Whether or not the first ever Nevada Black Bear hunt scheduled for Aug 20-Dec 31 will become a reality will be decided in the courtroom............ The advocacy group, NO BEAR HUNT NV has sued the NEVADA BOARD OF WILDLIFE COMMISSIONERS claiming that public notice of the hunt was not posted properly and that the tourism industry could be adversely impacted if a hunter accidently shoots a person instead of a Bear............There were years when NJ blocked their Bear hunt through court maneuverings..........The NJ Supreme Court has ruled in favor of hunts in recent years citing a growing population that now stands a several thousand bruins..............There is not a large Bear population in Nevada so let us see if in fact this hunt becomes a reality or not

Critics decry Nevada's first black bear hunt

BY SCOTT SONNER

-Critics of Nevada's first black bear hunt are worried that with hunters and hikers near Lake Tahoe sharing the same woods, it won't be only bears that get shot.  "Someone could be out hiking the Tahoe Rim Trail with their family and along comes a pack of dogs running across the trail, followed by a guy who comes along with a gun. It's a whole different atmosphere," said Madonna Dunbar, resource conservationist for Incline Village General Improvement District on the lake's north shore. "People are really concerned there will be an accident and someone will get killed," she said.

State wildlife officials have issued 45 licenses and say hunters will be trained so they know where it is safe to shoot, but opponents worried for the safety of tourists and residents have taken their concerns to court. NoBearHuntNV.org filed a lawsuit in June in Carson City District Court to try to block the bear season scheduled to run Aug. 20-Dec. 31. Although 45 licenses were issued, the total harvest is limited to 20 bears, only six of which can be female. Hunters can use dogs, but are prohibited from using bait. It also is illegal to kill a sow accompanied by a cub or to kill a cub.

The lawsuit claims state wildlife commissioners adopted the hunt's regulations illegally because they failed to provide proper public notice or examine the potential negative impact on the local tourism-based economy. But it also raises concerns about safety in an area popular for downhill and cross-country skiing in the winter, and hiking and mountain biking most of the rest of the year.

Bryan L. Stockton, the senior deputy state attorney general representing the Nevada Department of Wildlife in the case, has declined to comment, other than to say his office intends to "defend the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners against the claims made by No Bear Hunt." Stockton noted that the Nevada Department of Wildlife requires hunters to receive training before they can try to bag a bear.