How far can I drive my ATV off road to retrieve game?

That depends on where you are. On private land, off-road travel is at the discretion of the landowner. On BLM land you can go 600 feet. The regulation varies by national forest, so check with the specific forest office. On state land you must stay on the road.


Wyoming — Party Hunting

You can locate your hunting partner's game, field dress it, pack it out and even help eat it. But according to Wyoming law, you can't shoot it.

Party hunting — the tradition of hunters shooting their partners' game to fill all licenses in camp — is legal in some states, but in Wyoming it can land offenders a fine of up to $500 and forfeiture of the animal and several years hunting privileges.

"A Wyoming hunting license gives the purchaser, and the purchaser alone, the privilege to hunt and take game in Wyoming," said Russ Pollard, Wyoming Game and Fish Department enforcement coordinator. "Anyone other than the license holder who harvests game with that license will be in violation of Wyoming wildlife laws."

Pollard urges all hunters to completely read their regulations before going afield. Hunters are encouraged to contact their local game warden or G&F office if they have any questions about regulations or laws.


Nevada — Ready for Waterfowl?

The countdown is on. With most of Nevada's waterfowl seasons opening on October 7, many hunters are furiously searching through a summer's worth of outdoor gear in their garages for bags of duck decoys and those all-important waders and camouflage coat. Guns are being checked and cleaned and shotgun shells are on sale everywhere.

Before you head out at the crack of dawn to your favorite hunting spot, only to realize you forget to purchase a license, the Division of Wildlife would like to remind hunters that now is the most opportune time to purchase your license and stamps.

In addition to your hunting license, a Nevada state duck stamp and federal migratory bird stamp must be purchased and affixed to your license. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is also again this year requiring migratory bird hunters to obtain a Harvest Information Program (HIP) validation number and write it on their license, before entering the field.

Nevada state duck stamps are available at all NDOW offices and license agents throughout the state. The cost of the stamp is $5. The federal stamps are also available at NDOW offices, for $16. They may also be purchased at U.S. Post Office branches. A simple telephone call to 1-800-938-5263, is all that is required to obtain a HIP number.


Nevada — Be Very Careful with Fire

To date, over 600,000 acres of Nevada wildlands have gone up in smoke, making 2000 the third-worst fire year in the past 11 years. Last year, in excess of 1.8 million acres were lost during 1,152 different fires throughout the state, resulting in a significant loss of wildlife habitat.

"Most Nevada hunting seasons get underway October 7, and in light of these losses and the extremely dry conditions found throughout the state, we are again reminding hunters to be very careful with fire this year," according to Division of Wildlife education coordinator, Les Smith.

"Most of the devastating fires this and last year were caused by lightning, which we have no control over; however, a few were the result of human carelessness, and those we all can do something about," Smith said.

Although the Division of Wildlife is reminding hunters to be extra careful while in the field this season, there are many others who recreate in the out-of-doors, and all need to be careful with fire, according to Smith.

"We have all heard the pleas of Smokey Bear many times: be careful with smoking materials and campfires; always leave your campfire completely extinguished, etc., and these are all important. However, there is another potential source of fire — the catalytic converter on your vehicle."

Catalytic converters function as part of a vehicle's exhaust system, and become very hot performing their function in providing cleaner exhaust emissions. Hot enough, Smith says, to easily ignite the tinder-dry grass.

Hunters and other outdoor enthusiasts need to seek safe areas to park their vehicles where there is little chance of starting a fire that may not only destroy their vehicle, but could ultimately prove disastrous to even more of Nevada's wildlands.


Arizona — Hunters Can Increase Their Hunt Draw Chances

Submitting hunt applications early and making sure those applications are filled out correctly can greatly increase a hunter's chances in the Spring Hunt Draw 2001. With the 7 p.m., October 17 Spring Hunt Draw 2001deadline on the horizon, hunters need to be very careful to accurately fill out their hunt applications for the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Last year during the 1999 Spring Hunt Draw, there were 42,530 applicants received and a total of 2,640 applications were rejected for various "controllable" reasons. "This equates to an overall rejection rate of 12.45 percent of the applications," said Marvel Meadows, Game and Fish Department hunt draw administrator.

Meadows emphasized that the highest percentage of the rejections (85.6 percent) were associated with the following four areas:

1. Missing or outdated hunting license numbers - 1,200 (49.2 percent)
2. Not enough money - 378 (14.3 percent)
3. Bad numbers or no hunt numbers provided - 310 (11.7 percent)
4. Missing signatures - 276 (10.4 percent)

The Department will make three attempts within a 24-hour period to notify applicants of errors on their application, only if the application is received on or before October 13, 2000. Hunters wishing to participate in this service should list a telephone number where they can be reached.

Each individual applying must sign their appropriate application section. Hunters can go to the Game and Fish Department headquarters in Phoenix, or any of the regional offices for help in filling out the applications. Guidance with the applications will also be available at the Game and Fish Department's Wildlife Building at the State Fair between October 12 and October 17.


Oregon —13,000 Acres To Remain Open to Public Hunting

Thanks in part to an Access and Habitat Program grant, 13,000 acres of lands owned by Crown Pacific in northern Klamath County will remain open to public hunting.

The property owner traditionally allowed the public the privilege of hunting access. In recent years, illegal dumping, vandalism, wood theft and road hunting increased, forcing the company to consider closing the property. To combat these problems so that the area can continue to remain open, a retired Oregon State Police officer has been contracted to patrol the area through the end of the year. If illegal activities continue, the property owner may cease to allow public hunting access to the area in the future.

In addition, some of the roads built on the property by the previous landowner will be obliterated and seeded with forage plants to help enhance habitat for big game and other wildlife. Eliminating these roads will also help curtail illegal activities by reducing access to some portions of the area.

The property is located in the southern part of the Paulina Wildlife Management Unit, about 10 miles northeast of Crescent. Approximately 200 to 300 people hunt in this area during the controlled buck deer rifle season.

Funding for the law enforcement position and for forage seeds is being provided by a $21,038 grant from the Access and Habitat Program.

Created by the Oregon Legislature in 1993, the A&H Program is funded by a $2 surcharge on hunting licenses. Funds raised by the program are distributed in the form of grants awarded to individual and corporate landowners, conservation organizations, and others, to cooperatively fund wildlife habitat improvement and hunter access projects throughout the state. For additional information on the Timbers Block Road Closure and Enforcement Project, contact Larry Pecenka at (541) 388-6363. For more information on the Access and Habitat Program, contact program coordinator Matt Buhler at (503) 872-5260, extension 5349.