game/
There is no better excuse to explore Nevada than by celebrating Nevada Public Lands Day, tomorrow, Saturday, September 26. Nevada Public Lands Day, which also falls on National Public Lands Day, encourages Nevadans to discover the many exciting and affordable recreation opportunities right in their own backyards.
In this week's Nevada Wild, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller talk to Jenny Ramella and Dale Conner with Nevada State Parks to highlight parks you can explore near you, fun ideas for celebrating your National Public Lands Day and how to respect the outdoors while exploring.
To celebrate Nevada Public Lands Day, Nevada State Parks is waiving park fees, including entrance costs, camping, and for the day. Find a state park near you here: http://parks.nv.gov/
Red Rock Canyon national conservation area will waive entry fees, but some fees such as camping and group day-use fees will remain in place. Lake Mead National Recreation Area also waives entry fees for the day.
Saturday is also National Hunting and Fishing Day. The free entries to many state parks and national recreation areas present a great opportunity for fall fishing, some of the best fishing of the year! Buy your fishing license today at ndowlicensing.com.
Also be sure to check out a virtual volunteer event to celebrate National Public Lands Day here: https://www.neefusa.org/npld
Farmer Stan Hardy invests in his community by working with the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) and Natural Resources Conservation Service, Nevada (NRCS) to implement conservation measures like land leveling at the Overton Wildlife Management Area in Southern Nevada where he leases land for his hay operation. .
In this week's Nevada Wild Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Stan, NDOW's Overton Wildlife Management Area Supervisor Bennie Vann and NRCS District Conservationist Teri Knight to talk about how this partnership is important for all involved, and ultimately benefits the recreationists who visit the area and the wildlife alike!
For video mentioned in this podcast click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJh8OtYnlzs Find a story map on the partnership here: https://nrcs.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Cascade/index.html?appid=2dea7d67b31f49ef8a55fbf17abbd160
If you're a farmer and need assistance from NRCS, email Teri Knight at teri.knight@usda.gov, or visit: Farmers.gov
Ron Pierini's history with educating the public on hunting safety and ethics is evident through his work volunteering hundreds of hours as a hunter education instructor and his work for Operation Game Thief. His dedication to wildlife made him a great recipient for the annual Wayne E. Kirch Nevada Wildlife Conservation Award, which he received at the June Nevada Board of Wildlife Commission meeting. Pierini was also recently appointed to the Wildlife Commission.
In this week's Nevada Wild, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller talk to Pierini about his love for Nevada's wildlife and volunteering. NDOW's Julie Watson, a member of the judging committee, joins in to talk about the award, and why Pierini was selected. Pierini also explains his goals as a board of wildlife commissioner.
The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) is increasing its crime-fighting arsenal with a new app that helps citizens use their smartphones to connect with the department to both get information as well as submit anonymous tips with a customized app.
In this week's Nevada Wild, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller meet with Game Warden Captain Brian Eller and Matthew Woller with TIP 411, the app's developer, to talk about how this will be a powerful tool in helping game wardens stop wildlife crimes, how the tool has been effective in other states, and how you can use it to report possible crimes.
NDOW Tip is available for download for free via the Google Play Store, iTunes App Store, or by visiting the agency’s website (www.ndow.org). Members of the public can also still call the OGT hotline directly at 1-800-992-3030.
Just in time for the season opener for Nevada's forest grouse species, Utah State University released a guide on forest grouse hunting that can benefit all hunters in western states, including Nevada.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller meet with NDOW Upland Game Staff Specialist Shawn Espinosa and an author of the publication, Dave Dahlgren to talk about how this guide can help upland game hunters in Nevada. They also share strategy and locations for hunting Nevada's forest grouse species.
View the guide, "Forest Grouse in the Fall, Improving Your Forest Grouse Hunting Skills", as you listen to the podcast here: https://www.usugrouserange.com/resources-research
Nevada's opening date for forest grouse hunting is September 1. For more season dates click here: http://www.eregulations.com/nevada/small-game/
Due to a dry year, bears in western Nevada are moving into lower elevations to search for food, leading to more bear sightings.
In this week's Nevada Wild, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller talk with Bear Biologist Heather Reich over Zoom to discuss the importance of being responsible while living in bear country. Heather explains why people need to be diligent about securing their trash and other attractants more than ever before, and takes us through the steps you can take to keep Nevada bears wild.
For more information on the wildlife resistant trash containers and other resources mentioned in this podcast visit NDOW's Bear Awareness page at this link: http://www.ndow.org/Nevada_Wildlife/Bear_Logic/
If you have been staying home recently, you may have noticed more wildlife near your home than usual.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez talks to NDOW's Urban Wildlife Coordinators Jessica Wolff and Lauren MacLeod about the common wildlife-related calls they've received from people recently, why there is an increase in wildlife sightings and what to do if you spot wildlife in your neighborhood.
As a dry summer continues and we see wildfires pop up across the state, this week's Nevada Wild takes a look at the importance of NDOW's Habitat Division and the prevention and rehabilitation work it does to protect crucial habitat for Nevada's wildlife.
shley Sanchez and Aaron Keller talk with NDOW Habitat Biologists Mark Freese and Caleb McAdoo about their role in wildfire prevention and rehabilitation, the importance of working with partners to protect wildlife habitat and more!
We want to thank all of the partner agencies and sportsmen's groups who help us protect, preserve and rehabilitate Nevada's wildlife habitat!
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller chat with NDOW's new Outdoor Connection Coordinator Bobby Jones and his wife Allie Scurry.
Bobby explains his position at NDOW and the important role he plays in connecting people with nature and recreation. Right on topic, his wife Allie joins us to explain how Bobby has completely changed her perception of hunting, how their differing beliefs have brought new interests into each others lives, and she explains how her new and expanded view on conservation has impacted her.
The Nevada Department of Wildlife is learning more about the state's growing moose population with help from ongoing projects by NDOW biologists and sightings reported by Nevadans.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez talks to NDOW Game Biologists Kari Huebner, Travis Allen and Cody McKee about the status of Nevada's moose population, the work they're doing to learn more, the importance of information from the public, how you can report a sighting and more!
Game wardens will be out in force for Fourth of July weekend as part of Operation Dry Water looking for anyone boating while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
In this week's Nevada Wild, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller Zoom with NDOW Game Warden Captain Brian Bowles and officer in charge of the US Coast Guard Station Lake Tahoe, Chief Colt Fairchild. They explain how the agencies work together to keep the waters safe, especially during busy weekends like the Fourth of July holiday, they explain Operation Dry Water, and what you need to do to prepare before heading out. The two even exchange a couple U.S. Coast Guard stories!
Nevada waters are stocked and ready for fishing. Now is the perfect time to get back outside and enjoy! In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller chat with NDOW Angler Educators Abbey Czarnecki, Joe Doucette and Jan Nemec about fishing conditions around the state, recommended spots, the importance of planning ahead, and social distancing tips to follow so you have a safe and memorable experience.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW's Bighorn Sheep Staff Specialist Mike Cox to reflect on the similarities between COVID-19 in humans and a disease pandemic in wild sheep that biologists in North America have been dealing with for centuries. Mike explains the challenges the disease pandemic in wild sheep has created as they try to restore populations, its similarities to COVID-19 in humans, and the successes biologists and partners have had in restoring bighorn sheep herds. Read the article that resulted in this podcast here: https://www.wafwa.org/news/e_2205/News/2020/5/Issue-Profile--Human-COVID-19-and-Wild-Sheep-Disease-Pandemics-
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW Deputy Director Jack Robb and Habitat Division Administrator Alan Jenne to talk about the Wildlife Heritage Trust. This trust is administered by the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners, and is critical in funding projects that benefit Nevada's wildlife and wildlife habitat. This podcast explains where Wildlife Heritage Trust funding comes from, its history and Nevada sportsmens' involvement in the trust's creation, and how it's used on a wide range of projects that have led to success stories for Nevada's wildlife.
