Outdoors /
Operation Game Thief: 1-800-992-3030
Operation Cal- Tip: 1-800-952-400
Pahrump Valley Gazette, Thursday, November 27,
1997 23
Steiner takes top honors
at 1997 Federal Duck
Stamp Art Competition
On November 6, Robert Steiner's acrylic por-
trait of a male barrow's goldeneye was chosen
over 379 other entries to become the design €or
the 1998-99 Migratory Bird Hunting and Conser-
vation Stamp, better known as. the Duck Stamp.
Steiner is a professional artist who owns his own
print publishing company. He paints primarily
waterfowl and retrievers, although he Sometimes
paints other subjects.
Barrow's goldeneyes are found chiefly in
Alaska and western Canada. Breeding areas also
include the Cascade Mountains of Oregon, Wash-
ington and California, and the Idaho, Montana
and Wyoming Rockies. In the West, they winter
along the Pacific Coast from the Aleutians to San
Francisco and in the East, along the coasts of
southwestern Greenland, Newfoundland andNew
England
populations in ]
Barrow's
Iceland.
The male Barrow's
black-and-white bird
is an irregular white patch between the eye and
bill, whida is gray. The female has a brownish
head, white neck and belly, mottled gray back and
wings, and yellow bill. As the name suggests, the
eyes of both male d female
Barrow's
and feed mollusks
and crustaceans. . :
The Interior De pent's U.S, Fished Wild-
life Service sponsdrS the annual DuckStamp Art
Competition to choose the desi
ing
initiated in : ing" Darling
designed the first Duck Stamp following "user
pay" legislation supported by waterfowl hunters
and conservationists, who were alarmed by wa-
terfowl declines during the Dust Bowl Era.
Duck Stamps bearing this year's winning de-
sign will go on sale at Post Offices, national
wildlife t'efuges, the Peabody hotels in Memphis
and Orlando, national retail chain stores and vari-
ous sporting-goods stores nationwide July 1, 1998.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the
principal Federal agency responsible for con-
serving, protecting and enhancing fish and wild-
life and their habitats for the continuing benefit of
the American people. The Service manages 511
national wildlife refugescovering 92 million acres,
as well as 67 national fish hatcheries.
The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws,
manages migratory bird populations, restores na-
tionally significant fisheries, conserves and re-
stores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, adminis-
ters the Endangered Species Act and helps for-
eign governments with their conservationefforts.
Amargosa Toad
ifnportant habitat on public lands are inthe plan-
ning process.
I
Sehure of illegal fish in Reno
by David K. Rice
A phone call to Division of Wiidlife's Operation Game
Theif hotline has resulted in the seizure of three illegal and
potentially harmful fish--two northern pike and one spotted
gar.
Acting on the telephone tip, NDOW
Game Warden, David Patula, con-
tacted a Reno resident who was
holding the fish in 150 gallon
aquaria as pets. The man, who
was very cooperative accord-
ing to Patula, was not aware
that possession of the fish
was illegal.
The man, whose identity
was not released, was cited
for unlawful possession of
the fish, a misdemeanor vio-
lation. Four live sunfish,
designated as game fish in
the state, were also seized.
They are said to have come
from a pond near Portola,
Calif.
Patula explained that
certain species of wildlife,
including many fish spe-
cies, pose potential harm to
fish, wildlife or livestock,
and are officially listed as
illegal to possess or bring
into the state.
All species of gars are listed as illegal because of the
potential harm they pose to more desirable fish in Nevada
waters. They can reach a maximum size of three feet, and
come equipped with an extended mouth full of sharp teeth
they use to catch and eat large numbers of fish.
The two northern pike seized in this case were taken at
Davis Lake last spring, according to the defendant. The
spotted gar was obtained several years
ago from a friend in California.
Although northern pike are found in
a few waters in the state, they are illegal
to import and possess alive. A vora-
cious predator, they also pose a threat
to nearly all other fish species and
have only been released by NDOW
into certain waters, according to
Patula.
"The recent eradication of north-
ern pike in nearby Davis Lake and
Frenchman Reservoir seems to have
made people more aware of the po-
tential threat some species of fish
pose if they get established in the
wrong waters," Patula advised.
NDOW has found that people fre-
quently tire of feeding and taking care
of exotic wildlife, and rather than
turn them in or have them euthanized,
release them into the wild.
Patula said that anyone who has
illegal fish in their possession have
been granted a one-month "grace
period", and won't be cited by
NDOW if they contact NDOW and
turn in the fish by December 31.
