PETITION CLOSED

  • The time period for signing this petition has ended.
Stop First Bear Hunt in Nevada History
  1. Signatures
    2,419 out of 2,500
    Petitioning
    1. Gov. Brian Sandoval (NV)
  2. Created By
    Billy Howard
    Reno, NV
About this Petition Petition Letter Petition Updates

Last December the Nevada Wildlife Commission okayed the first bear hunt in Nevada history. The population of Nevada bears is 200-300. The commission is made up 100% of hunters. They think killing 20 bears is okay. The people of Nevada do not. The Commission received over 3000 emails against the hunt, 54 for it. They voted for it anyway, for their few hunting buddies. Many hunters have come forward with their dissatisfaction over the bear hunt.

Twenty bears is not worth the hunt. Poachers will come in and the number taken may reach 50% of our bears. NV is one of the poorest states and does not have the means for oversight.

There is no sound science for this hunt. Commissioner McBeath said it all after the unanimous vote,

It's not for public safety. It's not for revenue. It's not for dealing with the nuisance bears. It's because we can.

Please join us in saying, NO YOU CAN'T! For more background information see NoBearHuntNV.org

Why People Are Signing
Recent Signatures

Please Intervene to Halt Bear Hunt.

Dear Governor Sandoval

We, the undersigned, respectively ask you to intervene in the recent bear hunt regulation. Challenges to the science used to make the decision continue to mount. The disregard of overwhelming public sentiment against the bear hunt by the public body, The Nevada Department of Wildlife Commission, is drawing increasing negative press and public outcry. The people of Nevada need your help in getting it across to the Nevada Department of Wildlife that they must scrub this effort until the department can offer far more compelling data to support a bear hunt; because for now, we, the public, are not buying it.

NRS 233B.061 "Proposed permanent or temporary regulation: Public comment; workshop; public hearing; applicability of Open Meeting Law. The agency shall consider fully all written and oral submissions respecting the proposed regulation."

Fifty-four emails were sent to NDoW supporting the hunt before the final December 2010 vote. Emails in opposition totaled 3028.

The bear hunt was pushed through the Commission without following proper channels as dictated by the Open Meeting Law Manual. Forty-two people spoke in opposition at the time of the final vote while 20 spoke in favor; yet even the commissioner charged to represent the public voted yes in that unanimous vote.

CABMWs are charged by NRS 501.297 "Duties: Evaluating local opinion and advising Commission. The boards shall solicit and evaluate local opinion and advise the Commission." The public is questioning the CABMWs resounding resolve in the face of public outcry.

Scientific studies across multiple states prove the introduction of legalized bear hunting brings on poaching. A single bear gall bladder can fetch $5000 on the black market. If 20-40 bears can be hunted according to NDoW, is Nevada prepared to lose perhaps up to 50% of our 2-300 bears? We think not.

The Carson Range, where most of the hunting will take place, is home to 11 species found nowhere else in Nevada. The well-studied Great Basin American Pika is declining and will likely be added to the endangered list sometime soon. How will those and other unique animals fair when uncontrolled hounds are let off-leash for hours and hours in the Mt. Rose Wilderness? Not to mention the many trails: Tahoe Rim, Whites/Jones Creek, Relay, Church's Pond, Ophir Creek, Dry Pond and the myriad others that are filled through the hunting season with hikers, bikers, photographers, birders, snowshoers, skiers, snowboarders, trekkers, birders, climbers, sledders, horse riders, dog-walkers, scientists, trail runners, scree riders and scramblers; locals and tourists alike.

There are too many holes in this regulation as it stands. The only way forward is to start over and address the pressing issues of the madding public.

We thank you for your continued thoughtfulness in this hotly contested matter.

Signed,

[Your name]

Press Inquiries