Regional Hunters Come To M.V. For Dove Hunt Opening
September 7th, 2011 | 
Author: By Vernon Robison
Moapa Valley Progress
Dustin Winschel (left) and Pat Tantalo (right), both of Las Vegas, came out early on Thursday morning last week to the Overton Wildlife Management Area for opening day of the Dove Hunt. Photo by Vernon Robison.
The hunting season got started last week as the dove hunt began on September 1. On that day , local residents woke to cool morning temperatures and the sounds of shotgun fire. Hunters took to the fields scaring up the small birds; many taking their limit.
Some of the best dove hunting took place in the Overton Wildlife Management Area (OWMA) south of Overton. Hunters came from all over the southern Nevada region to spend the opening day at OWMA.
OWMA staff held a drawing on Monday, August 29 to determine the first 50 hunters allowed into the Area with reservation cards on opening day. Over 80 hunters arrived early to hunt that morning, said OWMA Supervisor, Tim Wood. Only 60 hunters were allowed onto the Management area at a time for safety reasons. But as hunters reached their limits and checked out, those on standby were allowed in through much of the morning.
The first day of the hunt went smoothly. Wood reported only one minor injury which occurred during the morning hunt. One of the hunters caught some stray shot from a hunter’s gun.
“We only had one person shot,” Wood said. “It was a case where people were being a little careless and shooting low rather than up above eye level. But it wasn’t too serious. We patched him up and he went right back out to hunt.”
Posted in Sports and Recreation
One Response to “Regional Hunters Come To M.V. For Dove Hunt Opening”
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It is rather concerning that a hunting accident occurred where OWMA officials are monitoring and limiting the amount of hunters in the protected area. Who monitors the countless hunters invading the open spaces and thick brush areas near our homes and schools? Our children walk through these areas to get to school at prime hunting times, something they have no choice in. There seems to be little to no monitoring of this or concern for public safety by officials. When speaking with the local police department, I was told the hunters have a right to hunt in these open spaces. What about our children’s right to get to school safely. Shouldn’t that be a right worth protecting? This is an accident waiting to happen. I’m sure there have been incidents and close calls in the past never reported. For instance, during quail season, a friend came across a hunter while on horse back and nearly was thrown from her horse when the hunter did not see or hear her coming. The brush in many areas is so thick and high you can’t see anyone around you, not even a rider on top of their horse. The hunter in the Progress story sights carelessness as the cause of the hunting accident in the OWMA. That the hunter was shooting too low to the ground rather than above eye level. Well, a horses rider would be above eye level, so there is a risk regardless. Also, in the article it mentions people coming from all over Nevada to hunt here. Are these out of towners aware of the areas most traveled by our children? It is my hope that the rights of Moapa Valley residents and their children are taken into consideration and public safety given first priority by more closely monitoring hunting done near homes and schools.