Paula Del Giudice: Bird decline worrisome

Wednesday, Jan. 15, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

FELLOW SUN columnist Elizabeth Foyt recently provided a copy of a Scottish outdoors page for my perusal. It's interesting that issues on the other side of the Atlantic seem to be quite the same as those facing wildlife conservationists in Nevada. Studies are under way in Inverness-shire (northern Scotland) to identify the main threats to grouse chicks. In North of England, habitat work is being undertaken to reseed moors where the heather has been wiped out by grazing sheep.

Here in the West, conservationists and wildlife managers wonder if sage grouse and other wildlife will survive the continual degradation of their habitat by overgrazing livestock.

The decline in game bird numbers is significant, according to the Scottish article, but an independent research charity, the Game Conservancy Trust, also is very concerned with the effects of farming methods on the survival of yellowhammers and skylarks (songbirds), wild flowers and butterflies as it is with targets for the guns.

A recent study undertaken by the Trust and commissioned by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds points to the disastrous effects of intensive farming on wildlife and the urgent need to start reversing them.

The article also points to set-aside programs that have been successful in Britain. For instance, farmers who choose the Wild Bird Cover Option on their set-aside fields can plant a mixture of crops such as cereals and brassica, "non-harvestable" but splendid for birds.

The conservation titles in U.S. Farm Bill offer similar programs that have been very successful in protecting Midwestern birds, particularly nesting waterfowl.

The ads on the Scottish paper outdoors page include those for the Royal Berkshire Shooting School in association with J&B Rare Whiskey, Farlow's Country Girl (country clothing for women), Sporting Targets Bedfordshire (where you can loosen up on their "Grouse Butts" or on their 120 ft. Towers), Bootscrapers (the most comprehensive range of handcrafted bootscrapers anywhere), Bournepark Gundogs and the British Field Sports Society.

Nowhere was there an ad for the Topless Girls of Glitter Gulch, Extra Special Maid Service or Power Numbers Blackjack.

NDOW deadline

The Nevada Division of Wildlife reminds hunters that two deadlines are fast approaching: the application deadline for spring turkey hunting and the deadline for returning big game hunting questionnaires.

The turkey deadline is Jan. 24. Applications must be received by the Fallon Application Hunt Office no later than 5 p.m. Jan. 24 to be eligible.

A quota of 120 tags for hunting on public lands is available this year for 14 specified time periods, most extending about one week, beginning in early March and ending in May.

Hunt areas include the Mason Valley Wildlife Management Area near Yerington, Lahontan (Reservoir) Recreation Area of Lyon County, Moapa Valley of Clark County and Lahontan Valley of Churchill County.

In addition to the public lands tags, there are an unlimited number of "private lands tags" available to resident and nonresident hunters.

Hunters can apply for a private lands tag to hunt on private farms and ranches in Lyon or Humboldt counties. Those who choose this option will be required to obtain a hunting permission form from the landowner before applying for a tag. Guiding or trespass fees may be charged by the landowner.

Residents who obtain a public or private lands turkey tag will be required to pay $20 for the tag and a $5 application fee. Hunters are only allowed one turkey tag per year.

Season brochures and applications may be obtained from all license agents and from NDOW at 4747 W. Vegas Drive.

Hunters are also reminded to return their hunter questionnaire forms mailed with big game permits to hunt by January 31. The purpose of the questionnaire is to collect data for understanding population and behavioral trends. Those who fail to return their forms will be ineligible to apply for Nevada big game hunts for one year.