Remember the new NDOW bear hotline

This is a reminder that the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) recently announced the creation of a BEAR hotline to give Northern Nevadans a phone number to report bear problems.

That bear hotline number is (775) 688-BEAR (2327).

The BEAR hotline is wired directly into NDOW's Dispatch Center in Reno.

Normal business hours are 6 a.m. until 11 p.m.

The hotline is for those who have bear problems.

If you have simply sighted bears, or have had your garbage cans tipped over by bears, please be sure to refer to the agency internet website at www.ndow.org, and select "Keep Me Wild" to learn more about how to reduce bear problems by removing attractants, such as garbage, pet food and bird feeders.

"The hotline is designed to be more responsive to bear problems," said Ken Mayer, Director for NDOW.

The Department will make every effort to respond to calls, based on prioritized threat levels.

"We will do our best to respond to calls, but keep in mind that biologists and wardens have other duties as well, such as deer surveys or poaching investigations," said Mayer.

Last year, NDOW personnel handled a total of 1,531 bear complaints, as compared to 350 in 2006.

Consistent with the wildlife conflict policies in other western states, NDOW does not usually set bear traps unless the human-caused attractant has been removed or exclusionary precautions have been taken.

For information, call the Nevada Department of Wildlife at 688-1500 during regular business hours.