Nevada bill would require hunters to retrieve edible portions of bears and mountain lions

Senate Bill 101 would require licensed hunters who take bears or mountain lions to retrieve the edible portions of the animals rather than leaving those parts in the field, sponsor Sen. Skip Daley said during a hearing of the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources.

The bill’s sponsor and supporters said the measure aims to make bears and mountain lions consistent with other big-game mammals under Nevada law and with long-standing wildlife-management principles. The bill directs the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners and the Division of Wildlife to update regulations to reflect the change, while leaving details such as the formal definition of “edible portions” to regulation.

Supporters told the committee the change is intended to prevent “wanton waste” — the practice of taking trophies or parts while leaving meat to spoil — and to align state law with the North American model of wildlife management. Kyle Davis of the Coalition for Nevada’s Wildlife said the bill applies only when a hunter holds a tag for a species; it does not apply to animals shot in depredation situations or animals struck by vehicles.

Committee members asked about public health and practical implications. Vice Chair LaRue Hatch and Assemblywoman Hansen raised concerns about trichinosis and other parasites in carnivore meat and whether requiring retrieval would encourage consumption or create new safety hazards. Witnesses and proponents replied that (1) the Nevada Administrative Code already defines “edible portions” for other big game (the testimony identified back straps and the four quarters as the commonly accepted portions), (2) the bill would not require a hunter to consume the meat, and (3) donated or alternative uses for meat remain options.

Proponents acknowledged practical challenges — for example, a hunter who retrieves meat and later discards it at home could create a different form of waste — but said the policy choice in Nevada, like in many U.S. jurisdictions and Canada, is to require retrieval when hunting is a regulated, permitted activity. No formal vote was taken in the committee hearing.

The hearing record shows supporters including the Coalition for Nevada’s Wildlife, the Great Basin Wildlife Conservancy and the Board of Wildlife Commissioners. No opposition callers or written opponents testified at the hearing.

The bill moves forward as a hearing item; the Wildlife Commission will be asked to amend regulations to conform with the statutory change if the Legislature enacts the measure.