If you notice any technical glitches, bear with us! We're still recording from home and had some internet issues.
In this week's Nevada Wild Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller talk with NDOW educators Joe Doucette, Julie Watson and Abbey Czarnecki about the different apps and websites you can Integrate into your family's outdoor experiences to encourage a deeper understanding of the natural world. The tools discussed vary from websites that will help you prepare for a hunting, fishing or boating trip to apps to use to identify wildlife while enjoying the outdoors!
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez sits down with NDOW Wildlife Education Coordinator Julie Watson and Wildlife Diversity Biologist Jason Jones to talk about Nevada snakes and reptiles! They also discuss what to do if you come across a snake while spending time in the outdoors, the precautions to take, and what you can do to help NDOW gather valuable data on the state's reptiles.
In this week's Nevada Wild Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller have a Zoom session with NDOW's Jan Nemec, Julie Gabrielson, Abbey Czarnecki and Joe Doucette to talk about where you can fish in our current situation and fishing activities you can do right from your backyard while we all home.
Check out upcoming webinars discussed in this podcast here: https://www.facebook.com/NvDOW/events/
You can watch them as their posted to YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8qVTj4pp2qJpFolaNNibYphWT47VnfBn
In this Nevada Wild, we're Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller continue their conversation with NDOW's Cody McKee, Cody Schroeder, CJ Ellingwood and Zac Campbell. You'll want to listen to the end because they share their hunt choices and give some insider info! You have until 11 p.m. on May 4 to apply for big game tags at ndowlicensing.com.
Listen to the part one of the podcast here:https://soundcloud.com/user-934973730/big-game-faqs-and-insider-info?fbclid=IwAR1vB_Stkuv-QaPFwkHz7VhZ1sGl8CxylOzKyHij9kWXe55vr2wqCNPI3ZI
To do more homework before applying for tags check our out Top 10 Tag Application Resources here: http://www.ndow.org/Hunt/Resources/
In this week's Nevada Wild, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW's Cody Schroeder, Cody Mckee, CJ (Norm) Ellingwood and Zac Campbell to talk about procrastinating when it comes to getting your big game tag application submitted. They share answers to the FAQ's they've had so far, give tips on how to apply, share resources and more! They also give some useful information to those who have already applied. This podcast continues here: https://soundcloud.com/user-934973730/big-game-procrastinators-and-strategy
You can view the Top 10 Resources list they refer to here: http://www.ndow.org/Hunt/Resources/
Apply for your big game tags at ndowlicensing.com through May 4.
In this week's Nevada Wild, we're representing southern Nevada! Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW's Southern Nevada Urban Wildlife Coordinator Lauren MacLeod and Wildlife Educator Jess Brooks. They talk about the wildlife you can see in your backyard, some of the great programs they have right now to keep you busy at home, and go over some wildlife information you should be aware of a we move into spring.
For a list of the webinars they discuss in this podcast, head to NDOW's Facebook events here: https://www.facebook.com/NvDOW/events/
In this week's Nevada Wild, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller chat with NDOW Educators Jess Wolff, Julie Watson, and Jess Heitt from home!
They talk about the ways their working to connect people with wildlife while everyone stays home for Nevada, including a series of educational webinars they started holding this week. They also go over the first webinar, the Wonderful World of Coyotes, which educated viewers on coyotes, their biology and ways to live with the animals in your backyard.
You can find the webinar schedule here: https://www.facebook.com/pg/NvDOW/events
Nevada Wild wants your ideas. Are there any topics you'd want to learn more about while you're listening from home? Comment here or send us a direct message on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
https://www.facebook.com/pg/NvDOW/events
Being outside is a great way to social distance yourself at this time. Connecting to nature is also good for your mental and physical health.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Nevada Outdoor School Executive Director Melanie Erquiaga to talk about why it's so important to connect people of all ages with the outdoors, and the importance of teaching them to use public lands responsibly.
This week Brenden Burnham caught this 35 pound, 3 ounce carp at Virginia Lake in Reno breaking the state record for carp! The previous state record was 34 pounds 10 ounces set 15 years ago. Brenden is an avid carp angler, and caught and entered 46 carp trophy fish in 2019 alone.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Ashley Sanchez sit down with Brenden and NDOW's Fisheries Staff Specialist Pat Sollberger to rehash the moment Brenden caught the carp. They talk about the trophy fish program, carp fishing and why it's becoming more popular.
Hunters... it's almost time to start submitting your big game applications! The big game application period opens on Monday, March 16 at ndowlicensing.com. NDOW has multiple resources, including the Big Game Hunting Regulations, bonus point data(see links below) and Big Game Application Seminars on March 25 in Reno and Las Vegas(see page 34 of regulations book).
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW's new Game Division Administrator Mike Scott and Big Game Staff Specialist Cody McKee. They map out important dates, explain changes hunters should be aware of, share some big game strategies.
Hunting Regulations: http://www.eregulations.com/nevada/big-game/ Bonus Point Data: http://www.ndow.org/Hunt/Resources/Bonus_Point_Data/
If you have ever fished at places like Angel Lake near Wells, NV, chances are you have caught fish raised at the Nevada Department of Wildlife's Gallagher Fish Hatchery. The hatchery, located on the beautiful Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge, supplies many of the sportfish in waters all over northeastern Nevada.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW Fisheries Staff Specialist Pat Kelly to talk about the history of Gallagher Fish Hatchery, how it works and its importance to the state and anglers.
In this week's Nevada Wild Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller continue their sit down with world renowned Conservationist Shane Mahoney.
Mahoney explains the Wild Harvest Initiative, a project to complete the first assessment that looks into the significance of hunting and angling to modern society, economically, socially, and ecologically.
Mahoney explains the importance of this information, how it will show that hunting and angling are linked to human health and economic prosperity, and how it will define the totality of what we stand to lose, should hunting and angling cease to exist.
Conservationist and New Foundland native Shane Mahoney has over 30 years of experience working primarily as a scientist, wildlife manager, policy innovator and strategic adviser. You may also recognize him as a filmmaker, writer, narrator, TV and radio personality, and lecturer.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Shane stopped by NDOW's headquarters during a visit to Nevada to talk to Aaron Keller and Ashley Sanchez about his upbringing and background, his company Conservation Visions Inc., and its mission to create a world where everyone does their part in conservation in order to effect positive change for wildlife and humanity.
Each year hundreds of student archers representing schools across the state take part in the Nevada Department of Wildlife's National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) State Tournament. By the time the tournament is over, competing archers will have nearly fired 32,000 arrows!
In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller reflects back on this year's tournament, which took place this week in Las Vegas, with NDOW's Statewide Archery Coordinator Holly Brisendine and Southern Nevada Conservation Education Supervisor Doug Nielsen. They also explain the tournament, why archery is a sport that all kids can excel in, and how you can get your kids involved in the sport as a teacher or a parent.
Here's how you can get NASP started at your school: https://www.naspschools.org/opportunities/bring-nasp-to-school
The Nevada Department of Wildlife is partnering up with Nothing To It! Culinary Center to host two cooking events on February 22 that will give participants tips and techniques to get their game successfully from the field to the table in meals they’ll be proud to serve family and friends.
The first, starting at 10:30 a.m., is a cooking demonstration that will cover topics including game care, processing and storage; proper use of spices and marinades and the differences in handling and preparing wild game vs. domestic meats.
