OUTDOOR BRIEFS

FREE COURSE

Introduction to fly-fishing class set

A free Introduction to Fly-fishing Class will be Nov. 8. The class will be taught by instructors from the Nevada Department of Wildlife and will consist of both a classroom and a practical session. The classroom portion of the class is scheduled for 8 a.m. at the NDOW office at 4747 Vegas Drive. Casting skills will be taught during the practical portion of the class, which will be later that morning at Sunset Park. The class will cover basics such as knot tying, terminology and the equipment needed to fly-fish along with casting skills to help the with the technique of fly-casting.

For more information and registration contact Ivy Santee at 486-5127, Ext. 3503. Registration begins at 8 a.m. Monday.

SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS

Upland game stamps fund water for wildlife

In spring of 2004, hunters who wished to pursue some species of Nevada's upland game birds had to start purchasing another stamp for their hunting license. This $10 stamp is the Upland Game Bird Stamp and is required for anyone who hunts Hungarian and chukar partridge, quail, pheasant, snowcock and sage, blue and ruffed grouse.

"The Upland Game Bird Stamp is similar to the state and federal duck stamp programs in that it raises money for the protection and propagation of upland game birds, and for the acquisition, development and preservation of upland game bird habitats in Nevada," said Martin Olson, Nevada Department of Wildlife spokesman.

One of the most significant benefits of the stamp sales can be seen in the Nevada Department of Wildlife guzzler program. Guzzlers, also known as small volume water developments, are designed to trap and store rainwater in underground storage tanks where it is made available to upland game birds.

"In 2008, we completely rebuilt six guzzlers in the Davis Dam series near Laughlin. We replaced old concrete tanks with new fiberglass tanks and repaired or replaced any other components that were damaged or worn out," said Roddy Shepard who oversees the NDOW small volume water development program in the Southern Region. "We also inventoried and assessed the condition of 113 other units in eight different mountain ranges. Any minor repairs were completed as needed."

All of these efforts were paid for by the sportsmen who purchased an upland game bird stamp. Funding generated by stamp sales also is used to maintain a supply of materials needed to make repairs or to purchase materials to build new guzzlers.

Shepard said he has plans to build 50 new guzzlers in Lincoln County, 10 each year for five years. He is waiting for approval from the Bureau of Land Management so he and his crew can get started. In the meantime, Shepard and company will continue to evaluate and maintain guzzlers in the Paiute and Eldorado valleys before moving on to the Gold Butte area.