Churchill County board delays action on predation management plan pending progress reports

The Churchill County Wildlife Advisory Board voted to request progress and completion reports for six projects under the draft fiscal year 2026 predation management plan and then voted to take no action on the plan until those reports are provided.

Board members and public commenters questioned the effectiveness and accounting of funds that come from a $3 predator-management surcharge paid by sportsmen. One commenter said he had seen large expenditures without clear evidence of outcomes: “We’re upwards of $1,600,000 on Raven control in 15 years, 16 years,” a resident said, and later asked, “Where’s the data that says any of this is being useful?”

Speakers discussed how the $3 fee is allocated. A board member summarized recent legislative changes that let sportsmen select whether their fee money go to lethal predator control or habitat and research, and described roughly how funds are accumulated until they reach project thresholds. The board agreed it could formally request completion and progress reports from the Nevada Department of Wildlife for the six named projects so members could evaluate effectiveness before approving the FY2026 plan.

The first motion — to request the progress reports for the six projects — passed by voice vote. The board later approved a separate motion to take no action on the predation management plan until the requested reports are received. Members discussed the difficulty of linking predator removals to wildlife-population outcomes, but agreed reports and measurable project goals would be necessary for approval.

The board said it expects to pursue those reports through a formal letter and to consider the matter at future meetings.