Nevada 2026 Hunting Regulations: What Changed

Several species and units saw meaningful changes this year. According to the 2026-2027 Big Game Seasons and Applications regulations available at eRegulations, the following is what shifted:

• Moose and Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep tags are available to residents only in 2026.
• Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep unit 091 is newly opened, residents only.
• A management hunt for California bighorn sheep opens in unit 066 for residents only, with three season dates.
• The California bighorn sheep ram hunt in unit 068 is split into two separate seasons.
• Non-residents cannot apply for desert bighorn sheep unit 213.
• The antelope season in units 141, 143, and 151–156 has been split into two rifle seasons.
• Muzzleloader bull elk in units 161–164 and 171–173 runs again September 17 through 30.
• There will be more resident-only youth hunts for antelope (horns shorter than the ears).
• Slight season date changes apply to some California bighorn sheep, Desert bighorn sheep, Rocky Mountain sheep, and antelope units — check the full regulations for unit-specific details.

What changed: The consistent theme in 2026 is tightening non-resident access on several sheep subspecies and specific units. If you're a non-resident targeting sheep, read the unit-level fine print before applying.

All applications must be submitted online through the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) licensing portal at www.ndowlicensing.com. Per Commission Regulation 26-01 (NDOW), here are the key dates:

All deadlines are 11:00 p.m. PDT on the deadline day. After the second draw closes, any remaining licenses become available on a first-come, first-served basis through the NDOW licensing system.

Key Point: The Restricted Non-Resident Guided Mule Deer Hunt is a separate draw with its own earlier deadline. If that's your hunt, February 9 is when applications open — don't treat it like the main draw.

The fee structure for 2026 non-resident applications, per Huntin' Fool's Nevada 2026 page:

Post-draw tag fees if successful:

Application fees are non-refundable. The $156 non-resident hunting license is also non-refundable if you want to retain bonus points. If you don't care about bonus points, you can get a refund on the license — but you'll also get zero points for the year.

Within the application, you'll be prompted to direct a $3 fee toward either lethal removal of predatory wildlife or wildlife habitat, research, and management of non-predatory wildlife, per NRS 502.253.

Nevada's bonus point math is straightforward once you understand the squaring. Per eRegulations, bonus points increase your draw odds by assigning additional random numbers to your application. The formula:

Bonus points² + 1 (for the current year's application) = total draw chances

So if you have 5 bonus points for mule deer, you get 5² + 1 = 26 chances in the draw. The most bonus points any applicant can hold for the 2026 draw is 34 per species, increasing by one each year.

Earning and losing points works like this, per eRegulations (NAC 502.4187-4189 and 502.4225):

• You earn one point per species for each year you apply unsuccessfully and hold an active hunting license.
• If you choose the "purchase license only if successful" option at application, you will NOT earn a bonus point.
• Bonus points reset to zero when you draw or purchase a tag.
• If you skip applying for a species for two consecutive years when a season is available, you forfeit all accumulated points for that species.
• Bonus points are residency-agnostic — they follow you if you move.

An 11-year-old who will turn 12 before the beginning of the last hunt season on their application is eligible to purchase a bonus point, per eRegulations.

This is where Nevada gets serious. These periods apply regardless of whether you harvest the animal, per eRegulations:

Key Point: Moose is a once-in-a-lifetime tag in Nevada. Draw it, and you're done — whether you fill it or not. The same one-time reality applies to the Management Ram Hunt, which is a separate hunt category with no bonus points awarded to unsuccessful applicants per NAC 502.4187.

All applications are assigned random numbers between 1 and 100 million. Bonus points multiply your chances via the squaring formula above. The draw then proceeds in group order, per eRegulations:

1. Silver State
2. Partners in Wildlife (PIW)
3. Junior Mule Deer Antlered (or Antlered/Antlerless if available)
4. Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep Ram, California Bighorn Sheep Ram, Nelson (Desert) Bighorn Sheep Ram, Elk Antlered, Antelope Horns Longer than Ears, Mule Deer Antlered, Mountain Goat, Bear, Moose Antlered
5. Elk Depredation Antlered, Management Bighorn Sheep Ram
6. California Bighorn Sheep Ewe, Nelson (Desert) Bighorn Sheep Ewe, Elk Antlerless, Antelope Horns Shorter than Ears, Mule Deer Antlerless, Junior Antelope Horns Shorter than Ears
7. Spike Elk
8. Elk Depredation Antlerless

You can apply for all species and gender classifications you want without worrying about accidentally drawing a less-preferred tag over a more-preferred one. Per eRegulations, if you draw an Antlered Elk tag early in the process, your Antlerless Elk application simply won't be considered — but it doesn't hurt your party or other species.

Applicants can select up to five different units and seasons per species and sex class. Using all five choices is strongly recommended to improve your odds.

Non-resident quota is set at approximately 10% of the total tag allocation per Commission Policy 24.