For the second class, which will take place that afternoon at 2:30, we're partnering up with Wild Sheep Foundation to teach kids how to cook wild game.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Kristy Crabtree with Nevada Foodies, Nothing To It Chef Lara Ritchie and the Wild Sheep Foundation's Ryan Brock to talk about the classes, why they are important, and how you can take part in them.
Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA) is one of the fastest growing conservation organizations on the continent. Members are dedicated to keeping public lands in North America healthy and accessible.
In this week's Nevada Wild, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Russell Kuhlman, David Gough and Kyle Davis with Backcountry Hunters and Anglers to talk about the organization's history and mission, some of the Nevada chapter's upcoming events and awareness efforts, how you can get involved and more!
Ice fishing season is here! For those anglers new to ice fishing, you are in for a surprise. It is relaxing, quite easy and much more social than its warm weather cousin.
In this week's Nevada Wild, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller talk to eastern Nevada's Conservation Educator Joe Doucette and southern Nevada Angler Education Coordinator Abbey Czarnecki about the best ice fishing locations around the state, ice fishing tips, upcoming events and more!
It's a new decade and NDOW has a lot going on moving into 2020!
In this week's Nevada Wild NDOW's Aaron Keller and Ashley Sanchez sit down with NDOW Director Tony Wasley. They talk about major projects the Department took part in 2019, like wildlife safety crossings, the support for Recovering America's Wildlife Act (a bill that would direct $1.4 billion to state conservation efforts), and more. They also look ahead to the upcoming year and discuss what anglers, hunters and wildlife enthusiasts can look forward to in 2020!
If you want to show your support for Recovering America's Wildlife Act as mentioned in this podcast, head to ournatureusa.com.
You may not realize the Nevada Department of Wildlife has engineers who are dedicated to maintaining, improving and creating new infrastructure that improves recreational opportunities in Nevada.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW Engineer Bob Ragar and Chief Engineer Rodd Lighthouse. The guests explain their role in the Department, why it is so important, and what projects their working on now that will benefit you.
The season opener for fishing at Topaz Lake is January 1. For many this has become a New Year's Day tradition.
In this Nevada Wild Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with fisheries biologists Kris Urquhart and Chris Crookshanks to talk about fishing conditions at Topaz Lake, an underutilized fishery at the lake, and how anglers can give their input on a year-round season being considered for the lake.
Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (H.R. 3742) is a federal bill that would provide states with $1.4 billion each year to more fully implement state wildlife action plans (SWAPs). If passed, Nevada would receive at least $23 million to put toward wildlife management and conservation, funding for law enforcement, conservation education, recreation, habitat restoration in addition to management of priority species, including mule deer, bighorn sheep, sage grouse, waterfowl, songbirds, reptiles, native fish and amphibians, and many mammals.
After this podcast episode was recorded the bill gained even more cosponsors. Currently, there are 162 bipartisan cosponsors on the bill, including Representatives Mark Amodei and Stephen Horsford of Nevada.
In this week's Nevada Wild Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW's Wildlife Diversity Division Administrator Jen Newmark to talk about what this bill could mean for wildlife not only in Nevada, but nationwide, and what you can do to support it.
National Audubon's Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is the nation's longest-running citizen science bird project. Over a century's worth of data has been collected since the project began, and now it's as much of a tradition for many friends and families as it is a massive scientific project.
In this week's Nevada Wild, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Lahontan Audubon Society's Jim Woods and Rob Lowry to talk about local bird counts, how you can get involved and the significance of the Christmas Bird Count to scientific research.
Find a CBC near you here: https://www.nevadaaudubon.org/
NDOW funds improvements at shooting ranges across Nevada to make them safer and more accessible to the community. This funding also allows for more facilities to host Hunter Education classes. Soon NDOW will be accepting applications from communities for grants that would go toward needed improvements at their local shooting range.
In this week's Nevada Wild, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Conservation Education Division Administrator Chris Vasey to talk about the importance of having safe, accessible shooting ranges in Nevada, NDOW's involvement in the funding process, and how communities can apply for a grant for a shooting range near them.
Nevada's state-owned Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) are home to many resident and migratory birds and mammals. Found throughout the state and generally less than two hours from populated areas in Nevada, WMAs offer a variety of recreational opportunities including waterfowl and upland game hunting, fishing, and wildlife viewing.
This week's Nevada Wild focuses on northern Nevada's Mason Valley Wildlife Management Area. Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Western Complex Wildlife Area Supervisor Isaac Metcalf and Wildlife Staff Specialist Mike Zahradka to talk about the recreational opportunities at Mason Valley, how NDOW manages these 18,000 acres of public land, and provide some tips to hunters headed out to Mason Valley this waterfowl and upland game season.
Black Friday weekend is almost here! That means soon people will rush to the stores to find the best deals on gifts for their family and friends. NDOW wanted to help you out with some gift ideas!
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Conservation Education Division Administrator Chris Vasey, and Nevada Wild regular Julie Watson to share gift ideas for hunters, anglers, and anyone who just enjoys spending time outside.
With many hunters bringing home their harvested game, and the holidays approaching, we thought it was the perfect time of year to share our favorite wild game recipes.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW Engineer and 2019 Chili Cook-off Winner Bob Ragar. We share some creative recipes for both small game and big game. Bob also explains some easy recipes for those who are new to cooking, and we discuss ways to utilize all of the meat from your harvested animal.
The bighorn sheep herd in Nevada's Stillwater Range is so healthy, NDOW has relocated 51 wild sheep to establish a new herd in unoccupied habitat in the Mineral Mountains of Utah. Last week we captured the sheep in Nevada, and then transported them to Utah.
In this week's Nevada Wild Aaron Keller and Ashley Sanchez sit down with NDOW Staff Specialist Mike Cox to talk about the project, more capture and transplant projects coming up within Nevada, and shares how you can get involved.
We're celebrating Bat Week and Halloween in this week's spooky edition of Nevada Wild. Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW Diversity Biologist Jason Williams to talk about his extensive work with bats roosting in caves and mines. Jason also explains some of the other findings he's made in his cave explorations over the years!
Fall is one of the best times of year for fishing across the state, and Nevada fisheries are thriving! Whether it's a stream or a lake, NDOW biologists are able to determine the health of fish populations in different bodies of water with a process called electroshocking.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Ashley Sanchez sit down with NDOW Fisheries Biologists Chris Crookshanks and Travis Hawks to talk about electroshocking. They explain how it works, where we do these projects and why, and how you can get involved.
Fall is well underway, which means bears have entered hyperphagia. This means they're trying to fatten up for the upcoming winter, ultimately needing up to 25,000 calories a day! Ensuring that the community is living responsibly in Bear Country is a team effort, and requires NDOW to work with different agencies to educate the public and locate problems spots, where attractants are bringing bears into urban areas.
One partner that has greatly helped NDOW in its mission is Douglas Disposal, Douglas County's refuse collection service. In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW Bear Biologist Carl Lackey and Douglas Disposal's Boomer Schultz to talk about how they work together to help residents understand the importance of securing their trash, and what you can do to help us keep Nevada bears wild.
The Nevada Department of Wildlife is rolling out the second year of its Nevada Knockout program. Thirty-two animals who call Nevada home have been chosen to compete in a single elimination tournament. Kind of like March Madness, but with animals! The program encourages not only students to learn about wildlife, but the entire public. This year more than 3,000 students across the state will complete the program. The general public can also take part in Nevada Knockout by filling out a bracket, which has been posted on NDOW's Facebook page. The first battles will be posted on September 30th, with more battles to follow every Monday.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Ashley Sanchez sit down with NDOW Wildlife Educator Julie Watson to explain the program, its purpose and its success and growth since it started last year!
