Wildlife commission

Deer tags were reduced from 17,316 in 2002 to 14,788 this year.

NDOW biologists has proposed allocating a total of 15,632 tags.

The 1131 (any legal weapon) resident buck hunt was particularly hard-hit with a reduction of nearly 1,800 tags from last year's quota of 9,984 to 8,188 for the up-coming season.

Much of the decrease in deer tags over the past couple of years has occurred in management areas No. 6 and No. 7 in Northeast Nevada, where deer populations are still reeling from the impact of a harsh winter that hit two years ago.

The commission approved an increase of Pronghorn Antelope tags by nearly 200 tags to 1,820.

The state's elk population is also doing extremely well. While elk herds continue to grow, hunters are reaping the benefits and will enjoy a 19 percent increase in tags for 2003.

Much of that increase will be in cow rifle tags, hiked from 751, last year, to 1,075.

Desert Bighorn Sheep tags have dropped from 122, last year, to 115 in 2003.

The quota for Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep has been doubled from last year to six tags.

Mountain Goat tags increased by one tag this year to 22.

Commissioners allocated 33 resident and four non-resident California Bighorn Sheep tags