OUTDOOR BRIEFS

IT'S THAT SEASON

Time is here to listen and look for elk

Although daytime temperatures in Las Vegas aren't showing it yet, the sights and sounds of fall can be seen and heard in the nearby Spring Mountains. One of those sounds is the melodic bugle of a mature Rocky Mountain bull elk, considered by some to be the most majestic member of the deer family.

Many newcomers and even some old-timers are surprised to learn that elk can be found in the desert, but they weren't always here. Although elk were native to Nevada before the 20th century, they had become extinct due mostly to overhunting. The elk in the Spring Mountains today were reintroduced here some decades ago. In the 1930s, a number of elk were transported from Yellowstone National Park to the Spring Mountains, as well as other sites across Nevada and the western U.S. Then, in 1984, NDOW supplemented the elk herd with another release. Those animals dispersed and many made their way to the area around the small mountain community of Cold Creek.

Elk are the second largest member of the deer family, with moose being the largest. Since there are no moose in Nevada, elk take the crown for largest ungulate, or hoofed animal, in the state. The males, or bulls, can weigh 600 to 1,000 pounds, with the females, or cows, weighing 450 to 600 pounds.

The Cold Creek area is a prime viewing area for these magnificent game animals. There is also a chance you could see elk in the Willow Creek drainage, going up to Wheeler Pass, on the back side of the Spring Mountains. They can be seen at various elevations among the canyon walls there.

Even though elk numbers in the Spring Mountain range are lower than they have been in years past, due primarily to disturbance and drought, there is still a good chance you can see and hear them in the Spring Mountains, only about an hour away from the city. Bugling elk also can be heard in other parts of the state. Lincoln, Nye and White Pine counties are home to numerous elk. Bugling is most common early and late in the day, and will occur from early September into October.

"What a great experience it is for urban kids to see and hear this striking wildlife without having to visit an elk farm," said Doug Nielsen, NDOW conservation educator.

For more information on where to view these animals throughout the state, check out the "Big Game Status Report," on the NDOW Web site, www.ndow.org.

PREPARE WITH BOOKLET

Hunting brochures now available

When it comes to hunting, preparation is the key to success. Sportsmen from across the state will be taking trips to their favorite sporting goods stores this fall to stock up on all the necessary items to assure a successful hunting trip. The Nevada Department of Wildlife would like to remind those sportsmen to remember to pick up free hunting brochures that are available at all NDOW offices and license agents.

Brochures for furbearer and migratory bird seasons were delivered to license agents this week and join brochures for upland game and fall turkey, which were sent out in August. The information included in these hunting brochures includes season dates, bag limits, hunting hours and a synopsis of important regulations for specific hunts. Specific regulations for hunting on wildlife management areas are also included in several of the brochures.

The brochures can be picked up at all license agents, including Wal-Mart, Big 5 Sporting Goods and Ace Hardware stores. They are also available at any NDOW office statewide as well as on the NDOW Web site at www.ndow.org.