OUTDOOR BRIEFS

ACCEPTING PROPOSALS

Safe boating grants now available

The Clark County Boat Facilities and Safety Committee is accepting grant proposals from agencies and organizations interested in promoting boating safety on local waterways.

Funding for the grants is generated through a nine-cent boating fuel tax assessed on gasoline sold at marinas in Clark County.

Grant applications can be picked up and turned in at the Clark County Manager's Office, County Government Center Sixth Floor, 500 S. Grand Central Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89155. Completed applications must be turned in by 1 p.m. Nov. 15. For more information, contact Arlene Chapman at 455-3530.

RECENT EVENT

Future duck hunters attend sessions

Young duck-hunters-to-be met together recently at a Greenwing event sponsored by the Southern Nevada Chapter of Ducks Unlimited. Greenwings are the junior members of the DU conservation organization. Participants attended conservation workshops and training sessions but also had the opportunity to shoot air guns or shotguns.

Approximately 30 youths and their parents participated in the event, which was Oct. 6 at the Desert Lake Shooting Club in Boulder City. Workshops covered such topics as waterfowl identification and calling ducks.

Members of the DU organization believe that by learning more about the outdoor heritage and ethics the youthful Greenwings will become the next generation of wetlands conservationists and duck hunters.

"This event was a tremendous opportunity for us to teach the kids about waterfowl conservation and more about the various waterfowl species they will be helping through conservation programs like those sponsored by Ducks Unlimited, " said Margie Klein, a wildlife educator with the Nevada Department of Wildlife and presenter at the event. "Both the parents and their children quickly learned the steps to identifying ducks while in the field."

The Greenwings are currently planning to build waterfowl nesting boxes and complete a habitat improvement project at the NDOW Overton Wildlife Management Area in Moapa Valley.

People don't always equate Southern Nevada with waterfowl, but there are a variety of species that can be seen here, Cris Tomlinson, a supervising biologist for NDOW, said. "The ducks that can be seen in Southern Nevada include mallards, pintails, wigeons, canvasbacks and ruddy ducks."

For more information about Ducks Unlimited and Greenwings call Todd Pesavento at 838-2204.

LEARNING OPPORTUNITY

Free fly-tying workshop scheduled

Want to tie your own flies? The Nevada Department of Wildlife will be having a free fly-tying workshop at 7 p.m. Thursday.

Participants in this hands-on, entry-level course will learn the basics of tying fishing flies: equipment, materials, terminology, and techniques for creating flies.

All equipment and materials will be provided. The class will be held at the NDOW office located at 4747 Vegas Drive (at Decatur Boulevard).

For more information and registration, contact Ivy Santee at 486-5127 Ext. 3503 weekdays.