Ruby Mountain Deer Herd

[greyghost]

I am sure most are aware of this story but if not here is a link.
http://www.rgj.com/story/news/2015/...-threaten-nevadas-largest-deer-herd/21504825/

 

[Wiszard]

That's not good.....

Cancer doesn't discriminate...don't take your good health for granted because it can be gone in a heartbeat. Please go back and read the last line. This time really understand what it says.

 

[powwowgirl]

LAST EDITED ON Jan-16-15 AT 02:33AM (MST)[p]I have seen the Bald Mountain mine destroying the mule deer in Ruby Mountains for quiet some time now. PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!

EVERYONE WHO READS THIS PLEASE GO ONLINE AND SIGN THE PETITION TO SAVE THE LARGEST DEER HERD IN NEVADA. ALSO WRITE YOUR REPRESENTATIVES THIS IS NO TIME TO BE POLITICALLY LAZY. CANADIAN/UK BARRICK IS COUNTING ON US NOT TO FIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[sagebrush]

Far better to work with the mine than dig in your heels against them. You might get steamrolled and get nothing for the deer. We have had good success in AZ creating travel corridors for deer, elk and even big horn sheep. It takes them one year to learn the new routes and then its back to routine movement.

By working with the mine, you might be able to get them to spend the money necessary for mitigation. If you try to completely stop their expansion and they win, you may get nothing. I know it seems counterintuitive to align sportsmen with mining but it usually works out for the best.

This issue will not be sportsmen against the mine. You will have politicians, local business and people looking for work also against you.

Best of luck to you and your deer herd. I've never hunted the Rubies but have hunted other areas in NV many times. You have a very special environment for mule deer and a Department of Wildlife that tries hard to help them.

 

[powwowgirl]

You must be from Canada!!!! Do you really think a multinational corporation gives a DAMM about Nevada or it's mule deer? Barrick already stated that they refused to pay for impacts of loss winter range in areas to be destroyed by mining activity or include recent collaring data collected by the Nevada Department of Wildlife. Barrick also refuses to consider operational changes in the event future data indicates serious impact are occurring. This also includes our hunting harvest questionaires. WORK WITH THEM, HA! HA! ITS TIME TO FIGHT!!!!!!!

 

[HEVISHOT]

Yep Nevadans get screwed. Foreign companies continue to get rich of Nevada's precious metals.

 

[NECALI]

And evryone said the Ruby deer herd is way down, whyyy fish and game says the herd is at 24,000 animals. Are they trying to cover up the decline or was it that much larger a few years ago?

 

[Buckfever]

Here is a graph from NDOW. It shows that all deer herds are down from "historical" numbers. There are many reasons for this decline but the major one is climate with habitat degradation being a close second. I think a lot of people want to compare today's populations with the late 80's, but the 80's experienced some great winters and allowed the population to reach a high that is unattainable given the recent winters we have been having.

 

[Buckfever]

Here is a link to the Coalition for Nevada's Wildlife standpoint on the issue. Anyone who is concerned with the expansion should read this as a good overview.

http://nevadabighornsunlimited.org/assets/MineExpansionThreatensRubyMuleDeer.pdf

 

[Buckfever]

Here is a graph that NDOW published in 2003. It shows that our overall deer herd is down from "historical" numbers, not just the Ruby Mountains. There are several reasons for this reduction in population. Arguably the most significant is climate, with habitat degredation being a close second. I think a lot of people would look at this graph and compare our herd to what we had in the late 80's. The late 80's experienced some exceptional winters that allowed deer populations to rise to a level that is simply unattainable given our recently mild winters. I've also included a link to the Coalition for Nevada's Wildlife's standpoint on the mine expansion issue. There is some good information and it is definitely worth the read if you have an interest in the issue.

http://nevadabighornsunlimited.org/assets/MineExpansionThreatensRubyMuleDeer.pdf