The Nevada Department of Wildlife is a proud member of BearWise®, a program of the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies.

Black bears have been in Nevada long before we lived here, but by the early 1900s they had been extirpated from the state. Conservation efforts and habitat regeneration allowed black bears to begin coming back into Nevada and reinhabit their old stomping grounds. Since the 1980s we have watched Nevada’s bear population in the western part of the state increase dramatically. It is now up to Nevada’s residents and visitors to live and recreate responsibly in bear country!

In this episode of Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones are joined by Game Biologist and Bear Expert Becca Carniello. Becca explains her unique position in the Department, and they discuss solutions to human-caused problems for bears in Nevada and how we can all live with wildlife and what it means to be BearWise.

Find more resources on living with bears and other wildlife here: https://www.ndow.org/learn-discover/wildlife-discovery/living-with-wildlife/

In this week's Nevada Wild podcast, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones are joined by Statewide Boating Education Coordinator Aaron Meier to talk about Operation Dry Water and boating safety. Aaron explains that Operation Dry Water is a national campaign designed to combat boating under the influence (BUI) through increased boat patrols over the three-day weekend. The guys talk about how much fun boating in Nevada can be and outline a few simple steps you can take to stay safe on the water.

In this week’s Nevada Wild podcast, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones are joined by Rendle Taylor and Ken Shoemaker, two Director’s from the Silver Arrow Bowmen Archery Club in Reno, Nevada. Rendle and Ken explain their roles on the board, the current goals of the club, NDOW’s recent investments in the archery range, and how you can get involved. They discuss the June 21-22, 2025, Bowhunter Bonanza, how to register, and the ins and outs of a competitive archery shoot.

In this week's Nevada Wild podcast, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones are joined by Fisheries Biologist Heath Korell to talk about one of everyone's favorite Nevada lakes, Cave Lake. Heath gives a great history lesson dating back to the 1930's and details the dam rebuild project that started in 2019. The guys discuss interesting facts about the area including that the state record brown trout was caught at Cave Lake in 1984! They also talk about the Grand Reopening of Cave Lake on Saturday, June 7 with festivities that include a fish planting, float tube seminar, and a ribbon cutting to commemorate the day.

Thank you for supporting Nevada's wildlife!

In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones are joined by NDOW’s Mountain Goat and Bighorn Sheep Staff Specialist Mike Cox. Mike talks about an exciting project to bring more mountain goats to Nevada earlier this year and gives an update on how well they’re doing overall. He also gives the guys an overview of all three subspecies of bighorn sheep found in Nevada and outlines how the Department is working through a tough drought situation down south.

 

Mike is a wealth of knowledge and is as passionate of a biologist as they come. Make sure to listen to what he has to say on this weeks’ episode.

 

Thank you for supporting Nevada’s wildlife!

In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones are joined by NDOW’s Data and Technology Services Division Administrator Matt Maples. The guys talk about technology and data in the Department, the big game application and draw, bonus points and why they matter, and what makes applying for tags in Nevada unique. They also share some tips and tricks to up your odds of drawing a big game tag this year!

Thank you for supporting Nevada’s wildlife!

In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones are joined by NDOW’s Game Division Administrator Shawn Espinosa to get an overview of the outlook for the upcoming big game hunting season. Shawn speaks to the uptick in quota recommendations for mule deer, antelope, and elk, and shares a bit about the challenges bighorn sheep are facing in Southern Nevada. If you’re applying for big game hunts in Nevada this year, listen in, you might pick up a hot tip or two in this weeks’ episode!

Thank you for supporting Nevada’s wildlife!

In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones are joined by NDOW’s Mule Deer and Antelope Staff Specialist Cody Schroeder to get the latest update on Mule Deer and Antelope in Nevada. Cody talks about deploying mule deer collars across the state, mapping migration corridors and gives the guys an update on how our Mule Deer and Antelope populations are doing throughout the state.

Thank you for supporting Nevada’s wildlife!

In this week's Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones are joined by NDOW’s Elk and Moose Staff Specialist Cody McKee to get the latest update on Elk and Moose in Nevada! Cody tells us about the first-ever Moose collaring project in the Ruby Mountains and shares some interesting information he helped uncover about historical accounts of Elk in Nevada. This is an exciting conversation you won’t want to miss.

If you want to learn more about Moose in Nevada checkout the "Tracking Moose in Nevada" episode Outdoor Nevada here: https://www.pbs.org/video/tracking-moose-in-nevada-p2p6jz/

In this week’s Nevada Wild, Aaron Keller and Bobby Jones are joined by Eastern Nevada Conservation Education Supervisor Julie Gabrielson and Educator Nicole St. John to talk about the long-awaited 10th annual Elko Sportsman’s Expo! The expo is back on Saturday, March 1 and Sunday, March 2 with two days of outdoor related activities and booths presented by NDOW and the Ruby Mountain Rios Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation. Julie and Nicole explains what attendees can expect at this FREE event, why it’s the perfect event to experience with your friends and family, and how it's a great way to connect with the Elko community.