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Advisory board trims department quota proposals after lengthy elk, deer debate; Area 10 receives the largest adjustments
Summary
After extensive public comment and biologist presentations, the Elko CAB modified NDOW’s proposed big-game quotas: it recommended a 10% reduction from NDOW’s any‑legal‑weapon recommendations in Areas 6 and 7, reduced Area 10 any‑legal‑weapon early and mid quotas to 500 and the late to 100, and cut Area 10 archery early tags from 600 to 400.
The Elko County Advisory Board debated proposed 2025–26 big‑game quotas for several hours before returning a set of modified recommendations to the Commission.
NDOW presented survey and harvest data showing strong fawn recruitment across the Eastern Region and region‑wide increases in observed fawn ratios; biologists noted the population remains below peak historic levels in many units but that two years of high recruitment followed the severe 2022–2023 winter. Department biologists recommended quota increases that would move several units toward the Commission’s standard objectives.
Public comment was lengthy and sharply focused on Area 6, Area 7 and Area 10. Several residents and guides described seeing far fewer mature bucks in the Ruby Mountains and other areas than in prior decades; others supported moderate quota increases in units that showed clear population rebounds. Tom Donham and other commenters warned that social and habitat changes mean mature trophy bucks may be rarer even if overall counts are up.
After discussion the CAB voted to modify NDOW’s any‑legal‑weapon recommendations as follows (any changes are relative to NDOW’s packet presented at the meeting): - Areas 6 & 7 (any‑legal‑weapon hunts): a 10% decrease from NDOW’s recommended any‑legal‑weapon tag numbers (applies to early and mid seasons where NDOW proposed increases). - Area 10 (any‑legal‑weapon): set early and mid seasons at 500 tags each and the late season at 100 tags (the CAB’s numbers differ from NDOW’s proposal and represent a moderated increase rather than the department’s higher recommended allocation). - Area 10 archery (early): reduced from NDOW’s 600 recommendation to 400 tags.
Board members emphasized that the changes were intended to balance short‑term population recovery with long‑term age‑class objectives and to avoid sudden, large increases that public commenters said could erase recent gains or stress social acceptance of management choices.
The board approved the package by motion and voice vote and instructed staff to forward its recommendations to the Commission. NDOW staff said the Commission will consider the department’s recommendations and advisory input at its upcoming meeting.
