In 1992, Nevada was suffering a multi-year drought. Governor Miller declared a drought disaster for several northern Nevada counties. Shortly after, the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners (NBWC) was set to establish parameters for the upcoming waterfowl hunting season.
Because waterfowl cross state and national borders during migration, they (ducks, geese, swans) are protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Each year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) establishes broad guidelines for season length, bag, and possession limits for the flyway states. Nevada is in the Pacific Flyway.
Individual states within the flyway are expected to set local hunt parameters beneath the umbrella guidelines provided by USFWS. A maximum 90-day hunting season under the guidelines means an individual state, depending on local conditions, could set a hunting season anywhere from 0 to 90 days and be within USFWS guidelines.
The idea is, of course, that USFWS doesn’t want to dictate specific hunt parameters for each individual state. Rather, states are supposed to do the “right thing,” making local determinations dictated by local conditions under the umbrella recommendations from USFWS.
The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) biologists nearly always recommended the longest season length/largest bag and possession limits allowable under federal guidelines. Despite the continued drought, there were few, if any, downward adjustments by NDOW.
After watching this process for several years, I chose the summer of the 1992 Wildlife Commission meeting, when it set the conditions for waterfowl hunting for the following season, to challenge this absurdity. Prior to the meeting, I confirmed my understanding of the issue with USFWS.
As expected, NBWC heard the NDOW biologist recommend the longest season length and the largest bag/possession limits allowable under 1992 USFWS Pacific Flyway guidelines. He ended his presentation by stating the department regarded these recommendations as conservative.