The June 21 letter “Wildlife board is unbalanced” questioned why a small percentage of Nevada’s population — hunters and fishermen — hold a majority of the seats on the state’s Wildlife Commission.
The question is the answer: They care about the resource. They pay to hunt Nevada. There are no guarantees but they still pay.
Licenses provide Nevada badly needed funds, which help employ environmentalists, conservationists and rangers. Sportsmen rely on wildlife managers for input year-round and vice versa.
Who we don’t need making decisions on a wildlife commission are citizens who are not outdoorsmen and are in the field sporadically. They probably learn from episodes of Bear Grylls’ TV shows or by stalking their potbellied pig through the house.
Nevada’s sportsmen volunteer their time and money all year and wherever necessary. They deliver feed and water to starving wild horses, elk, deer and sheep. They repair dams, roads and infrastructure out of their own pockets, which enhances everyone’s experience. They are the best prevention from polluters, scofflaws and poachers. They serve as multiple eyes and ears for wildlife enforcement.
Consider: Who is on the Nevada Boxing Commission, the Board of Realtors, the Gaming Control Board, the Allegiant Stadium Authority or, for that matter, the COVID-19 committee created to bring back Vegas? They are people who walk the walk, have a vested interest and are willing to share their time and knowledge with the rest of us.
Sportsmen should be on the wildlife committee and we need more of them, not fewer.