New Or Noteworthy For This Year

Nevada's Desert Bighorn Sheep Breakdown

Nevada's California Bighorn Sheep Breakdown

Nevada's Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep Breakdown

Nevada's Rocky Mountain Goat Breakdown

Nevada's Moose Breakdown

Nevada's 2026 bighorn sheep, mountain goat, and moose application overview

Note: The application deadline for all Nevada species is May 13, 2026, by 11:00 p.m. PT. You can apply online here.

State Information

To view important information and an overview of Nevada’s rules/regulations, the draw system and bonus points, tag and license fees, and an interactive boundary line map, check out our State Profile. You can also view the Species Profiles to access historical and statistical data to help you find trophy units.

Nevada is a fairly easy state to apply to. You will need to create an online account if you have not done so previously. That can be done by going here.

Important dates and information

*Applicants who want to build bonus points if they are unsuccessful in the draw will need to purchase a hunting license or hunt/fish combo license. If they do not purchase the hunting license, they will not be given a bonus point. Tag fees will only be charged if you are successful in the draw. You do not have to front tag fees when you apply.

The draw system

Understanding the draw

Nevada has a random weighted bonus point draw system. Every applicant who applies has a chance to draw the tags they applied for; however, bonus points increase the chances of success in drawing a tag. The Nevada tag quota split for residents and nonresidents is approximately a 90/10 split. 

Bonus points

Resident applicants can apply for desert (Nelson) bighorn ram, desert (Nelson) ewe, California bighorn ram, Rocky Mountain bighorn ram, Rocky Mountain goat, and desert (Nelson) management ram. Every hunt is a separate application. The desert (Nelson) management ram tags are not allocated on a point system. The draw for management ram tags is completely random. The others are all allocated under a random squared bonus point system. 

Nonresident applicants can apply for desert (Nelson) bighorn ram, desert (Nelson) ewe, California bighorn ram, and Rocky Mountain goat. These hunts are all separate applications with their own bonus points. 

Nevada has a bonus point system where applicants will receive one bonus point for each year they apply and are unsuccessful in the draw. You must buy a hunting license when you apply if you wish to receive a bonus point after the draw. Applicants who do buy the hunting license will not receive a bonus point. Bonus points are species-specific. For example, you cannot apply bonus points you have accrued for elk towards a bighorn sheep application. Applicants can apply for bonus points only if they do not want to select hunts. We recommend that applicants apply for hunts and not points only. Remember that the draw is random and the odds are low, and you will receive a point if you are unsuccessful in the draw. 

The only reason not to apply for hunts is if you cannot afford the cost of the tag, should you draw it, or the time off from work. 

Bonus points are squared in the draw. For example, if you have five bonus points, you will have 26 chances in the draw (5 x 5 + 1 (this year’s application) = 26). If an applicant draws a tag or fails to apply for two consecutive years, the bonus points will be purged.

The draw is conducted by a third party company. A random number generator assigns each “chance” a new random number. The lowest random number generated then becomes the application draw number. They will begin with the lowest random number applicant and begin awarding tags, moving up in ascending order.

Hunt choices

Applicants can apply for up to five choices when they apply. When an application is considered in the draw, the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) will attempt to allocate the first choice. If all permits are gone for that hunt, they will attempt to allocate the second choice. If all tags are gone for your second choice, they will attempt to award you a tag for your third choice. They continue through all five hunt choices before moving to the next applicant. Thus, applicants could draw any of their five hunt choices. Due to this process, applicants should include hunts for all five choices to increase their chances of drawing a tag. Also, applicants should stagger their hunt choices from the best hunt (worst odds) to better odds (decent hunt). If you were to apply inversely (best odds to worst odds), you are essentially wasting your latter hunt choices.

Group applications

Nevada does not allow group applications for bighorn sheep, mountain goat or moose. 

Draw order

The draw will be conducted in the following order:

The draw order allows applicants to apply for all species and sex that they wish to hunt without the issue of drawing a lower-tiered tag. Applicants are only allowed to draw a single tag for each species. 

Surrendering tags

Within seven days of the results of the draw, applicants who successfully drew a tag can choose to electronically return their tag. Hunters with tags can also turn them back in up to one day prior to the start of the season. In this case, they will retain their bonus points and gain one for this year’s application.

Secondary draw

Any remaining tags after the main draw will become available in a second drawing to both residents and nonresidents. If you apply and draw a tag in the second drawing, your bonus points will be purged. Online applications for the second draw are due by 11 p.m. PT on June 15, 2026. 

Leftover and returned tag process

All mule deer, antelope, black bear, elk, mountain goat, and bighorn sheep tags that remain after the secondary draw and any returned tags that have not been claimed by an eligible alternate will be listed and sold on a first-come, first-served basis through the NDOW licensing system. The first come, first served program generally opens in early July. Bonus points will be purged if you purchase a leftover or returned tag. 

As previously stated, applicants who drew a tag can return their tags up until one day prior to their hunt starting. If the tag is not accepted by an alternate, it will be listed randomly on the first come, first served list and be up for potential purchase. In order to purchase a resident returned tag, you must be a resident of Nevada. A nonresident of Nevada can only purchase a tag that was originally drawn and returned by a nonresident.

Unlocking Nevada's system

Nevada should be considered a long-term goal for drawing bighorn sheep and mountain goat tags. The key to drawing a tag is to keep applying. Applying in Nevada is a cost/value analysis. It is expensive for a nonresident to buy the license, apply, and build points year after year. The odds that you will ever draw a bighorn sheep or mountain goat license is extremely poor, but if you decide to apply for other species in Nevada, you should also consider applying for bighorn sheep and mountain goat. Remember that the draw is a random bonus point draw., Your odds of drawing increase with more bonus points, but every applicant has the opportunity to draw. 

