Outdoors

For the Northern Nevada and Sierra sports and outdoors men and women out there, here is the Outdoor Calendar for February:

Feb. 12 – Opening day of the 2011 fishing season at the Fort Churchill Cooling Ponds near Yerington.
This season closes on Sept. 30.
Call the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) in Reno at 688-1500 or go to www.ndow.org"

Feb. 12 – Opening day of the 2011 fishing season at Hinkson Slough on the Mason Valley Wildlife Management Area near Yerington.
This season closes on Sept. 30.

By Nevada Department of Wildlife
Hunters hoping to draw a wild turkey tag for Nevada's 2011 spring hunting season shouldn't wait much longer.

The deadline for submitting tag applications is 5 p.m. February 15, and they must be delivered through a postal service.

In order to apply, hunters must have a license valid March 1, 2010 through Feb. 28, 2011. But they can purchase a 2011-12 hunting license online as part of the application process.

By the California Department of Fish and Game
From nuisance black bears and increasing salmon numbers to automated license sales and poaching arrests, 2010 was a busy year for the California Department of Fish and Game.

A popular new reality show airing on the National Geographic Channel, “Wild Justice,” is capturing some of the department’s doings, but far more happens behind the scenes.

The Ormsby Sportsmen’s Association (OSA), a local sportsmen’s club for hunters and fishermen will hold its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday evening, Feb. 15.

The meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the public meeting room at the Carson City Sheriff’s Office at 900 East Musser Street. Use the door on the west side of the building.

Anyone who is interested in hunting or fishing is invited to attend all club meetings and functions.

OSA dues are $5 annually for adults and $2.50 for youngsters under the age of 16. There are currently 221 paid-up members.

Story by Grand View Outdoors.com

Federal wildlife officials said Tuesday they have counted a total of 50 endangered Mexican wolves on the Arizona-New Mexico border, up from 42 wolves a year earlier.

The Fish and Wildlife Service's southwest regional director, Benjamin Tuggle, said the figure from last month's annual survey includes 29 wolves in Arizona and 21 in New Mexico.

Researchers determined there are two pairs of breeding wolves.

Story by Grand View Outdoors.com
North Dakota wildlife officials say an annual midwinter survey has found only about 7,300 Canada geese wintering on the Missouri River.

That's down dramatically from 25,400 in last year's survey.

But the state Game and Fish Department says this year's count might be underestimated because of poor lighting conditions the morning of the survey and the tight flocking behavior of roosting geese.

By the California Department of Fish and Game
Southern sea otters recently passed two grim milestones, report wildlife officials, demonstrating that the threatened marine mammal is not faring well in California waters.

According to a preliminary summary, 2010 broke the record for the number of southern sea otter carcasses recovered in one year, with a total of 304.

The California Department of Fish and Game has successfully returned two California black bear yearlings to the remote wilderness near Truckee. Both female cubs were orphaned last summer.

One cub was illegally dumped last June on the front porch of Ann Bryant, executive director of the BEAR League. Weighing only 12 pounds, the cub was emaciated and starving.

Here is the greater Northern Nevada, Lake Tahoe, Cascade and Northern California fishing report through Feb. 16, 2011.

BLUE LAKES AREA, CALIF:
Dave Kirby of the Woodfords Station (866) 694-2930 www.woodfordsstation.com reported: The road is closed for the winter.

CAPLES LAKE, CALIF:
John Voss of the Caples Lake Resort (209) 258-8888

This Saturday, Feb. 12, is the opening day of the 2011 fishing seasons for the following waters in Lyon County:

— The Fort Churchill Cooling Ponds, near Wabuska.
— Applicable open waters (Bass Pond, Beaver Slough, Crappie Pond, Hinkson Slough, North Pond and the Walker River), all on the Mason Valley Wildlife Management Area (MVWMA), near Yerington.

All of the waters listed above will close on Sept. 30. If you are interested in fishing at any of those waters on Opening Day, here is some miscellaneous information:

Fort Churchill Cooling Ponds:

We are honored to welcome outdoor writer and editor Don Quilici to the pages of Carson Now.

Quilici's stories and photos will be featured every Wednesday on our new Outdoors Page.

Don Q is famous around these parts to anyone who hunts or fishes. He was the outdoor editor for the Nevada Appeal for 22 years, and his weekly columns delighted readers regardless of their abilities with a gun or rod.