2024Vol41No3NBUJournal

Big Game Quotas Black Bear: No recommended change to the 2025 Black Bear harvest limits and quotas. The approved 2024 quota of 42 tags resulted in the harvest of 13 bears. (Passed 7-1) Mule Deer: The almost four-hour mule deer quota discussion began with a presentation highlighted harvest trends, fawn ratios, buck to doe rations, population estimate and management options. Common to 2024, there was discussion focused on age classes and which quotas needed to be changed due to buck to doe ratios.

Each CAB provided recommendations specific to their area. Some suggested waiting another year or two to make changes to areas that are seeing improvement. After much back and forth discussion and considering quotas for each unit, the following overall recommendations were approved by the Commission with an increase in 3,482 mule deer tags overall for 2025.

Bighorn Sheep: There was a variety of bighorn sheep quotas recommendations with some areas increasing, others decreasing, some areas being opened back up and others introducing new archery only hunts. The biggest increase is in the Muddy Mountains (268) with the Department recommending a quota of 75 total ram tags and 100 total ewe tags. This across-the-board increase in tags is to reduce the overall population in this unit with increasing drought severity and without augmenting water to guzzlers. Mountain Goat: Mountain goats are on the increase in Nevada including the 16 mountain goats that were transplanted into unit 101 from the Tushar Mountains in Utah. A small increase in mountain goat tags was approved. Elk: A presentation provided information illustrating back to back years of exceptional calf recruitment resulting in several herds near or exceeding population objectives. Antlerless quota recommendations are again increasing in response to elevated calf production. Harvest metrics for antlered elk continue to indicate an exceptional hunting experiencing warranting increases in several areas. The Department recommended an increase in 1,376 (+3%) antlered elk, 2,479 (+10%) antlerless elk, and 339 (+22%) spike elk tags with an overall

increase (including depredation) of 4,723 elk tags (+8.3%). Some minor changes occurred but overall, an increase in elk tags was approved. Moose: The Department is recommending no change to moose tags for the 2025 season. The maximum harvest of 2 bulls represents 3.4% of the available bulls in the statewide population. Current population estimate is 125 adults. Antelope: Statewide population estimates of antelope are exceptional and growing fairly rapidly. Hunter success is positive. The Department recommended an overall increase in 3,300 tags. A significant increase in junior horns shorter than ears was also approved.

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VICTOR TRUJILLO