Artificial water developments, or guzzlers as they're commonly called, literally blanket Nevada.

And with almost 1,600 guzzlers statewide to keep track of, the Nevada Department of Wildlife needs all the help it can get to properly maintain these devices that are critical to the survival of the state's wildlife.

Now with the creation of the NDOW guzzler maintenance hotline at 1-775-688-1537, Nevada sportsmen can lend a hand by reporting any guzzler problems they see while afield.

Guzzlers are metal structures built in suitable wildlife habitats to provide an additional source of water for all types of wildlife.

The structure collects snowmelt and rainwater and stores it in tanks, which then feed the water to a drinker that can be accessed by wildlife.

Nevada's 332 large guzzlers, designed for big game like deer, bighorn sheep and antelope, have a 3,600 gallon capacity, while 1,232 small guzzlers, favored by upland game like chukar, sage grouse and rabbits have a 325 gallon capacity.

Lack of water can sometimes lead wildlife to turn away from quality Nevada habitats that would otherwise suit their needs. Guzzlers allow Nevada's wildlife to take advantage of this otherwise suitable habitat.