Nevada's waterfowl season is kicking off this weekend in part of the state, and quickly approaching in others.
In this week's Nevada Wild NDOW's Aaron Keller and Ashley Sanchez sit down with NDOW Waterfowl Biologist Russell Woolstenhulme and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Region 8 Waterfowl Biologist Chris Nicolai to talk about the work the agencies do to understand and manage waterfowl populations in the state. They also talk about what hunters can expect for the season, and go over tips and great spots for waterfowl hunting.
Buy your hunting license today at ndowlicensing.com. Find season dates and information here: http://www.eregulations.com/nevada/small-game/
National Public Lands Day (NPLD) is the nation's largest single-day volunteer effort. It celebrates the connection between people and green space in their community, inspires environmental stewardship, and encourages use of open space for education, recreation, and general health. While the event is officially recognized this year on September 28, a number of events and volunteer opportunities will be hosted by different agencies on that date and in the week leading up to it.
In this week's Nevada Wild, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller talk to Gabby Lukins with the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM)Winnemucca District and Walker River State Recreation Area Park Supervisor Randy Denter about events and volunteer opportunities happening around the state. These include the Walker River State Recreation Area's One-Year Anniversary Celebration and multiple community clean-ups organized by BLM.
Very few people are willing to sacrifice so much of their personal time for wildlife as Brett K. Jefferson, who has made a second career for himself by volunteering his time for conserving wildlife. He has a long and productive history of working with numerous bighorn sheep non-governmental organizations including the Wild Sheep Foundation, Fraternity of the Desert Bighorn, Nevada Bighorns Unlimited (NBU) – Reno, Fallon – NBU, NBU – Midas, and Elko Bighorns Unlimited. His work coordinating partnerships and fundraising has made him a powerhouse in getting conservation projects done.
Jefferson's notable work and commitment to wildlife will be recognized during the September Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners meeting in Las Vegas, where he will receive the Commission’s 2018 Wayne E. Kirch Conservation Award.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Jefferson and NDOW's Wildlife Education Coordinator Julie Watson to talk about the award and the work Jefferson has done to earn this recognition. Jefferson also explains his passion how his passion and commitment to Nevada's wildlife all started!
Upland Game hunters... it's that time of year! September 1 (this Sunday!)is the opener for dove, ruffed grouse, blue grouse, Himalayan snowcock and crow. On top of that, many more upland game seasons are approaching!
In this week's Nevada's Wild Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW Upland Game Staff Specialist Shawn Espinosa and Migratory Game Bird Staff Specialist Russell Woolstenhulme to talk about the upcoming upland game seasons, population numbers for a variety of the major species and some tips that may help lead to a successful bird hunting trip for you, your family and friends.
A joint Nevada Department of Wildlife(NDOW) and Nevada Department of Transportation(NDOT) initiative to install wildlife safety crossings in northeastern Nevada has received the Federal Highway Administration 2019 Environmental Excellence Award. The award recognizes nine crossings on I-80 between Wells and Wendover and US-93 between Wells and Jackpot.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOT wildlife biologist Nova Simpson and NDOW Wildlife Staff Sepcialist Mike Cox to talk about the award, how the crossings are benefiting drivers and wildlife, and how they hope to see more projects like this in the future.
NDOW's Wildlife Educators are rolling out a brand new program in classrooms across the state. The program, Know Your Nevada, is aimed at educating 4th grade students on state symbols and the importance of conservation in the state.
In this week's Nevada Wild Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Wildlife Educators Julie Watson and Jess Heitt to talk about the program, how it benefits students and how classes can get involved. The hosts are also quizzed on how well they know their Nevada!
This summer we've seen videos of swarms of grasshoppers all over the news and social media. This is also the time of year people are spending more time outside and more likely to get a bug bite!
In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Ashley Sanchez sit down with Southern Nevada Wildlife Diversity Biologist Christy Klinger to talk about how these pesty insects impact wildlife, including bats and the yellow-billed cuckoo. The also address how these species keep insect populations in check!
The state of Nevada has passed a new law in its ongoing efforts to prevent the spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD), a nervous system disease that affects deer, moose, elk and reindeer. Senate Bill 85 restricts hunters who have harvested specific game species in other states from bringing certain parts of the carcass into Nevada. CWD has not been detected in Nevada, but biologists continue to monitor our mule deer and elk populations.
In this week’s Nevada Wild Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW Game Division Administrator Brian Wakeling and NDOW Veterinarian Peregrine Wolff to talk about the disease, prevention efforts including Senate Bill 85, how hunters can do their part to prevent the spread of CWD, and why their help is so important.
Chief Game Warden Tyler Turnipseed has been at service with NDOW since 1992. Last week was bittersweet for NDOW staff after Tyler announced he will retire from the agency in early August.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Tyler to take a look back at his nearly 30 years with NDOW, the legacy he's leaving behind, and what's in store for his future. He also gives some great advice to those looking to follow in his footsteps as a game warden.
Every summer, NDOW staff and volunteers head to western Nevada's beautiful Marlette Lake for the annual Marlette Lake Broodstock Spawning Project. The eggs we get from this project provide our fish hatcheries with most of the trout we stock in waters across the state.
In this week's Nevada Wild NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Native Aquatic Staff Specialist Chris Crookshanks and Western Region Fisheries Supervisor Kim Tisdale to explain the project, its history, its importance to recreational fishing in Nevada, and how you can get involved.
It's almost time for the 30th Annual Angel Lake Kids Fishing Derby! The derby is Saturday, July 20 starting at 8 a.m. at beautiful Angel Lake just outside of Wells in Elko County. The event is geared for children age 4 to 15, but the whole family is invited.
In this week's Nevada Wild NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Conservation Educator Joe Doucette to talk about why the event is such a hit year after year, fishing techniques to ensure you catch a fish, and conditions on eastern Nevada waters.
Nevada Department of Wildlife's law enforcement is joining agencies across the nation in the Operation Dry Water campaign from July 5 through July 7. This is a heightened awareness and enforcement campaign focused on deterring boaters from boating under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
In this week's Nevada Wild podcast, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Boating Education Coordinator Aaron Meier and Boating Law Administrator Captain Brian Bowles to talk about Operation Dry Water, and how NDOW is enforcing it. Bowles also talks about his vision for NDOW's boating program moving forward.
Nevada Department of Wildlife's law enforcement is joining agencies across the nation in the Operation Dry Water campaign from July 5 through July 7. This is a heightened awareness and enforcement campaign focused on deterring boaters from boating under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
In this week's Nevada Wild podcast, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Boating Education Coordinator Aaron Meier and Boating Law Administrator Captain Brian Bowles to talk about Operation Dry Water, and how NDOW is enforcing it. Bowles also talks about his vision for NDOW's boating program moving forward.
As animals get more active in the late spring and early summer, NDOW is flooded with phone calls from the public about how to deal with wildlife. Many of those calls come from people asking what to do with baby wildlife they believe to be injured or abandoned.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW Urban Wildlife Coordinator Jess Wolff and Wildlife Educator Jess Heitt. They give an in-depth explanation of why it's best to leave young wildlife alone, explain common calls they get from the public, and give a variety of tips on living in a state that's abundant with wildlife.
In this week's Nevada Wild, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez sits down with Wildlife Educators Julie Watson and Jess Brooks to talk about the best summertime hikes in both Las Vegas and Reno. They also share tips on planning ahead to make your experience more enjoyable, and how to beat the heat while enjoying the outdoors. They explain what to do if you encounter wildlife and talk about some of the fun wildlife programs and events NDOW has happening this summer.