Information on turning in illegal fish, or additional infor-
mation regarding illegal fish and wildlife species in the state
may be obtained by calling NDOW offices in Reno, Fallon,
Elko and Las Vegas.
BLM publishes technical amendments to Mining rule
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) published
technical corrections to a 1996 rule dealing with the use and
occupancy of mining claims on BLM-managed lands.
Among other things, the corrections clarify that the regula-
tions apply to both lode and placer mining claims.
This amendment responds to an assertion of some placer
miners that the BLM's 1996 use-and-occupancy rule does
not apply to placer mining, a contention that the BLM
rejects. Placer mining is mining for minerals in glacial,
alluvial or marine deposits, while lode mining seeks miner-
als that have not weathered out or been displaced from their
original environment.
"The technical amendments published will clarify cer-
tain issues that have arisen since the BLM published its use-
and-occupancy rule last year," said newly confirmed BLM
Director Pat Shea. "We are publishing these amendments to
ensure that all interested parties clearly understand the
provisions of the 1996 rule and understand why we are
enforcing this rule in a particular manner."
The basic intent of the use-and-occupancy rule is to give
BLM managers the administrative tools they need to stop
persons from illegally occupying BLM-managed lands on
mining claims they are using for non-mining purposes.
The technical corrections to the 1996 rule, published in
the Federal Register, also clarify that occupants living in
structures on public lands that violate State or local housing
codes may be subject to an order to immediately suspend
their activities. This corrects a cross-referencing error in the
1996 rule. The rule inadvertently omitted violations of State
and local codes from the list of circumstances that may cause
the BLM to issue an immediate suspension order.
The 1996 rule that the BLM is correcting does not affect
any individual who is engaged in a legitimate mining opera-
tion on BLM-managed land. The rule forbids BLM mining
claimants from illegally residing on or running unautho-
rized non-mining businesses on BLM-managed lands.
The original rule, published on July 16, 1996, was
prompted by non-mining uses of BLM mining claims by
"squatters," including some who over the years illegally
built saloons, hunting lodges and fishing camps on BLM
public lands. In more recent years, some persons have set up
illegal drug labs or reprocessed hazardous materials on
BLM public lands, abuses that the BLM is working to stop.
The rule requires that a BLM mining claimant's use and
occupancy must relate to prospecting or exploration, mining
or processing operations, or other land uses that are reason-
ably related to such activities.
To obtain a copy of the corrections to the 1996 rule,
please call your state BLM office or check the BLM's home
page on the internet (www.blm.gov). You may also check
with the BLM's Washington, D.C., Solid Minerals Group at
(202) 452-0350.
Fishing Report
by C,€off SchneMer
Nevada Division of WUde
LAKE MEAD - Striped bass weighing up to 15 pounds have been
caught by boaters during the past week while shore angling continues
to produce only sporadic action.
Open water from Pyramid Island to the Hemenway Wall contin-
ues to be productive for trollers. Several boaters have reported
connecting with large fish in that area.
Other good areas for stripers are Rogers Bay and Las Vegas Wash.
Shore anglers are having some success at night at Hemenway Harbor.
LAKE MOHAVE - Large striped bass are being caught by
boaters in front of Cottonwood Cove. A 26- pound striper was reeled
in Friday, November 21 and one weighing 17 pounds was taken on
Saturday, November 22.
The best method for catching big stripers has been by trolling AC
plugs. Two shore anglers reported having success by casting the lures.
Boaters who are drifting baits are catching stripers in the 13-inch
range. Owl's point and Six Mile Cove are still the better areas for small
stripers.
Willow Beach will be stocked with 4,000 rainbow trout Wednes-
day, November 26.
EAGLE VALLEY RESERVOIR - Trout fishing has been slow
because of cool water temperatures. Campers are advised to expect
cold weather with the thermometer plunging into the 20s.
On Monday, November 24 the Nevada Division of Wildlife
stocked 10,000 rainbow trout that measured six to seven inches. The
small fish should grow to around 10 inches by the spring fishing
season.
ECHO CANYON RESERVOIR - Fishing has generally been
slow. However, a few rainbow trout and an occasional crappie have
been appearing in the catch.
SCHROEDER RESERVOIR - The Nevada Division of Wild-
life plans to use a helicopter next week to stock the lake with 4,000
small rainbow trout. The fish should be around 10 inches in size by
spring.
Fishing has been fair to good for small rainbows in the stream
below the lake.
WAYNE E. KIRCH WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA -
Fishing is now slow as water temperatures have plunged to the low 40s.
