Our magazine, which is available in print and online, has everything in one location - application info, draw details and odds, fees, hunter requirements, point structure, age restrictions, youth information, weapon restrictions,  other tag opportunites, hunt planning, and much more. If you would like access to all of our research, join today!

In 2025, Nevada issued 41 tags. Of those, 4 went to non-residents. Hunters averaged a 93% success rate, which was up from 85% in 2024. The biggest ram killed checked in at 17 4/8” and was taken in unit 033. That 174" California bighorn ram was the largest taken in Nevada since 2018. In 2025, the average statewide age was 6.2 years old, down from 6.8 years in 2024. The average score was 152 6/8”, which is the same as in 2024. There were seven California bighorn rams taken in 2025 that scored over 160”, which was four less than in 2024.

For 2026, Nevada has split the season in unit 068. They will offer an early hunt with season dates running from August 20 to September 30 and a later season of October 1 to November 10. This change should spread out the hunting pressure and make the hunt more enjoyable. Non-residents will have the early hunt on 068 as well as units 032, 034, and 035 to choose from. All of those units have the potential to produce a 160” ram, but 035 will have the best potential to produce a bigger ram. Units 034 and 035 produced five rams over 160” last year. Unit 035 can be a very physical sheep hunt, so maybe not apply here if you are not up for a more physical hunt. If you are a resident, you should also consider units 012, 022, 031, 033, 035E, and 051 as they have the potential to produce 160” class rams.

Read through our unit descriptions to see which units best fit your hunting goals and get your application in. With only four California bighorn sheep units to choose from, we recommend people apply for all of them. California bighorn sheep draw odds are considerably worse for both residents and non-residents than the odds of drawing a Desert sheep tag in Nevada.

For 2026, all available Rocky Mountain sheep tags will be issued to residents. Once the quota gets over ten resident tags, Nevada will once again issue a non-resident tag. The big news for resident hunts is that they are going to reopen unit 091 and issue a resident permit in 2026. This herd has been struggling from a die-off, but due to having older rams in the population, they are going to have a hunt. Unit 102 hunters did really well in 2025 and took two rams for nine years old, the largest of which scored 183”. That was the first Boone and Crockett ram killed in Nevada since the die off in the Ruby Mountains that happened a few years ago. Unit 115 is still a struggle for hunters due to sheep living in the park. The hunter in 2025 took a 4-year-old ram that graded 141. Hopefully the Rocky Mountain bighorn population will continue to grow, allowing NDOW to someday offer a non-resident tag again.