International Wildlife Crimestoppers (IWC) is a non-profit dedicated to stopping ALL poaching. The group is made up of wildlife resource officers from agencies across North America, including the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW).
This July members will come together in South Lake Tahoe for the annual IWC Conference. In conjunction with the conference, IWC will hold a Sporting Clay Shoot on July 13 at the Capitol City Gun Club in Carson City to raise money for the non-profit.
In this week's Nevada Wild Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW's Chief Game Warden Tyler Turnipseed, and Game Warden Captain and IWC President Brian Eller. They talk about the history of IWC and how the non-profit has helped fund NDOW's anti-poaching efforts. They also explain the importance of the conference and the Sporting Clay Shoot, and explain how you can get registered.
Nevada's Free Fishing Day on June 8 is the one day of the year you can fish any public water in the state without a fishing license. If you have never tried fishing, Free Fishing Day is the day to get out and try it!
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW's Zac Campbell, Joe Doucette and Abbey Czarnecki to talk about all of the fun Free Fishing Day events happening around the state!
Find an event near you here: http://www.ndow.org/fish/free_fishing_day/
In this week's Nevada Wild Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller and NDOW's Zac Campbell and Jan Nemec talk about carp fishing in Nevada and one of the funnest events of the year! The Kids Carp Derby is Saturday, June 1. It's always fun seeing kids' reactions as they haul in huge carp with our very own magic bait! Registered kids receive a raffle entry and all the free stink bait they can handle. Kids 12 years and older need a valid fishing license. Buy their fishing license today at ndowlicensing.com, and register for the event here: https://register-ed.com/events/view/143906
This time of year wildlife, including bears, come out of their dens and get more active. It's important people living in and visiting bear country take the proper steps to keep Nevada bears wild not only in the spring, but all year long. Living in Bear Country is a year-round responsibility!
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW's very own bear experts, Carl Lackey and Heather Reich, to talk about bear activity and behavior, and the steps you can take to help us keep them wild.
May is One Truckee River Month, a celebration of the Truckee River and its importance to the community. The month is full of exciting events, including the Reno River Festival. This two-day event is not only a lot of fun, but also educates and informs the public about the benefits of recreating safely on the Truckee River.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with One Truckee River's Sophie Butler and NDOW's Aaron Meier to talk about all of the events this month, what you can expect at the Reno River Festival, and the importance of this celebration, and the work of One Truckee River and its partner stakeholders.
You either are one, or you know one. Everyone has that person in their group who waits until the last minute to put in for their big game tags. We have just a few days left until the big game application deadline 11 p.m. on April 29, and many sportsmen and women have yet to submit their big game applications on ndowlicensing.com.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with avid sportsmen, NDOW's Zac Campbell and CJ Ellingwood to talk about their application strategies, why people wait to apply, common questions they're getting from customers who are submitting applications, and information procrastinators will want to have before they apply for tags.
Every April for the last few years, TravelNevada has celebrated Nevada's wildlife all month long by sharing wildlife stories on the agency's social media(@travelnevada) and website(travelnevada.com). This year NDOW Wildlife Diversity Biologist Mackenzie Jeffress and her work surveying Nevada's fiercest forest raptor, the Northern Goshawk, was chosen to be featured.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez talks to TravelNevada's Sydney Martinez and Rachel Wright, along with NDOW's Mackenzie Jeffress to talk about adventures you should go on for prime wildlife viewing, Mackenzie's work as a Wildlife Diversity biologist and much more!
Las Vegas resident, Adrian Montero Jr. and his dad Adrian Montero Sr. started the web video series, Sin City Outdoors about four years ago to share their outdoor experiences. The videos have since grown in popularity, with some reaching millions of views!
In this week's Nevada Wild, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller talk with Adrian Jr. and Adrian Sr. about how they started the series, its growth, hunting and fishing opportunities in the state, and their love for the great outdoors.
One of the Silver State's most popular events, the Clark County Fair and Rodeo is coming to Logandale, Nevada on April 10 through April 14. There will be fun for the whole family! Every year the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) partners with the fair to offer a variety of activities and booths to educate fairgoers on Nevada's wildlife.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW's Doug Nielson and Clark County Fair Manager Kevin Willard. They talk about everything you can expect at the fair, what it does for the state, and how you can attend and volunteer to help.
Guzzlers are man-made watering holes, built in areas where there is not enough water to support wildlife. While guzzlers are built to primarily benefit big game and upland bird species, they also provide a valuable source of water for wildlife of all types and sizes. Nevada Department of Wildlife NDOW relies heavily on partners and volunteers to build guzzlers and has a number of opportunities coming up.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW Habitat Staff Specialist Matt Maples and Habitat Biologist Kenny Pirkle to talk about the history of guzzlers in the state, the impacts of guzzlers on wildlife, upcoming projects, and how volunteers can sign up to help.
In this week's Nevada Wild NDOW's Aaron Keller sits down with well-known Nevada sportsman Remi Warren to talk about his big game application strategy, what he's looking forward to this year and growing up hunting in Nevada. You can find information to help you with your strategy by visiting ndow.org: http://www.ndow.org/Hunt/Resources/
Boating season is just about here! We want you to start getting prepared before you head on the water. One of the first steps you can take is to sign up for a boating education course. From March 12 through March 23 we're joining other agencies nationwide in the Spring Aboard – Take A Boating Education Course campaign. Whether you have taken a class in the past or are new to boating, you can always learn more about how to be safe and responsible on the water. Several online courses will be offering a 50% discount during the campaign.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW's Statewide Boating Education Coordinator Aaron Meier, and Southern Nevada Boating Education Coordinator Nick Duhe to talk about the campaign and other steps you can take to make sure you and your family have a great boating experience.
You can find boating education courses on ndow.org. Now is also a good time to make sure your boat registration is up- to -date. Register your vessels today at ndowlicensing.com.
The Nevada Department of Wildlife is recruiting volunteers for a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) project to monitor wood duck nesting boxes near Fallon, along with other duck banding projects. These are great opportunities for families!
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with USFWS biologist Chris Nicolai and NDOW Waterfowl Staff Specialist Russell Woolstenhulme to explain the wood duck project, how the data is used, why biologists band ducks, and how you can volunteer to get involved.
Now is the time to do your homework in order to have the best chance possible in Nevada's upcoming big game draw! The application period is less than a month away, opening on March 18 at ndowlicensing.com.
In this week’s Nevada Wild, NDOW’s Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Big Game Biologists Cody Schroeder and Cody McKee to compare their strategies and talk about the ins and outs of the application process.
If you still have questions about the application process, NDOW will have the answers at our Big Game Application Seminars on March 27 in Reno and Las Vegas. Also be sure to check out the Top 10 Resources page on ndow.org.
This week's Nevada Wild features Travis Warren, host of the Upchukar podcast, and avid upland bird hunters Terry Owens and Matt Hardinge. These three talk about their passion for hunting and conservation, and recap their epic hunt for the rarely seen Himalayan Snowcock. You can watch the Project Upland original film (filmed by Wil Sensing) that follows the hunt here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ul7XJmBoGeg&t=226s
If you enjoy Nevada Wild, you'll also enjoy the Upchukar podcast. Find the podcast and blog here: https://upchukar.com/
NDOW funds improvements at shooting ranges across Nevada to make them safer and more accessible to the community. This funding also creates more facilities to host Hunter Education classes. We are currently accepting applications for this grant program.
In this week's Nevada Wild, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez ans Aaron Keller talk about the grant program, how the funding is used, the importance of providing funding to shooting ranges, and how communities can apply for a grant for a shooting range near them.
