2nd week of July We headed up to Key Pittman to cut down some cattails. We had so many hard working people show up we ended up not only cutting some cattails but installing 6 new goose nesting boxes, working on every blind and planting 50 pounds of mix feed grain seeds. All of that before 11 AM. Thanks to Andrew, the WMA manager, we were able to add some new projects on the fly. We are lucky to have great volunteers and government partners working with us to improve habitat throughout the state.
1st week in May, WHIN went to Pine Spring to check on the water flow and the condition of the stock tank, float and water supply line. This spring has always been a low flow spring. The water flow was normal, and the float was in good working order. So was the water trough and water line. Cattle have been a serious problem for this water source. The steel corral was donated by a local construction company, who wishes to remain anonymous. They also provided all the time and labor to secure this water source.
2 week of April at the Overton WMA, Waterfowl were captured using cannon or rocket nets at natural feeding areas or at sites where birds have been attracted with bait. The Ducks were then Banded. One of the primary motivations for banding ducks was to identify the wintering areas and migration routes used by ducks. Band recovery distributions during the past fifty years are the foundation of the familiar flyways-based management system that we use today.
2nd weekend in march we were busy installing 10 wood duck nesting boxes in the Alamo area in southeastern Nevada. We had a great volunteer turnout with several clubs joining in, including the Las Vegas Retriever Club and the Las Vegas Woods and Waters Club. Man-made nesting boxes have been an important means of increasing wood duck populations going back at least to the 1930s and the rise of modern, conservation-based wildlife management.
4th Weekend in February at Key-pitman Wildlife management Area, a group kayaked a boated to all the nesting boxes and prepped them for the nesting season. Loose vegetation is the most common material used in structures. Loose vegetation must be protected from wind loss in most types of structures. The Nesting material was secured with hemp cord.
2nd weekend in February: 60 youth hunters and their mentors joined for a Youth Waterfowl Hunt held at the Overton Wildlife Management Area outside of Las Vegas. In addition to a fun day outdoors, the hunters each received a duck call and gear awarded through a drawing. One Lucky kid went home with an Armscor shotgun presented by Shawn Fairbairn, Armscor manager. WHIN donated money to help fund this event.