Jay Cassell

Guest Blog: An Update on Nevada's Blue Lakes and Alder Creek Wilderness Study Areas

Dave_Maccar — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 11:19:45 -0500

by Jay Cassell

Last fall, I traveled to northwestern Nevada to report on what was going on with the Blue Lakes and Alder Creek Wilderness Study Areas, as part of Field & Stream’s last Best Wild Places reports, done in conjunction with Trout Unlimited.

While in Nevada, I spent considerable time with Jim Jeffress, the backcountry lands coordinator for the Sportsmen’s Conservation Project of Trout Unlimited. Jeffress, Greg Moore (communications specialist for TU’s Sportsmen’s Conservation Projects), and I flew over the area, then did some on-the-ground inspections.

The Wilderness Act of 1964 directed the Bureau of Land Management to inventory and/or study all roadless areas of 5000 acres or more to see which ones have true wilderness characteristics. In 1977 the BLM started to inventory almost 49 million acres across the country. By 1979, 34 million acres were dropped from the inventory; the remaining 15 million were divided up into intensive wilderness inventory units. In Nevada, the BLM designated 110 wilderness study areas, covering 5.1 million acres, in a report sent to Congress. Until Congress moves forward with a permanent designation or drops any WSAs, these areas will be managed as wilderness.

Jay Cassell Picks The Coolest New Hunting and Outdoor Gadgets, from Survival Kits to Flashlights, from SHOT Show 2011

Dave_Maccar — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 14:38:17 -0500

Guest Post: Hunting Blacktail and Avoiding Bears on Kodiak Island

Dave_Maccar — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 14:51:53 -0500

by Jay Cassell

Field & Stream predicted Nov. 1 to be one of the top seven days to hunt the rut this year. Being a dutiful staff member, I took it upon myself to hunt that day. That Monday, I found myself hiking up an almost vertical cliff off Uyak Bay on Kodiak Island, Alaska. My quarry: blacktail deer. And as you can see, I got a good one: a 185-pound 10-pointer that came out of a thicket, crossed a small meadow, tore up a couple of saplings with this rack, then made the mistake of walking within range of my Model 700.

He was alone, but there’s no doubt he had mating on his mind. Check out the size of his neck!

Best Wild Places: Exploring the Blue Lakes (Day 3)

Dave_Maccar — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 12:29:10 -0400

Deputy Editor Jay Cassell and Greg Moore (Trout Unlimited’s communications specialist for TU’s Sportsmen’s Conservation Projects, spent three days with Jim Jeffress, TU’s Nevada backcountry coordinator, exploring the Blue Lakes – Pine Forest Range in the far northwest corner of Nevada, close to the Oregon line. Here's the report from Day 2.

Blue Lakes are four alpine lakes in the Blue Lakes WSA. It’s an 18-mile off-road drive to reach the parking area, followed by a mile-long mostly uphill hike.

They are incredibly beautiful, with little sign of man using the area. The Pine Forest Working Group’s land-management proposals were unanimously approved by the Humboldt County Commission on October 18, so now it’s up to Nevada’s congressional delegation to take the proposal to Congress for official designation as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System.

Exploring the Blue Lakes: Day Three

Dave_Maccar — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 12:25:29 -0400

Deputy Editor Jay Cassell and Greg Moore, Trout Unlimited’s communications specialist for TU’s Sportsmen’s Conservation Projects, spent three days with Jim Jeffress, TU’s Nevada backcountry coordinator, exploring the Blue Lakes – Pine Forest Range in the far northwest corner of Nevada, close to the Oregon line.

Best Wild Places: Exploring the Blue Lakes (Day 2)

Dave_Maccar — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 14:50:38 -0400

The second day of the tour was two-fold: chukar hunting in the McGee Mountain multiple use area, a 5000-acre piece of property near the Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge; then going to Knott Creek Reservoir for some more trout fishing. Yesterday, I was told that the BLM’s original wilderness inventory was 49 million acres across Nevada.

Exploring the Blue Lakes: Day Two

Dave_Maccar — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 14:45:45 -0400

Best Wild Places: Exploring the Blue Lakes (Day 1)

Dave_Maccar — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 15:12:55 -0400

The first day involved flying over this vast area, with Jeffress pointing out the bodies of water in question, as well as showing us where the current roads and boundaries are.

As we did our fly over, Jeffress explained that the Pine Forest Range holds a combination of wildlife study areas (WSAs). The Wilderness Act of 1964 directed the Bureau of Land Management to inventory and/or study all roadless areas of 5000 acres or more to see which ones have true wilderness characteristics.

Exploring the Blue Lakes: Day One

Dave_Maccar — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 15:03:11 -0400

Photos of New Gear from the 2010 Outdoor Retailer Show

Online Editors — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 14:52:15 -0400