The Nevada Department of Wildlife is teaming up with the Elko Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation for two days full of outdoors fun at the Elko Sportman's Expo. The event takes place Saturday, March 2 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, March 3 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Elko Conference Center. The event will have a Kids Activity Room and about 40 booths in the main hall featuring non-profit conservation groups, food and drink, and outdoor retailers.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW's Joe Doucette and Julie Gabrielson to talk about what you can expect from the event, why it's great for the whole family, who it benefits, and more!
One of Northern Nevada’s largest outdoor and hunting expos is almost here! The Wild Sheep Foundation Convention and Sporting Expo better known as "The Sheep Show" takes place Feb. 7-9, 2019. The exhibit hall features more than 400 exhibits featuring guides and outfitters from around the globe plus top of the line retailers selling gear, guns, art, taxidermy and other outdoor items.
Also part of the event is the Youth Wildlife Conservation Experience (YWCE) portion of the show, with more than 20 different hands-on learning stations designed to excite and inspire the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts and wildlife conservationists.
In this week’s Nevada Wild NDOW’s Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with the Wild Sheep Foundation’s Ryan Brock to talk about everything you need to know about the Sheep Show and YWCE, who they benefit, and how the events have grown over the years.
For more details check out these links:
Sheep Show: https://www.wildsheepfoundation.org/convention
YWCE: https://www.wildsheepfoundation.org/mission-and-programs/youth-programs/ywce?fbclid=IwAR13oSfpnKSsnP2munUjhSNqgGYUm_Z0VZWIRUYCEOD0UoGkubzXPmHKdEI
While the Nevada Department of Wildlife is happy to hear that people are getting outside and ice fishing, we want to make sure they're taking the proper precautions to have a safe and enjoyable experience. It's also important to know which bodies of water are safe enough for ice fishing.
In this week's Nevada Wild, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Kevin Joell and Pete Briant from the Reno Fire Department to talk about steps people should take before heading out on ice, how to decide on a safe place to ice fish and what to do in a worst case scenario.
The Nevada Department of Wildlife is partnering up with Nothing To It! Culinary Center to host two separate classes on February 23 that will give participants tips and techniques that will get their game successfully from the field to the table in meals they’ll be proud to serve family and friends.
The first, starting at 10 a.m., we're organizing with help from the Wild Sheep Foundation, and will focus entirely on teaching kids how to cook wild game. The second, which starts at 2:30 p.m., is for adults. Participants will get to sample all recipes.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW's Dawn Andersen, Nothing To It's Chef Lara Ritchie and the Wild Sheep Foundation's Ryan Brock to talk about the classes, why they are important, and how you can take part in them.
One year ago the Nevada Department of Wildlife rolled out a brand-new licensing system. This came at the same time as our License Simplification program, when we streamlined the process of purchasing a license by eliminating stamps and offering modern, mobile-friendly methods to purchase, possess, and present licenses. The goal was to make it easier than ever for outdoor enthusiasts to get into the field!
In this week’s Nevada Wild, NDOW’s Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Data and Technology Division Administrator Chet VanDellen to look back on the first year of changes, the new system’s success and what hunters, anglers, trappers, and boat owners can expect in 2019.
A few months ago NDOW shared a video Facebook follower Katherine Schripsema captured of a moose walking through sagebrush in Wells, Nevada. The video quickly became NDOW's most popular social media post of 2018.
We received comments from people expressing their surprise at a moose being seen in Nevada. We also received more than a dozen messages from other Facebook followers sharing pictures and videos they've captured of their own moose sightings in the state.
The videos popularity even inspired NDOW biologists to start a citizen science project to better track Nevada's moose populations.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW Big Game Staff Specialist Cody McKee to talk about growing moose populations in the state, how citizen science is used to better understand the species, and what you can do to help.
We can't think of a better way to ring in the New Year than getting outdoors with friends and family. 2019 is full of recreational opportunities!
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez talks to the Bureau of Land Management's Rita Henderson and NDOW's Jess Brooks and Ivy Santee about all of the events and outdoor opportunities you have to look forward to in the coming year. They cover places you'll want to visit, and major events across the state.
Many people don't realize that winter is a prime time of year to spot Nevada wildlife.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez talks to NDOW Wildlife Educators Julie Watson and Jess Brooks about great places to go for wildlife viewing across the state. We also recap NDOW's first annual Nevada Knockout Program, a hit on social media and in classrooms.
Ice fishing season is almost here! For those anglers new to ice fishing, you are in for a surprise. It is relaxing, quite easy and much more social than its warm weather cousin.
In this week's Nevada Wild, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez talks to eastern Nevada's Conservation Educator Joe Doucette about the best ice fishing locations, safety, tips, gear and more!
National Audubon's Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is the nation's longest-running citizen science bird project. Over a century's worth of data has been collected since the project began, and now its as much of a tradition for many friends and families as it is a massive scientific project.
In this week's Nevada Wild, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez sits down with Lahontan Audubon Society's Jim Woods and Rob Lowry to talk about local bird counts, how you can get involved and the significance of the Christmas Bird Count to scientific research.
Learn more about the Christmas Bird Count here: https://www.audubon.org/conservation/join-christmas-bird-count
You can get involved and sign up for the count circles Lowry and Woods talk about in the podcast here: https://www.nevadaaudubon.org/2018-christmas-bird-count.html
Waterfowl hunting season is well underway! In this week's Nevada Wild NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW Migratory Game Bird Staff Specialist Russell Woolstenhulme and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Waterfowl Biologist Chris Nicolai to explain their work with waterfowl, how they first started waterfowl hunting, their appreciation for the birds, and share insight into what makes Nevada the perfect state for this outdoor pursuit.
Black Friday weekend is here! It's officially the time of year when people rush to the stores to find the best deals on gifts for their family and friends.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Cabela's Assistant Store Manager Mike Aiazzi, and Nevada Wild regular Julie Watson to share gift ideas for Nevada's outdoorsmen and women, and share Black Friday giveaways at Cabela's and Bass Pro Shops.
Tired of using the same old recipes to cook wild game? There are so many fun, creative recipes! Just looking at the thumbnail picture makes us hungry! In this week's podcast we feature Kristy Crabtree with Nevada Foodies Wild Game Cuisine and Nothing to It! Cooking School & Kitchen Store's Lara Ritchie! They share some great information on cooking wild game, just in time for the holidays! Be sure to keep an eye on our page for it.
In 2018, we mark the centennial of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the most powerful and important bird-protection law ever passed. In honor of this milestone, the Nevada Department of Wildlife has joined forces with other nature lovers around the world for the year-long Year of the Bird celebration. Every month, all year long we are posting photos and facts about Nevada's birds as part of our commitment to protect birds today and for the next hundred years.
In this week's Nevada Wild NDOW's Aaron Keller and Ashley Sanchez sit down with avid bird watchers Rob Lowry and NDOW's Julie Watson to talk about the importance of this celebration and what you can do to contribute.
To see monthly Year of the Bird posts, be sure to find the Nevada Department of Wildlife on facebook (https://www.facebook.com/NvDOW/).
Learn more about the Year of the Bird Celebration at these links: https://www.nationalgeographic.org/projects/year-of-the-bird https://www.audubon.org/yearofthebird
Find out how you can contribute to bird research locally with the Lahontan Audubon Society here: https://www.nevadaaudubon.org/
In this week's Nevada Wild, Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Nevada Department of Wildlife Director Tony Wasley and Mule Deer Staff Specialist Cody Schroeder to talk about all things mule deer. They discuss the current state of mule deer populations in Nevada, projects to protect and understand those populations, mule deer hunting and more.
