Revises provisions relating to wildlife. (BDR 45-113)
Summary
SB235 revises Nevada wildlife law to create a narrow exception to the state’s tag requirement for certain wildlife parts. Under current law, possessing wildlife species or parts of species that require tags is generally unlawful unless the correct tag is attached or validated. This bill allows a person to take, without obtaining a tag, shed antlers, a skull or head with or without antlers or horns attached, or bones from the carcass of any wildlife species for which a tag is required, so long as the activity is for non-commercial purposes and the part is exposed or is dry bone resulting from natural processes such as scavenging, decomposition, or weathering.
The bill is aimed at clarifying that naturally shed or naturally exposed remains may be collected without being treated as illegally taken game, while leaving the broader tag-and-possession rules intact for hunted wildlife and other regulated parts. It does not change licensing requirements generally, but it does carve out a specific exception in NRS 502.150 for shed antlers and certain skulls, heads, and bones.
Impact
SB235 amends NRS 502.150, the statute governing possession of wildlife species and parts when tags are required, by adding subsection 4’s exception for non-commercial collection of shed antlers, skulls/heads, and bones from naturally exposed or weathered carcasses. The practical effect is to reduce the risk that people collecting naturally shed or scavenged wildlife remains will be presumed to possess illegally taken game, while preserving enforcement authority over tagged wildlife, fur-bearing mammals, and other regulated wildlife parts not covered by the exception.
Sentiment
The available voting record shows strong bipartisan support and no recorded opposition: the Senate passed the bill 21-0 and the Assembly passed it 42-0. With no committee transcript provided, the overall sentiment appears favorable and noncontroversial, suggesting lawmakers viewed the measure as a limited clarification of wildlife possession rules rather than a major policy shift.
Contention
No specific points of contention are reflected in the provided materials. The main policy boundary in the bill is between non-commercial collection of naturally shed or exposed remains, which is allowed, and commercial use or possession of other wildlife parts, which remains governed by existing tag requirements. Any concern would likely center on enforcement and distinguishing lawful collection from unlawful possession, but no opposition is shown in the votes or context.