Hunters will be given longer to turn in their harvest return card questionnaires after a recent change made by the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners.

Commissioners acted in August to allow hunters until Jan. 31 of each year to report their animal harvest from the previous hunt season. It was formerly 15 weekdays after the close of each season.

"As a courtesy to hunters and to raise our return rate it made sense to return to one simple deadline," said Mike Cox, big game biologist for the Nevada Department of Wildlife.

The new deadline is 5p.m.Jan. 31 following the close of the season for which the tag was issued, or the next business day should Jan, 31 fall on a weekend. This new deadline applies to all 2007 big game hunts. Hunters - this supersedes the deadline printed on your tag.

The department uses the data collected from big game questionnaires to accurately account for harvest from each herd. This allows department biologists to track population levels and set appropriate tag quotas and season structure.

Questionnaires can be submitted online at huntnevada.com.