NDOW is celebrating Bat Week from October 24 right to Halloween. Bat Week is an annual, international celebration of the role of bats in nature. Many people think of bats as one of the scary creatures associated with Halloween. You might be surprised, however, to learn that nearly everything you thought about bats is incorrect and they are actually extremely important to the success of Nevada’s ecosystems.
In this week's Nevada Wild, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller speak with Wildlife Diversity Biologist Christy Klinger, who debunks the myths surrounding bats and talks about their importance to the ecosystems they inhabit.
The fall months in Northern Nevada provide plenty of fishing opportunities. In fact, some fisherman wait until the fall months to dust off their rods and put on their waders. This week, Aaron Keller talks fall fishing in Northern Nevada with Jan Nemec, Angler Education Coordinator out of Reno and Mike Curtis, Angler Education Volunteer, Fishing Guide and all-around fish head. Enjoy!
On this week's show Aaron Keller and Ashley Sanchez sit down with NDOW's Wildlife Veterinarian Peri Wolff. We find out how Peri got into her position, and why wildlife agencies across the country are hiring veterinarians into their ranks. We also talk through Avian Botulism, wildlife monitoring, how we can be proactive when we have animals in our hands, and tips on what the public can do to help us while they are out in Nevada.
Following a severe fire season, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Conservation Ecologist Lee Turner and Public Information Officer(PIO) Beth Kenna, a former PIO for the North Tahoe Fire Prevention District, to talk about the restoration efforts.
The Habitat Division plays an important role within the Nevada Department of Wildlife. The division's main objective is to ensure that Nevada wildlife habitats are productive and in good condition. In this week's Nevada Wild, Turner also outlines the other major habitat projects the Department is working on and the impact those projects have.
As fruit trees ripen, bears are going through a phase called hyperphagia, taking in more than 25,000 calories every day to see them into their dens. Every fall there are issues with bears getting into fruit trees. Aside from the damage bears can do to a fruit tree, it also brings them into close proximity to homes and other possible attractants resulting in conflict.
That's why NDOW is encouraging you to pick the fruit from you fruit trees as soon it ripens. There's even a few groups that will pick fruit for you, and donate that fruit to pantries.
In this week's Nevada Wild, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with NDOW bear biologist Heather Reich and arborist Tom Henderson with Healthy Trees out of Carson City to talk about the help gleaning groups need from you this time of year.
For more information about Healthy Trees tree service and gleaning, visit them on facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Healthy-Trees-216423199852/) or at their website http://healthytreesonline.com/.
Saturday, September 22 is National Public lands Day, the nation’s largest, single-day volunteer event for public lands, held annually on the fourth Saturday in September. NPLD brings together hundreds of thousands of individual and organizational volunteers to help restore America’s public lands.
NDOW is partnering up with agencies, including the Bureau of Land Management Nevada, to hold events around the state for you and your family to take part in. The fun doesn't stop after Saturday, the entire month of September is Public Lands Month, which celebrates great places to hunt and fish.
In this week's Nevada Wild, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with BLM Nevada's Rita Henderson to talk about all of the events going on this month and why you should celebrate.
For a map of events click here: https://www.blm.gov/get-involved/volunteers/national-public-lands-day
Be sure to use #NPLD in your pictures, so we can share them.
The Wayne E. Kirch Nevada Wildlife Conservation Award is given annually to recipients who have demonstrated significant results towards conservation, management or enhancement of wildlife. This year's recipient is the Tortoise Group, which has shown astounding commitment to Nevada’s wildlife by working to protect and educate the public on desert tortoises for almost 30 years.
In this week's Nevada Wild, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez, Aaron Keller and Julie Watson discuss the Tortoise Groups work with Tortoise Group Eand why it is critical for desert tortoises in Nevada and surrounding states.
If you are interested in adopting a desert tortoise or volunteering for the group head to this link: http://tortoisegroup.org/
The Nevada Department of Wildlife is starting a brand new program in October, that encourages not only students to learn about wildlife, but the entire public! The new program, Nevada Knockout, takes place on our Facebook page. ANYONE can participate. We will be releasing brackets on September 17 with 64 Nevada animals for you to choose one winner! Then every Monday starting October 8 we will post the outcomes of the matchups until we get to the Championship on December 10.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Ashley Sanchez sit down with NDOW Wildlife Educators Julie Watson and Jess Brooks to explain the program, and the importance of getting everyone involved.
The University of Nevada, Reno's Field Day is coming up on September 8. This event features hands-on activities and information focusing on the latest advancements in agriculture, horticulture, nutrition, natural resources and the environment.
In this week's Nevada Wild NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Claudene Wharton and Robert Moore with UNR's College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources to talk about the event, NDOW's role in the event, and the importance of agriculture to Nevada and Nevada's wildlife.
Find more information about Field Day here: https://www.facebook.com/events/2057703351175918/
Every year upland game hunters look forward to September 1! This is the day when hunting opens for many birds, including dove and blue grouse.
In this week's Nevada Wild Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Migratory Game Bird Biologist Russell Woolstenhulme and Upland Game Staff Shawn Espinosa to talk about what makes upland game hunting seasons so family friendly, and to go over some bird hunting tips.
A crucial division of the Nevada Department of Wildlife that doesn't get a lot of attention is its Fiscal Services Section. Fiscal Services has an important role, managing all of NDOW's funding, including your license dollars!
In this week's Nevada Wild, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Fiscal Services Section Chief Gabe Pincolini to talk about where NDOW's money comes from, and how it is used to fund conservation efforts.
This week Nevada Wild is focusing the podcast on Nevada's state mammal, the bighorn sheep. Over the years, the Nevada Department of Wildlife has worked with its partnering agencies to increase bighorn sheep populations across the state.
NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Bighorn Sheep Biologist Mike Cox to talk about Nevada bighorns and the efforts to expand their populations.
Just in time for hunting season, we want to remind you about NDOW's Operation Game Thief (OGT) program. OGT provides a confidential, easy and effective way for you to report wildlife violations to the Nevada Department of Wildlife, 24-hours-a-day, seven days a week. And, just like Secret Witness, it's confidential - you can remain completely anonymous.
In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Ashley Sanchez sit down with OGT Volunteer Andrea Emnas, Game Warden Captain Brian Eller and Game Warden Reserve Sergeant James Kocijanski to talk about the program, and what you can do to volunteer and help our wardens protect Nevada's wildlife resources.
With hunting season almost here, the Nevada Department of Wildlife wants to ensure that all outdoor enthusiasts are aware of the new seasonal restrictions on the use of trail cameras.
In this week's Nevada Wild, NDOW's Aaron Keller and Ashley Sanchez sit down with Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioner David McNinch and NDOW's Chief Game Warden Tyler Turnipseed to talk about the regulation, and how and why it came into effect.
You can read more about the regulation here: http://www.ndow.org/Our_Agency/News/Articles/New_Trail_Camera_Regulation_Now_in_Effect/
Right now, waters across Nevada are prime for boating. In this week's Nevada Wild, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Conservation Educators Doug Nielsen and Joe Doucette to talk about the best places to boat in Nevada. Whether you're looking for popular waters for recreational boating and water sports, like Lake Mead and Lake Mohave, or a more peaceful spot for wildlife viewing, like the waters of the Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge, we cover it all! If you haven't got your boat out this year, head to ndowlicensing.com today to register your boat and get out there!
It's almost time for the 28th Annual Angel Lake Kids Fishing Derby! The derby is Saturday, July 21 starting at 8:30 at beautiful Angel Lake just outside of Wells in Elko County. It is geared for children age 4 to 15, but the whole family is invited.
