Humane Society president placed on Nevada wildlife board

CARSON CITY - Karen Summers Layne, president of the Las Vegas Valley Humane Society, has been named to the Nevada Wildlife Commission, which has been criticized by those who say it is unfairly stacked with hunters.

"It's going to be an interesting position," said Layne, who was appointed to the nine-member policy board by Gov. Brian Sandoval on Oct. 3.

Her appointment follows that of former Clark County Sheriff Bill Young in July.

Layne, 65, spoke against hunting black bears when the commission held hearings on instituting Nevada's inaugural bear season in 2010. The hunting season was approved and continues.

"I'm not a fan of bear hunting. That's not going to be a surprise to anybody," she said.

She has worked on trapping regulations for the Mount Charleston region outside Las Vegas, an effort she said helped forge a working relationship with commission members.

Commission Chairman Jack Robb said Layne and Young "bring a breadth of experience and knowledge" to the board.

"The wildlife issues we face today are not like those faced by our predecessors," Robb said. "The commission needs a diversity of perspectives to help address the unique and complex wildlife issues in Nevada."

But the news didn't go over well with some hunters.

Andrew Williams, 49, of Fernley said an animal advocate has no place on a commission that sets policy on how elk, mule deer and other big game species are managed. The task includes setting annual quotas on how many tags are issued to hunters who want to kill them for meat or trophy antlers.

"Putting someone like that on the board is just a slap in the face to people who hunt and fish in this state," Williams said.

As a public representative on the commission, Layne said she hopes her involvement will bring greater awareness of public opinion when it comes to managing wildlife.

"I think you always have to temper what you want to do given the long history of the commission," she said. "I think the fact that the governor put me on the commission says a lot."

Trish Swain, founder of TrailSafe Nevada, which seeks tougher trapping regulations, hailed Layne's appointment as "absolutely groundbreaking" but said it won't bring an immediate shift in wildlife management. "I can't imagine how one new person will change the nature of the board," she said.

Kathryn Bricker, executive director of NoBearHuntNV, a group formed to oppose bear hunting, agreed.

"This is a token gesture but is one that is appreciated," Bricker said "There's going to be a lot of 8-1 votes."

Dennis Wilson, president of Nevada Bighorns Unlimited, conceded Layne's appointment has caused a lot of angst among sportsmen.

Layne has a doctorate in public administration and is retired from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and the Metropolitan Police Department, where she worked as planning director. She is the sixth woman to serve on the commission.