OUTDOOR BRIEFS

VALUABLE LESSON

Conservationists swing hammers for ducks

Members of the Las Vegas chapter of Ducks Unlimited brought the next generation of duck hunters -- Greenwings -- with them to the Overton Wildlife Management Area recently and taught them a valuable lesson in conservation. The 10 youth and their parents arrived with hammers in hand, ready to build supplemental nesting boxes for local ducks.

The Overton Wildlife Management Area is managed by the Nevada Department of Wildlife as a conservation site for many species of waterfowl. Adding nesting boxes will enhance the attractiveness of the area as a breeding area for local duck populations. The boxes come in pre-fabricated kits from the national Ducks Unlimited office, and are designed to attract wood ducks. Bufflehead and goldeneye may also use the boxes.

"They will provide cover, one of the four requirements of duck habitat, along with food, water, and open space," said Margie Klein about the nesting boxes and the role they play in conservation. Klein is the southern region wildlife education coordinator for NDOW.

The youngsters were very proud of their work, decorating the boxes with decals and other personalizations. Hayden, one of the Greenwing volunteers wrote a on his box, "From Hayden, To the ducks." He also implored the ducks to "Grow big!"

In all, the group assembled six nesting boxes and installed them in areas specifically selected with ducks in mind. The kids put a few handfuls of wood shavings inside the boxes and then each box was hung about four feet above the ground and from the trunk of a tree which stretches over the water. That way, the ducks could easily see and access the nesting site.

"There is plenty of water, with four ponds, and plenty of open space, on the almost 18,000-acre property," said area manager Keith Brose. Agricultural fields on the area are maintained by a sharecropper, who grows cereal grains, strawberry clover and alfalfa, all of which are food for the wildlife. "Bulrushes," Brose added, "are like candy to the ducks."

Overall, the group expected good success with the boxes. The Greenwings will come back in a few months to monitor their habitat enhancement project, cleaning out the boxes and checking for their use. Those who are interested in the local chapter of Ducks Unlimited or the Greenwings can call Todd Pesavento at (702) 838-2204.

FOLLOW THE RULES

Riders asked to stay on designated roads

The Kirch Wildlife Management Area has long been a popular destination for Southern Nevada anglers. In recent years some area visitors have been bringing all-terrain vehicles such four-wheelers to use for traveling between the campground and their reservoir of choice. Unfortunately, some operators have chosen to build their own trails in areas specifically closed to vehicular travel, and that has the Nevada Department of Wildlife asking ATV enthusiasts to please stay on designated roads.

Most of the visitors who bring ATVs to the management area stay on the designated roads and trails, and that's generally not an issue. But when a few people ignore the closure signs and blaze their own trails they create an issue for wildlife and the rest of us as well, said Dana Johnson, area manager.

"People can ride their ATVs, we just ask them to remain on those roads and trails that we have designated for vehicle traffic," he said.

While operating a motorized vehicle "off an interior road or trail that is designated for travel; or on an interior road or trail that is marked as closed to vehicular travel" is prohibited within the boundaries of state wildlife management areas, the agency's overriding concern is the welfare of wildlife and public safety. At Kirch, the agency wants to protect the fishery as well.

HOT LINE SET UP

Call number to report bear problems

The Nevada Department of Wildlife announced the creation of the BEAR hot line to give Northern Nevadans a phone number to report bear problems: (775) 688-BEAR.

The BEAR hot line is wired directly into NDOW's Dispatch Center in Reno. Normal business hours are 6 a.m. until 11 p.m. The hot line is for those who have bear problems. If you have simply sighted bears, or have had garbage cans tipped by bears please refer to the agency Web site at www.ndow.org, and select "Keep Me Wild" to learn about how to reduce bear problems by removing attractants, such as garbage, pet food and bird feeders.

"The hot line is designed to be more responsive to bear problems," said Ken Mayer, Director for NDOW.

The department will make every effort to respond to calls, based on prioritized threat levels. "We will do our best to respond to calls, but keep in mind that biologists and wardens have other duties as well, such as deer surveys or poaching investigations," said Mayer.

Last year, NDOW personnel handled 1,531 bear complaints compared to 350 in 2006. Consistent with wildlife conflict policies in other western states NDOW does not usually set bear traps unless the human-caused attractant has been removed or exclusionary precautions have been taken.