In this week's Nevada Wild NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Julie Watson sit down with conservation Educator Joe Doucette to talk about everything you need to know about the event and fishing conditions in eastern Nevada.
In this week's Nevada Wild, we're focused on giving visitors and property owners the information they need to help us keep Nevada bears wild. NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with bear biologist Heather Reich to talk about electric fencing, a great option to keep bears and other wildlife away from your property, and other resources people can use in bear country.
In this week's Nevada Wild podcast, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with Boating Education Coordinators Aaron Meier and Nick Duhe to talk about Operation Dry Water, a nationally coordinated heightened awareness and enforcement campaign focused on deterring boaters from boating under the influence of drugs or alcohol. They also explain the steps you should take in order to keep your family safe out on the water.
You have less than 10 days left to purchase your tickets for the Nevada Dream Tag Raffle! Tickets will be available from now until Saturday, June 30th at 11:59pm. Not only does Nevada Dream Tags give you an opportunity to win a hunt of a lifetime, but most importantly it contributes to Nevada’s wildlife habitat.
In this week's Nevada Wild, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller talk to Gohunt's Brady Miller to explain the Dream Tag program. In the second half of the podcast, they sit down with Habitat Division Chief Alan Jenne to talk about the impact the tag has on Nevada's wildlife habitat. Buy your Dream Tag raffle tickets here: http://nvdreamtag.org/
The summer season is almost officially here, so it's time to explore our state and see its diverse wildlife. NDOW's Ashley Sanchez sits down with avid hikers Julie Watson, Jinna Larkin, Abbey Czarnecki(all with NDOW) and Truckee Meadows Parks Foundation's Executive Director Nathan Daniel to give suggestions on where you should go for your next adventure and some tips you should consider to prepare.
We're excited about an event coming up on June 16, The Nevada Outdoor Experience. The FREE event is co-sponsored by the Wild Sheep Foundation and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. The goal is to excite and inspire the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts.
In this week's Nevada Wild podcast, NDOW's Ashley Sanchez and Aaron Keller sit down with the Wild Sheep Foundation's Ryan Brock to talk about the event. Two special guests join us in the second half!
For more details on the Nevada Outdoor Experience head to this link: https://www.facebook.com/events/379842715831751
Free Fishing Day is your one chance during the year to get hooked for free! No fishing license is needed for adults or children on this date. In this week's Nevada Wild, Education Coordinators Aaron Keller, Joe Doucette and Ivy Santee sit down with Public Information Officer Ashley Sanchez to talk about Free Fishing Day and all of the events being held around the state.
For a complete list of Free Fishing Day events and more details head to this link: http://www.ndow.org/Fish/Free_Fishing_Day/
Every year NDOW holds carp derbies across the state to encourage people to get out and fish for carp. In this week's Nevada Wild, Public Information Officer Ashley Sanchez and Conservation Education Chief Chris Vasey sit down with carp fishing enthusiasts Aaron Keller, Jan Nemec and Ivy Santee to cover everything you need to know about carp fishing and some of the upcoming events.
This week we are talking about a threatened species of the west, the Lahontan Cutthroat Trout. Public Information Officer Ashley Sanchez and Outdoor Education Coordinator Aaron Keller sit down with Fisheries Biologists Travis Hawks, Cody Byrne and Mike Star to talk about NDOW’s efforts to recover the species.
Bears are up and about! NDOW has a lot of resources available to help you avoid conflicts with bears. Here to talk about the resources and tips on keeping Nevada bears wild are NDOW bear biologist Heather Reich and Caughlin Ranch Homeowners Association General Manager Lorrie Olson. For more tips on avoiding human-bear conflicts, head to http://www.ndow.org/Nevada_Wildlife/Bear_Logic/
Reno's biggest event this May is only one week away.
In last week's Nevada Wild podcasts we talked about all of the events celebrating the river for One Truckee River Month. This week we're talking about Reno River Festival 2018. Outdoor Education Coordinator Aaron Keller talks about the event and how much it's grown over the years with Conservation Education Administrator Chris Vasey, Angler Education Coordinator Jan Nemec, Wildlife Education Coordinator Tricia Dutcher and Public Information Officer Ashley Sanchez.
The month of May, now officially One Truckee River Month, is full of events celebrating the importance of the river. In this week's Nevada Wild we sit down with Conservation Educator Tricia Dutcher and One Truckee River's Patricia Tierney to talk about the events and what to expect!
If you're interested in volunteering or attending any of One Truckee River month events, head to onetruckeeriver.org for more information and a list of all of the events.
The Nevada Department of Wildlife was excited to find out our partner agency TravelNevada is featuring Nevada’s wildlife on travelnevada.com and on social media for the entire month of April. In this week's Nevada Wild podcast NDOW Public Information Officer Ashley Sanchez sits down with TravelNevada's Kaitlin Godbey, Devon Blunden and Sydney Martinez and NDOW Staff Conservation Educators Aaron Keller and Aaron Meier to talk about how the agencies are working together to get the word out about the amazing wildlife in our state
With our Big Game Application Period coming to a close this coming Monday we wanted to put out one last podcast reminding our listeners to quit procrastinating and fill out your applications. We have posted a few podcasts over the last month or so about doing your homework and using our new system. This week Outdoor Education Coordinator Aaron Keller sits down with Chris Vasey, Conservation Education Administrator and Austin Willis, Hunter Education Instructor to talk about last minute applying. Get your application in today here: https://hunt.ndowlicensing.com/big-game-draw-application/
Now that spring is here, and the weather is warming, NDOW is noticing people are ready to bring out their boats! With so many people anxious to head out on the water Public Information Officer Ashley Sanchez talks boating safety with Boating Education Coordinator Aaron Meier, Conservation Educator Zac Campbell, and Staff Conservation Educator Julie Watson.
Last week NDOW received a call from one of our partner agencies, Desert Research Institute in Reno to look into a great horned owls nesting on the DRI building. NDOW and DRI are working on a way to allow the public to view the nesting, while leaving the owls in peace. We sat down Denise Hammond and Jaquelyn Davis with Desert Research Institute, and NDOW’s Supervising Biologist David Catalano to explain.
Each year NDOW rounds up dozens of volunteers who help our biologists count sage-grouse as part of our conservation efforts. We sat down with explain the count are Upland Game Staff Specialist Shawn Espinosa and Staff Conservation Educator Julie Watson, who explain the importance of the count and the volunteers who make the effort happen.
Even in the dead of winter, Northern Nevada has plenty of fishing opportunities. In fact, Topaz Lake doesn’t even open for fishing until New Year’s day. With unseasonably warm weather this winter, now is the time to grab a fishing pole and get out there. This week, Edwin talks fishing in Topaz Lake with Kris Urquhart, biologist out of Fallon Nevada and Ashley Sanchez, friend of the show.
The Nevada big game draw application period will open in less than a month, and now is the time that sportsmen need to be doing their homework to give them the best chance possible at drawing a tag. Hunters will turn into college professors inventing formulas and algorithms involving tag quotas, demand, harvest data and bonus points in an effort to get any advantage in the upcoming draw.
In this week’s Nevada Wild we sit down with big game biologists Cody Schroeder and Cody McKee, and outdoor educator Aaron Keller to talk about the seminars, the ins and outs of the application process, and tips that just might help once the application opens.
In December, NDOW discovered a headless moose 20 miles Southeast of Jarbidge. Many people might be unaware of the growing moose population in Nevada and the fact that they are protected game animals. In this Nevada Wild podcast we talk to Chief Game Warden Tyler Turnipseed, biologist Cody McKee and Ashley Sanchez, friend of the show.