Available Nevada Bighorn Sheep Hunts --- Search HF Aventures
Nevada has three different species of sheep – Rocky Mountain bighorn, Desert bighorn, and California bighorn. Non-residents can apply for both Desert bighorn and California bighorn this year. Residents can apply for all three species. Again for 2023, there will not be a non-resident Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep tag available.
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Non-residents can apply for a Desert bighorn ram tag, a California bighorn ram tag, and a Desert bighorn ewe tag. You can potentially draw both ram tags in the same year. You are only able to draw one Desert bighorn sheep tag per year, but the ram tags are drawn before the ewe tags. If you are on the waiting period from drawing a ram tag, apply for a ewe tag. See the “Opportunity Hunts” section for more information on the non-resident Desert bighorn sheep ewe tags.
Any hunter who draws a bighorn sheep tag is required to attend a mandatory bighorn sheep seminar available online.
If you are a Nevada resident and want to talk more about the resident-only units for Desert bighorn, California bighorn, or Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, give us a call.
If you want to draw a Desert bighorn sheep tag, you need to be applying in Nevada. They give out more non-resident Desert bighorn sheep tags than any other state. In 2022, Nevada issued a total of 282 Desert bighorn sheep ram tags. Of those tags, 27 went to non-residents in the main draw. Hunters averaged 83% harvest success statewide on rams, with 13 of those scoring over 168" and one giant scoring 180 5/8". The average score last year was 150 1/8".
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Overall, Nevada’s Desert bighorn population is down a little bit and there will be some tags cut for 2023. If you look at the sheep table, you will see that units 162/163, 207, and 244 are no longer available for non-residents. Also, units 212 and 213 that had both an early and late season in 2022 have been combined into one season for each unit. For 2023, unit 181 was split into east and west and will have at least one non-resident tag in each unit. For non-resident archery hunters this year, there will be an archery Desert bighorn sheep tag available in unit 161.
The extreme drought has been tough on some of the sheep in Southern Nevada. Due to multiple years of drought and poor feed, the rams have not put on the horn growth they would have in normal moisture years. This can really be seen in units 268 and 267. There is still an outside chance at a book ram in both of those units, but they are trending down for 160"+ rams.
Non-residents will have 1 archery and 17 rifle Desert bighorn ram hunts to choose from this year. Nevada has a wide array of options for Desert bighorn hunts. Some units are your typical Desert sheep habit, and in other units, you can be chasing rams at 10,000 feet in elevation. Take your time looking over our Desert sheep table and choose the five units you want to apply for.
If you are looking for a book ram, you should stick with our top picks. It’s important to apply for units that match up with not only your size expectations but also within your physical capabilities. Nevada is a state that has something for everyone.
A lot of units in Nevada can produce a 168" ram, but without inside information on a big ram, you should stick to units 181, 205, 253, 263, 267, 268, 242/271, and 283/284 if you are a non-resident. If you are a resident, you can also add units 241, 243, 244, 252, 253, 254, and 262 to the mix. These units consistently produce some great rams every year.
Another opportunity for non-residents is the Desert sheep ewe hunt. Nevada is going to give non-residents tags in units 161 and 268. In 2022, non-residents drew nine Desert bighorn sheep ewe tags. See the “Opportunity Hunts” section for more information on the ewe hunts.
In 2022, Nevada issued 54 California bighorn ram tags, 5 of which went to success rate. The biggest ram killed checked in at 168" and was taken in unit 035. The average statewide score came in at 146 1/8". There were nine California bighorn rams taken in 2022 that scored over 160".
For 2023, non-residents will have units 032, 034, 035, and 068 to choose from. Unit 012 is no longer available to non-residents. All of those units have the potential to produce a 160" ram, but 068 and 035 are going to be units that have the best potential to produce a bigger ram. Units 035 and 068 produced seven rams over 160" last year, and 034 produced one over 160". If you are a resident, you can also add units 022, 031, and 051 as they have the potential to produce 160" class rams.
Unit 035 can be very physical sheep hunts. 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, most people will apply for all of them. California bighorn sheep draw odds are considerably more difficult than the odds of drawing a Desert sheep tag in Nevada.
Over the last 20+ years, we've collected hunting research and data, so join Huntin' Fool today and access the best research tools for hunting bighorn sheep in Nevada, including 3D Maps, Draw Odds, Consultations, and much more. Go on more hunts with better information!
Search our database for Nevada Bighorn Sheep opportunities.
The Nevada application deadline is May 10, 2023 at 11:00 p.m. (PDT).
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 opportunities, hunt planning, and much more. If you would like access to all of our research, join today!
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Up-Front Fees |
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| Hunt/Fish Combo License (365-day license) | $156 |
| Youth Hunt/Fish Combo License (365-day license) | $16 |
| Application Fee (all species except elk) | $14 |
| Silver State Tag Application Fee (all species except elk) | $24 |
| PIW Application Fee | $11 |
| Bonus Point Only Fee | $11 |
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| Bighorn Sheep (ram or ewe) | $1,201 |
NV Bighorn Hunting Articles from Huntin' Fool Magazine
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