OUTDOOR BRIEFS

TWO IN TWO WEEKS

Fatal boating accidents prompt warnings

Two boating accidents on Northern Nevada waterways in the past two weeks have prompted game wardens at the Nevada Department of Wildlife to warn spring boaters and fishermen about the dangers of cold water and the absolute need to carry -- and preferably wear -- life jackets on spring boating and fishing trips.

"State law requires a wearable life jacket for every person on board, and children under 13 must wear a life jacket," said Lieutenant Jerry Smith, the supervising game warden in Elko. "It is so terribly sad when lives are lost in these situations. We are asking spring boaters and fishermen to take care -- don't take cold water for granted; it can kill an excellent swimmer in just a few minutes. And most importantly, a life jacket won't work if you don't wear it, and you have no chance at all if it's not even in the boat."

The first accident happened on April 5 at Rye Patch Reservoir outside Lovelock. A 52-year-old Reno resident presumably went overboard off a 12-foot aluminum boat while fishing. Preliminary investigations show that he was not wearing a life jacket.

The second accident was reported at Rawhide Reservoir, a privately owned reservoir on the Petan Ranch in Elko County on April 20. Two men went out on the reservoir in a canoe and capsized. A 24-year-old employee of Petan Ranch presumably drowned. Neither men were wearing life jackets and there were no life jackets in the boat.

The water temperature for both boat accidents was below 50 degrees. "We absolutely know that cold water can kill. Even when the temperature is very nice outside, our Northern Nevada waters are still bitterly cold, so we always tell boaters to dress for the water conditions -- not the air temperature," said Bob Summers, a Coast Guard Auxiliary boating safety instructor.

Over the next couple months in Northern Nevada, game wardens will enhance patrol efforts on life jacket compliance.

Boaters interested in taking an in-class boating safety course can contact the local U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary at (775) 852-5557. To learn more about boating in Nevada, boaters can visit www.boatnevada.org or call the Department of Wildlife at (775) 688-1500.

SEE NATURE

Wildlife viewing event scheduled

Spring is perhaps the best time of year for viewing wildlife, so the Nevada Department of Wildlife is sponsoring a Wildlife Watch on Saturday. The wildlife viewing event will take place from 10 a.m. to noon at the Overton Wildlife Management Area, about an hour drive from Las Vegas.

Staff from the NDOW Wildlife Education Program will lead the event, which is part of the National Wildlife Federation's Nature Quest program and follows National Wildlife Week. Several times a year, people are asked to record the wildlife species that they see. When reported, the numbers go into a nationwide database and the results can be seen on the NWF Web site, www.nwf.org/wildlifewatch/.

The Wildlife Watch will consist of a guided hike through the management area, and participants will receive a photographic reference to commonly sighted species. The watch is suitable for adults and children. No pets are allowed.

The Overton Wildlife Management Area is located at 1000 S. Waterfowl Road, off of Moapa Valley Boulevard at the east end of the town of Overton. It can be reached by taking I-15 north from Las Vegas to Highway 169 east or by Highway 169 north from the Valley of Fire or Lake Mead. For more information about Overton and other state wildlife management areas visit the web at www.ndow.org/about/pubs/#wma or call the management area at (702) 397-2142.