OUTDOOR BRIEFS

BIG PRIZES

One-fly tournament will test fishing skills

Do you enjoy fly fishing, but don't know how good you are?

On Sept. 20, there will be a one-fly fishing tournament at Spring Valley State Park, located just east of Pioche. The cost to enter the tournament is $25, and each entrant must submit two identical flies to the judges. One of those flies will be the one you use in the contest. Participants will only be able to use the one fly throughout the contest, which starts at 8 a.m. and concludes at noon.

The top prizes will be a two-man Pelican pontoon boat and a one-man pontoon boat. Several fly-fishing rods and a host of other prizes also will be up for grabs. For more information and registration, contact Ben Johnson at (775) 962-5103 or via e-mail at echocanyon@ lcturbonet.com.

LOOKING AHEAD

Chukar season may be saved by recent storm

A storm system that dropped rain over much of Northern Nevada during the Memorial weekend may very well have saved the 2008 chukar hunting season, at least in that part of the state. Before the storm's arrival, Nevada Department of Wildlife biologists were concerned the 2008 season might be the most dismal on record.

Dry conditions dominated much of the state through the months of March, April and most of May. Those months are a critical time for chukar to prepare for the nesting season, and biologists were concerned the birds would not have the body condition to begin the nesting season. The rains from this holiday storm, however, "led to a flush of native grasses and forbs that likely provided chukar with enough food resources to produce nests and have broods with a good number of chicks," notes the NDOW Chukar Hunting Forecast for the 2008-2009 season.

According to the report, the upcoming "chukar hunting season is expected to be fair to good for most of Nevada with some areas providing excellent hunting. Unlike last season, coveys will be composed of a good number of young birds. This will allow the hunter to approach within shotgun range for at least the first half of the season."

The Chukar Hunting Forecast is available online at www.ndow.org or at NDOW offices.

HARRISON PASS

Road to be closed during hunting season

The U.S. Forest Service announced that Harrison Pass Road in the Ruby Mountains southwest of Elko will be closed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays through mid October. The road is being closed for resurfacing by the Federal Highway Administration, in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service. Harrison Pass is a very popular access point and travel route for hunters who have big game tags in Area 10.

The portion of Harrison Pass Road to be closed starts at the Zaga Ranch on the west side of the pass continuing along the paved portion to approximately 2 miles below Harrison Pass summit. The east side of Harrison pass and the summit will be open for hunters who are trying to reach areas above the pass. If traveling from Elko, the east side may be accessed through Secret Pass to the north or through Overland Pass to the south.

The project was scheduled to start Sept. 2, but there was a possibility it may be delayed anywhere from a few days to a week. It is also possible that the closure could continue into early November if construction is delayed. Signs will be posted at key access locations in the area, including the intersection of SR 227 and SR 228. The USFS will maintain an updated phone recording describing access conditions of the road at (775) 778-6141. Hunters are encouraged to check this recording before venturing into Harrison Pass.