Wildlife Profile / Snakes of Nevada
Snakes of Nevada Sidewinder Named for its side-winding locomotion, it is Nevada’s smallest rattlesnake, reaching up to 31 inches in length. Primarily inhabiting valleys and bajadas, a series of backward J or S shapes left in loose sand indicates one has passed by. It will partially or nearly completely bury itself in loose sand or gravel when at rest. It is sometimes referred to as the “horned rattler” because of the modified scales above its eyes. Mohave Also called the Mohave Green, this snake mainly...
read moreBertha Raffetto
Read the story about how the Nevada state song - 'Home Means Nevada' - came to be written by Bertha Raffetto on May 29th, 1949. A recollection in the composer's own words.
read moreDick Graves, Gaming Pioneer
DICK GRAVES, NORTHERN NEVADA GAMING PIONEER Although John Ascuaga has been a gaming innovator in his own right, John has been given credit for many gaming innovation that Dick Graves should be given credit for. Richard “Dick” Graves was a native of Idaho where he owned a slot route, but when Idaho outlawed gambling, Dick moved to Reno and bought a partnership in The Nugget on South Virginia Street and he also opened the first casino in Yerrington. Graves purchased a 60 stool cafe in Sparks and installed 50 slot...
read moreWildlife Profile / Sage Grouse
Sage Grouse SCIENTIFIC NAME: Centrocercus urophasianus CLASSIFICATION: Small game bird SIZE: Up to 8 pounds – 26-30″ DESCRIPTION: Sage grouse are the largest of the North American grouse species. The throat is black with a white collar; yellow-orange eyebrow. Spike-like tail feathers are fanned out in the mating ritual. Immature birds and females have mottled brown throat and breast. These birds blend in well with Nevada’s muted landscape. LIFE SPAN : 1 to 6 years HABITAT: Found in foothills, plains and...
read morePat McCarran
We have named roads and airports in his honor, but most Nevadans don’t know who Pat McCarran was. I have heard and read many stories about Pat McCarran over the years; I hope the stories you are about to read will give you an insight to who and what Pat McCarran was.
read moreWildlife Profile / Mule Deer
Mule Deer SCIENTIFIC NAME: Odocoileus hemionus CLASSIFICATION: Big game mammal SIZE: Weight: 125-330 lbs. Length with tail: 50-85″ Shoulder Height: 3-3.5″ DESCRIPTION: The mule deer has large ears (like those of a mule) and tan to reddish brown fur in summer, grayish brown in winter with a white rump patch and a narrow black-tipped tail. It holds its tail down when it runs, unlike its cousin the white-tailed deer. Antlers, found only on bucks, are bones that begin growing in late winter and will reach full growth...
read moreWildlife Profile / Desert Tortoise
Nevada’s Desert Tortoise SCIENTIFIC NAME: Gopherus agassizii CLASSIFICATION: Reptile – lizard SIZE: Adult carapace length – 20 to 36 centimeters Adult weight – 10 to 17 pounds DESCRIPTION: The brown carapace, or top part of the shell, is highly domed and flattened dorsally with prominent growth lines. The plastron, or bottom part of the shell, is yellowish. Thick, scaly limbs, the tail, and the head can be pulled inside the shell. The hind limbs are elephant-like and the forelimbs are shovel-like for digging....
read moreBing Crosby, A True Nevadan
Most people knew Bing Crosby as a famous singer and actor, perhaps best remembered for his beautiful version of “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas.” But most don’t know that Bing Crosby was an avid hunter and fly fisherman, and even fewer knew him as an Elko cattle and horse rancher.
read morePyramid Lake’s ‘Stone Mother’
The Stone Mother is crying again, not for herself, but she cries for Nevada that is losing the very thing that attracted people to her in the first place and that is, a people that had respect for themselves, for others and for Nevada. Those days seem to be eroding with every increase in population. Read on to discover the story of the Stone Mother...
read moreWildlife Profile / Pygmy Rabbit
Scientific Name: Brachylagus idahoensis Classification: small mammal Size: Body length – about 9 to 11 ½ inches Weight – approximately 1 pound Description: The fur is brown to slate gray in color, depending on the season. The ears are short with a white margin, and the tail is small. Life span: Seven to ten years Habitat: The pygmy rabbit is found in shrubland habitats, typically in dense stands of old-growth sagebrush. It digs burrows in deep, loose soil. Range: Pygmy rabbits have a patchy distribution within the Great Basin....
read moreAbout Me
Martin T. Smith was born and raised in a small town three miles from Shasta Lake. Although he came to Nevada for the summer of 1971, to earn money to begin college; he did not become an adopted Nevadan until 1981...read more