Nevada Department of Wildlife

Hunting season may still be months away, but there's plenty to dream about.

Dream Tags are still on sale, offering hunters another opportunity at some of Nevada's most coveted big game hunting opportunities while helping fund wildlife habitat projects across the state.

Dream Tag chances are available through June 29.

Learn more at nvdreamtag.org.

🐟 Fish Friday: Mountain Whitefish

Don't let the name fool you — mountain whitefish are members of the salmon and trout family and are native to many of Nevada's cold-water rivers and streams.

Mountain whitefish are easily identified by their slender silver bodies, small mouths, and deeply forked tails.

We'd love to see your catches. Submit your fishing photos for a chance to be featured on NDOW's social media channels: ndow.org/photo-submission/

If you’re heading outdoors today to celebrate International Picnic Day, remember — you’re not the only one looking for a snack. 👀🐻

From bears and ravens to squirrels, geese and even ants, Nevada wildlife is always on the lookout for an easy meal. Help keep wildlife wild by:
• Packing out all trash
• Never feeding wildlife
• Keeping food secured and attended
• Cleaning up crumbs and leftovers

Enjoy the sunshine, make some memories and picnic responsibly. ☀️🌲

PACK IT IN. PACK IT OUT. KEEP WILDLIFE WILD.

What’s in your backyard?
The short-eared owl is a mid-sized hunter with bright yellow eyes, bold white facial markings, and mottled brown-and-cream plumage. Despite its name, its tiny feather tufts, called plumicorns, aren’t actually ears. One of the world’s most widespread owls, it inhabits open landscapes ranging from prairies and marshes to tundra, often seen gliding low over fields in search of mice, voles, and rabbits. Though not commonly encountered in Nevada, lucky observers may spot one hovering gracefully above the landscape. The species is also remarkable for nesting on the ground, where it employs an unexpected defense. If threatened, it may defecate on its eggs, creating a foul odor that helps deter would-be predators.

To learn more about living with Nevada’s wildlife, check out these resources: https://www.ndow.org/learn-discover/wildlife-discovery/living-with-wildlife/

The Washoe County Advisory Board to Manage Wildlife meeting scheduled for this evening, June 18, has been canceled.

We appreciate your understanding.

For information on future County Advisory Board meetings, please visit: https://nvboardofwildlife.org/

Southern Nevada boaters and anyone planning to recreate on the Colorado River are invited to join NDOW and our boating safety partners at the Operation Dry Water Boater Outreach and Education Event on June 30 at London Bridge Beach in Lake Havasu City.

NDOW staff will be on hand with boating and paddle craft safety information, educational materials and giveaways. Stop by to learn how to boat safely, wear your life jacket, and help make Nevada and Colorado River waterways safer for everyone.

📍 London Bridge Beach, Lake Havasu City
📅 June 30
⏰ 8 a.m.–12 p.m.

Meet one of NDOW’s most unique wildlife management tools: Karelian Bear Dogs. 🐻🐕

These fearless dogs help keep Nevada’s black bears wild through a non-lethal technique called “aversive conditioning.”

When bears become too comfortable in neighborhoods or around people, NDOW biologists use specially trained Karelian Bear Dogs to chase, bark at and haze the bears away from developed areas. The goal? Give bears a negative experience around humans and barking dogs so they maintain their natural fear of people and return to foraging in the wild.

Nevada’s Karelian Bear Dog program began in 2001 with the department’s first dog, Stryker, making NDOW one of the first agencies in North America to use the breed in bear management.

Originally bred in the Karelia region between Finland and Russia, these dogs were developed to hunt large game like bears and moose. Their fearless instincts, relentless energy and natural ability to work bears on the ground make them uniquely suited for wildlife hazing work.

NDOW primarily uses Karelian Bear Dogs during bear releases, but they also assist with flushing bears from urban dens, hazing wildlife in public settings, locating injured or orphaned bears and supporting bear research efforts.

Programs like this help reduce human-bear conflicts and can prevent bears from having to be destroyed.

📞 To report bear activity in Northern Nevada, call the NDOW Bear Hotline at 775-688-BEAR (2327).

🐻 Learn how to live responsibly in bear country here: ndow.org/blog/living-with-bears/