As the legislative session came to a close in Nevada, two bills that were a threat to sportsmen failed to pass in committee and are now dead. Assembly Bill 473 would have banned the use of leg-hold traps and reduced the trap check time to 24 hours, and Senate Bill 487 would have banned coyote-hunting contests.
The trap check provisions in AB 473 would have dissuaded many sportsmen from trapping. Many trappers would fear being unable to check a trap every 24 hours due to terrain or inclement weather, and so would not risk a violation. Likewise, many trappers use the leg-hold trap, which is one of the most commonly used traps in North America, and which is supported by state fish and wildlife agencies, the federal government and Canadian provinces as an effective means to control wildlife populations.
SB 487 would have ended coyote-hunting contests in Nevada at a time when the state is unable to control their population. Just last year the Nevada Department of Wildlife documented more than 1,000 calls regarding coyotes causing a nuisance in urban areas alone. Coyotes are so adaptable they’ve been found frequently in large cities, suburbs and in rural areas. Their unchecked population is a threat to other wildlife, pets, and even potentially public safety.
“We are thankful that both the Senate Natural Resources Committee and the Assembly Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Mining Committee were willing to hear the concerns of sportsmen and women,” said Luke Houghton associate director of state services for Sportsmen’s Alliance. “We’re also very grateful for the work done by both local and national partners in Nevada.”
About the Sportsmen’s Alliance: The Sportsmen’s Alliance protects and defends America’s wildlife conservation programs and the pursuits – hunting, fishing and trapping – that generate the money to pay for them. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation is responsible for public education, legal defense and research. Its mission is accomplished through several distinct programs coordinated to provide the most complete defense capability possible. Stay connected to Sportsmen’s Alliance: Online, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.