Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Predation Management topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Lyon County board urges tighter predation‑contract standards after high‑cost removals cited
Summary
Board members questioned predation program procurement after a cited instance where a contractor was allegedly paid $100,000 for killing seven coyotes, and recommended minimum performance standards for future contracts and targeted removal approaches.
At the April 30 Lyon County Wildlife Advisory Board meeting, members raised concerns about contractor performance and budget oversight in predation management projects and recommended that future contracts include minimum performance standards.
Board discussion noted the FY27 predation plan budget had been submitted by the May 1 deadline, but members pointed to an earlier project (possibly FY26) in the Ely area where a contractor was reported to have been paid about $100,000 while removing only seven coyotes. Members said this raised questions about value, oversight and how success is measured when public funds are involved.
Members favored a shift toward targeted removals and improved interagency communication, including use of USDA Wildlife Services alongside private contractors. Bounty programs were noted as historically rejected by the commission for social reasons; the board discussed limited volunteer partnerships but did not advance any bounty model.
The board voted to forward the Draft Fiscal Year 2027 Predation Management Plan and related NBWC items to the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners and recommended that future contracts articulate minimum performance standards and clearer deliverables.
No documentary evidence of the contractor payment or outcomes was introduced at the meeting; the concern was raised during CAB discussion and will require verification by NDOW and procurement records.
