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Advisory board discusses tightening of master‑guide agreements for Forest Service hunts
Summary
The board heard Department of Wildlife staff and outfitters describe proposed clarifications to ‘master guide’ agreements used on Forest Service ground so nonresident guides cannot use another guide’s permit to run independent guided hunts; the board took no formal position.
Elko County’s advisory board discussed a proposed tightening of master‑guide agreements that govern how one master guide may allow another guide to operate under a forest permit for guided hunts on federal lands.
Department of Wildlife staff and local outfitters described the change as a clarification of long‑standing ambiguity. Under the proposed change, a master guide who agrees to allow another master guide to operate on his permit would require that visiting guides act as sub‑guides under the permit holder and fill out sub‑guide paperwork, rather than running independent contracts under the host permit.
Henry Krenker, speaking for outfitters and guides, said the change aims to stop situations in which a guide without a permit booked clients and then attempted to operate under a host guide’s permit. Department staff said the change would apply to Forest Service and National Park lands; Bureau of Land Management lands were noted to be different because BLM allows any paid guide to operate on its lands.
Jason Jackson of the Department of Wildlife and other agency staff said the current master‑guide paperwork requires minimal review and is easily notarized, creating little administrative barrier. Department staff said Captain Kramer had been asked to tighten and clarify the language to prevent permit misuse; the change would require sub‑guides to be listed and to fill out the same paperwork as other sub‑guides, and would prevent master guides without the designated area from independently applying within that master guide’s Forest Service permit.
Board members said the department’s presentation clarified the problem but left open details about implementation and enforcement. Because the proposed changes originate with the state commission and federal land managers and because no draft regulatory language was provided to the board, members declined to take a formal position and asked for additional details before considering advisory action.
No motion or formal recommendation was made at the meeting.
