Dear Members,

Well, it’s right in the heart of the time of year most of us live for, and I hope your hunting experiences have been as good as mine so far. This is truly a great time to enjoy Nevada’s outdoors.

I would like to first congratulate NBU director Caleb McAdoo for his recent selection as the NDOW unit 10 big game biologist. He was selected from many well qualified candidates. Caleb will soon be resigning his board position with NBU, but our loss is definitely NDOW’s and Nevada’s wildlife gain. Caleb is an outstanding young man who has made a major impact during his tenure on the board. Good luck Caleb!

I recently attended a news conference with the Wild Sheep Foundation at which they announced the return of their convention to Reno for the next three years. This indeed is great news to have the “Sheep Show” back after an extended absence. NBU has reestablished a close relationship with WSF and will be very involved with the convention and likewise WSF will be involved with our banquet. They will also be offering this year’s renewing members of NBU a free one year membership in WSF which is required to attend the “Sheep Show.” The 2010 dates are February 4th-6th at the Reno- Sparks Convention Center. Welcome back WSF!

Speaking of our banquet, it is coming up rapidly on Friday, April 9th, at the Peppermill. This will mark our 30th anniversary. We are planning a very special event to mark that milestone. Besides the three heritage tags, desert bighorn, California bighorn, and Rocky Mountain elk, we also have several special raffle prizes and auction items that are affordable to all that attend. With the increased seating capacity at the Peppermill, we can accommodate over 400 more people than past events. So, if you have never attended, or it has been awhile, there will be a great opportunity to attend the event you don’t want to miss. If you would like information about tickets please contact us through the web site at www.nevadabighornsunlimited.org, the NBU office (775) 323-1177, or any director.

Our new website is up and operational and we will be making improvements on an ongoing basis. One of the new features is the ability to e-mail us through the “Contact Us” link or info@ nevadabighornsunlimited.org . You can use that to ask questions, make comments, volunteer for upcoming projects, and buy tickets or make donations for the upcoming banquet. I would like to thank NBU director Jeff Turnipseed for his tireless work of getting the improvements done to our website. Since we have no paid employees 99% of the work required to run the organization is done by our directors and volunteers. Check it out, I think you will like it.

We have two new Golden Ram Life members. Teal Melby is our youngest ever life member at age 19. She and her family purchased the Golden Ram Life Member Barbeque at the 2009 banquet. Teal is a very extraordinary young woman and living proof that when you take your kids hunting, they develop strong values and appreciation for wildlife. It is great to see that kind of passion in our next generation. Steve Kellers is a superstar volunteer and a stalwart of our guzzler crew. Thank you Teal and Steve for your commitment to NBU and Nevada’s wildlife!

Membership renewal notices were recently mailed out. Please renew your membership as it really helps us make a big difference, and this year you will get a free $45.00 annual membership in the Wild Sheep Foundation. Also consider one of our three life member options. Remember our lifetime memberships can be paid in three convenient installments. I look forward to seeing you all at the banquet.

Sincerely,
Mike Bertoldi
mike@mikebertoldi.com