Hunt Nevada
Hunt Season & Regulations
Big Game Season Tables & Regulations:
Big Game Hunting Basics
2012 Big Game
Quotas
Nevada's big game hunts are conducted by a random draw process
and are available to those 12 years old or older. Learn
about the big game tag application process.
Applications are generally available in mid-March and the application
deadline is around mid-April. A second drawing is conducted for
remaining tags in June, and any remaining tags after that draw can
be applied for on a first-come, first-served basis.
Draw results are posted online
or are available at regional offices
Important Information For 2012
New/Changes to Big Game Seasons in 2012
• New resident antelope hunt in Units 211, 212, Esmeralda County; Added unit groups to existing resident antelope muzzleloader hunt in Washoe County.
• New unit groups were opened to nonresident antelope rifle (1) and archery (4) hunts.
• Added Unit 145 (Eureka County) to resident antlerless (bull) elk depredation hunt.
• Eliminated early bull rifle hunt for Units 108, 131, 132.
• All bull elk weapon hunts for Unit Group 111-115, 221, 222, split into 2 separate Unit Groups 111-115 and Unit Group 221, 222.
• Bull elk muzzleloader seasons for 061,071; 062-068, 072,074; 073, and 075 were moved to Sept. 17 – 30 during same time as antlerless (cow) elk muzzleloader hunts and avoid overlap with cow elk and mule deer rifle hunts.
• Bull elk archery season extended to September 16.
• Added nonresident bull elk muzzleloader hunt to Unit Group 076,077,079, 081.
• Early season cow elk rifle hunts were reinstated for Unit Groups 108,131; 111,112; 113; 114,115; 161-164; 221; and 222.
• The October cow elk rifle hunt in Units 072, 073, 074, and 075 was split into 2 seasons, Oct 1 – 10 and Oct 11 – 20.
• A late November cow elk rifle hunt was added for Unit Group 062, 064, 066-068.
• New resident desert bighorn hunt for Unit 153 (Fish Creek Mountains) was added with extended season.
• Desert bighorn hunt in Unit 204 (East Walker River) was removed as a separate unit and added to Unit 202 due to uncertainty of bighorn survival after possible domestic sheep interaction in 2011.
• 7 new units (173, 181, 184, 211 N, 211 S, 261, and 262) were added to the nonresident desert bighorn sheep hunt.
• Unit 066 was eliminated from the 066,068 Unit Group California bighorn hunt.
• A new Rocky Mountain bighorn hunt was opened in Unit 091 (Pilot Range and Leppy Hills) that includes portions of Utah (interstate hunt).
• Unit 066 was closed and replaced with Unit 031 for nonresident California bighorn sheep hunt due to bighorn disease event and dieoff in 2011 in Unit 066.
• Antlerless mule deer hunts were opened for Unit 051; and Unit Groups 062-064,066-068 and 101,102,109.
• The late antlered (buck) mule deer rifle season for those unit groups that occur in White Pine County were changed back to the statewide standard dates of Oct. 21 – Nov. 5.
• The late buck mule deer season for Units 192 and 194, 196 were changed to Nov. 5 – 30, consistent with most of the seasons that border California.
• The buck mule deer hunt for Unit Group 241-245 was changed from a split season to a single season, Oct. 5 – 31.
• The early mule deer archery season was changed to Aug. 10 – Sept. 9 for both 1341 and 1107 hunts.
• The late buck mule deer archery season for Units 192 and 194, 196 was changed to Dec. 1 – Jan. 1 with a restricted hunt boundary in Unit 194.
Aerial and Ground Surveys Conducted by NDOW - The Department conducts extensive big game aerial and ground surveys to collect data on herd status for season and tag quota determination and for herd management. Due to the length of Nevada's numerous hunting seasons, the extensive distribution of Nevada's big game animals, and the optimal window to survey certain species; hunters may encounter biologists performing either aerial or ground survey activities. All efforts will be made to minimize the potential for conflict. If you are unsure whether or not an aircraft or ground vehicle is performing a legitimate herd status survey, please report the incident to a NDOW office with the time, date, location, and aircraft/vehicle description.
Check Out the Nevada Dream Tag - The Nevada Dream Tags program is new for 2012. The tags are raffle based and will give the hunter the ability to hunt a species in any area in any season during 2012. Some restrictions apply see nvdreamtag.org for more information.
Hunt Unit Advisories - In an effort to improve the hunting experience, the Nevada Department of Wildlife has put together a table for hunter access restrictions and other advisories for specific hunts and unit groups. This information may affect your decision on where to apply this year. It is important to make an informed decision and know what a particular hunt is all about vs. choosing a hunt/area solely on draw odds or second-hand information and regretting that decision after you draw the tag.
You can find the 2012 Hunt Unit Advisory on the NDOW website here.
Postcards - Hunters who applied online last year will receive a notification postcard reminding them it is time to apply online for big game. Hunters will be able to go to www.huntnevada.com, to look up their bonus points and species eligibility and access an online link to download this Application Regulation Brochure.
Tag Facts
- Resident and non-resident hunting tags are
issued for mule deer, pronghorn antelope, Rocky Mountain elk,
desert (Nelson) bighorn sheep and California bighorn sheep.
- Party applications for game tags are only authorized
for mule deer. There is no limit to the party size that can be
submitted, but a limiting factor is the number of tags that have
been available historically. A party of six should not apply for
a hunter choice that only had 3 tags in the previous year. Party
applications can be either all resident applicants, all nonresident
applicants or mixed resident and nonresident applicants. A party
can be 1 or more persons.
- Rifle, muzzle loader and archery tags are issued
for mule deer for both resident and non-resident hunts.
- Archery and rifle tags are issued for resident and non-resident
buck antelope hunts.
- Tags are issued for non-resident guided mule deer hunts.
- There are special either-sex mule deer hunts for resident juniors
(check Hunter Education
Program Frequently Asked Questions page for ages and regulations).
To request application forms and regulations:
Call or email Wildlife Administrative Services to request application
forms and regulations. Available applications are also accessible
off of this site on our applications
page.
Wildlife Administrative Services Offices
P.O. Box 1345
Fallon , NV 89407-1345
1-800-576-1020
e-mail
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