A few application tips for Nevada: 1) Always apply for hunts and never points only. The draw is random; as long as you apply you have some chance. 2) Always include five choices for each hunt when you apply. NDOW considers all five of your choices, and your odds of drawing any tag are slightly better if you include all five choices. 3) With five choices available, the first hunt selections on your application should be for great hunts or the hunt(s) you desire most. The last three selections can be a continuation of moving toward hunts that have progressively better odds. The reason for this method is that you never know when you will be one of the first applications considered, and you want to draw the best possible hunt on your application.

Nevada’s desert bighorn sheep population has declined slightly in recent years due to a combination of drought, localized disease die-offs, and habitat degradation. This trend is on par with other Western states. That’s the bad news. The good news is that Nevada still offers more desert bighorn sheep tags than any other state, and anyone hoping to draw a tag and hunt desert sheep should be applying in Nevada. The draw odds are extremely tough, but for the lucky applicants who draw a tag, the trophy potential and harvest success rates are high. As you scroll down through the tables below, you will see the best options for trophy caliber rams. 

In 2026, nonresidents will have 12 different hunts/units that they can choose from, with a total of 16 nonresident ram licenses. The best units in terms of trophy potential are 205, 243, 253, and 263. Units 268 and 183/153 can also produce better-than-average rams. Overall, the highest hurdle is drawing a tag, but if you are buying a hunting license to apply and build points for other species, you should also plan to apply for desert bighorn sheep in Nevada. 

Current Desert bighorn sheep herd condition

Applicants can apply for both desert and California bighorn sheep in Nevada. In 2026, nonresidents have four hunts/units to choose from. Those units are 032, 034, 035, and 068 early. Units 035 and 068 have the best trophy potential, but any of the units can produce a 160”+ ram.  The odds of drawing a California bighorn tag are steep, with only one tag in for each of those four units being allocated to nonresidents. As noted, I still think it’s worth applying to have a chance in the draw. You never truly know when you might be the lucky applicant who draws one of these highly coveted tags.

Current California bighorn sheep herd condition

Nonresidents cannot apply for Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep in Nevada, while residents can apply for all three bighorn sheep species. Residents have three units that they can choose from: Units 091, 102, and 115. Out of those units, 102 is the better option and should be your first choice. As noted, residents should plan to apply for Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep in 2026. The odds are extremely low, but for the minimal fee, it’s worth applying and having a chance in the draw.

Current Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep herd condition

*There are no tags available for nonresidents for Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep.

Nevada introduced mountain goats in the 1960s into the Ruby and East Humboldt ranges. The current estimate is approximately 430 goats between three Units, 101, 102, and 103. Unit 102 has the larger population. For many years, there weren’t any nonresident tags available in the draw, but last year, Nevada offered one nonresident tag in Unit 102. Going into this draw for 2026, there will once again be one tag available in Unit 102 for nonresidents to apply for. Trophy potential is generally good, and a record book billy is feasible. Mountain goat hunting in Nevada is physically demanding, as it is throughout most mountain goat ranges. The lucky applicants who draw tags should plan on backpack hunting in rough, high-elevation terrain. Along with the bighorn sheep species that applicants can apply for, I believe applicants should apply for mountain goats in Nevada. The odds are low, but for the minimal application fee, I think it’s worth applying. 

Current mountain goat herd condition

*Unit 102 offered nonresidents one tag in 2024 and will offer one tag again in 2025. The nonresident odds with 0 points was < .01%, with 10 points it was .06%, .26% with 20 points and .50% with 28 points.

In 2024, Nevada started issuing licenses for moose. In 2026, there will be two bull moose licenses for residents only in units 061, 062, 064, 066-068, 071-077, 081, and 101-103.

The cost to apply for a resident is $11, and the tag, if drawn, will be $120.

Applications will once again be high in 2026, so apply if you are a resident of Nevada. Trophy potential is very good, even though the odds of drawing are low.

Total moose applications in 2025: 37,076

Draw odds: 0.01%

Additional application opportunities

There are also three other chances to draw a Nevada tag. Get a full breakdown of Nevada's Partnership in Wildlife, Silver State, and Nevada Dream Tags at the link below:

Partnership in Wildlife

Partnership in Wildlife tags (PIW) offer the ability to hunt in any open unit in the state, although the season dates and weapon class for each hunt unit apply.

Basically, this is a statewide hunting tag for that species, but you must follow the season dates and legal weapon for that season.

Applications are $10 per species. Apply in Nevada's main draw.

Nevada Silver State Tag

For an additional $20, you can select to be included in the Silver State Tag drawings, which would make you eligible for the one permit per species drawing each year that allows the recipient the opportunity to hunt any public land across the state — just like the governor’s tag. The Silver State elk tag application fee is $20, and it's $20 for antelope.

Apply in Nevada's main draw.

Nevada Dream Tags

Nevada Dream Tags are another shot at drawing the hunt of a lifetime for mule deer, antelope, desert bighorn sheep, and elk in Nevada. Dream Tags are similar to SuperTags and Super Raffles in other Western states. This drawing is open to both residents and nonresidents. You can buy an unlimited number of raffle tickets for $5 each, plus a $0.75 processing fee, for as many species as you want. You can enter the Dream Tag raffle here.