Columnist Paula DelGiudice: Application changes help state’s hunters

Paula DelGiudice

Thursday, April 6, 2000 | 10:19 a.m.

Paula DelGiudice's outdoors notebook appears Wednesday. Reach her at PDelGiudice@compuserve.com.

Just when you finally get used to the system of applying for tags, the system changes. This year it seems the changes will accommodate the whims and desires of hunters more readily. The first thing you'll notice on the application is that most of it is about the same as in the past few years. One side is for mule deer hunts and the other for big game hunts.

On the bottom of the deer side, if you've applied in past years, you'll see the box with the hunt description and your bonus point status. In the middle of the page is the part that has changed the most.

This year instead of being able to only apply for archery, or rifle or muzzleloader, hunters are eligible to mix their hunter choices. For instance, if your first choice would be to hunt deer with any legal weapon in hunt unit group 071-079 (rifle season but legally you can use any weapon you'd like) turn to page 30 in the Application Regulation booklet. Look in the column enclosed in the box to find the correct hunter choice number and fill it in for first choice on your application.

Now say that your second choice would be to draw an archery tag. For the first time you may do so. Go to page 31 under archery hunt No. 1141 and find the correct hunter choice number for the unit group of your preferred area. Maybe your third choice would be to apply for a muzzleloader tag. Follow the same choice for muzzleloader. You can mix your choices in any fashion.

The bonus point system also has been altered to accommodate the changes in the system. The old system of awarding bonus points according to weapon choice now gives way to awarding points for specific species.

Other changes have been adopted for the bonus point system. Hunters can now receive bonus points for being unsuccessful in the swan and wild turkey drawings.

Some things haven't changed. Bonus points are being squared again this year to give those with existing points better odds with more draw numbers. Again, bonus points revert to zero when a hunter receives a tag or fails to apply for two consecutive years.

Finally, as was noticed when applications were sent out to those who have applied in the past, the company that processes the 80,000 applications for tags reports that 75 percent or approximately 60,000 applications are received during the week before the deadline.

I know mine is usually right in there just before the deadline also. But filing late prevents the Hunt Application Office from returning any application that might have an error. It makes sense, especially in a year where there are so many changes, to send your application in early. Remember all applications must be received by the HAO in Fallon before 5 p.m. April 17.

Those who have not received application materials in the mail can obtain applications for Nevada's big game hunts at most area sporting goods stores, Nevada Division of Wildlife offices and on the agency's website.

For more information about the hunt application process, call 486-5127.

* BOAT REGISTRATION: The Nevada Division of Wildlife is encouraging boaters to not wait until a Friday or the week before a holiday weekend to register their boats because they can expect lines and some delays at those times.

Division of Wildlife offices are open Monday-Friday, except state holidays, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Offices are located at 4747 Vegas Drive in Las Vegas and 744 South Racetrack Road in Henderson.

* ON THE WEB: If you've been checking out all the options in terms of outdoors news on your computer and haven't come across www.alloutdoors.com yet, let me be the first to welcome you to the site. One of the bets parts of the site is the Coffee Shop, where you'll find interesting conversation about the outdoors in each of the 50 states. I help moderate the Nevada discussions and have already found some friends who have dropped in the Coffee Shop to find out what's new in the Nevada outdoors. Come join the discussions.