After the main draw, successful applicants have seven days to complete payment. If payment lapses, per eRegulations, the waiting period and bonus point costs still apply to you — the tag just goes to the next eligible alternate. That's not a technicality you want to test.

Tags are mailed after the one-week electronic return window following the main draw. Printing and mailing takes approximately 1–2 weeks, and applicants should expect their tags by July 1. If you haven't received yours by then, call NDOW at (855) 542-6369.

You have options if your plans change after drawing, but the windows are tight. Per Huntin' Fool's Nevada 2026 page:

• Within seven days of draw results going public, you can electronically return your tag at www.ndowlicensing.com.
• Deer, elk, or antelope tag holders can return their tag up to one day before the season opens to retain bonus points and earn one point for 2026.
• Sheep and mountain goat hunters must return their tags before July 15 to retain points, gain one point, and receive a refund.
• Party members who return a tag do not get bonus points back unless all party members also return their tags — with exceptions for medical issues, death, or military obligations, per eRegulations (NAC 502.4185).
• Tag holders can transfer to another eligible person if diagnosed with a terminal illness after drawing.

This one bites people every year. Every big game tag comes with a mandatory hunt questionnaire that must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. PST on January 31, 2027, per Huntin' Fool. Miss that deadline and you're locked out of all big game tags for one year — unless you pay a $50 fine and complete the questionnaire at www.ndowlicensing.com before the close of the 2026 main draw period. You can verify receipt at 800-576-1020.

Party hunts are available for Mule Deer, Antlerless Elk, and Antelope with Horns Shorter Than Ears — those three species only, per eRegulations (NAC 502.4185). To form a party, one applicant designates themselves as party leader during the application process. The system generates a unique group code; other members enter that code to join and their applications automatically match the leader's choices.

Bonus points for party applications are averaged across all members and rounded to the nearest whole number. The party draws together or fails together — with one notable exception: if a member draws an Antlered Elk tag individually before the party draw for Antlerless Elk is processed, they're excluded from the party draw for that species, but it doesn't penalize the rest of the party.

Both residents and non-residents can apply together in the same mule deer party, but only choices available to both residency types count, and there must be sufficient quota in each residency pool for everyone to draw.

Nevada's big game weapon rules are specific. Per Huntin' Fool:

Rifle hunters must use a centerfire cartridge no smaller than .22 caliber and no larger than .50 caliber with a case length of 3 inches.

Muzzleloader hunters must use a single barrel of .45 caliber or larger with open or peep sights and black powder or black powder substitute. Smokeless powder is illegal. Sabots are illegal.

Archery hunters must meet all of the following:

• Minimum draw weight: 40 lbs.
• Maximum let-off: 80%
• Arrow length: at least 24 inches from nock to broadhead
• Arrow weight: minimum 300 grains
• Fixed broadheads: minimum 7/8" at widest point
• Expandable broadheads: minimum 7/8" wide when opened

Crossbows may only be used if you possess an archery disability permit.

Hunter education is required for anyone born after January 1, 1960. First-time Nevada applicants must email a copy of their hunter education certificate to [email protected] at least seven days before the application deadline, per Huntin' Fool.

Nevada does not require big game hunters to wear hunter orange.

Regarding youth hunters, per Huntin' Fool:

• A child under 18 hunting with a firearm must be accompanied by a parent, guardian, or another licensed adult authorized by a parent or guardian.
• A child 14 or older may hunt alone with both parents' permission and a valid hunting license.
• Youth must be at least 12 years old before the opening of any hunt choice they apply for.
• An 11-year-old who will turn 12 before the last season on their application can purchase a bonus point.

Silver State Tags use a separate draw group and carry equal odds for residents and non-residents. Application fees for Silver State Tags are slightly higher than regular draw fees — $24 for sheep, deer, and antelope; $29 for elk.

PIW (Partnership in Wildlife) tags are available to residents for all species. Non-residents may only apply for mule deer PIW tags. PIW tags are good for any open season in any open unit until the hunter harvests an animal.

Nevada's Dream Tags program is a raffle — not a draw — for mule deer, elk, antelope, and Desert bighorn sheep. Raffle tickets are $5 each plus a $1 online convenience fee. Winners can hunt anywhere in the state and must follow all weapon class and season rules. More information is at https://ndowadmtag.org.

Landowner tags are issued for antelope, elk, and deer and are transferable.

First-come, first-served tags become available after the second draw concludes. These include returned tags without an eligible alternate, and tags turned in less than two weeks before the hunt opens. Purchasing through this program uses your bonus points for that species and resets them to zero.

Per Huntin' Fool, there are no known wolf packs in Nevada at this time. A couple of individual wolves have crossed into Nevada from California and returned. No active management implications for 2026 hunters based on available sources.

NDOW is hosting application seminars ahead of the main draw deadline, per eRegulations:

Topics include account setup, application strategies, bonus points, party applications, and return cards. Register at the NDOW event registration page.

Nevada Department of Wildlife Headquarters 6980 Sierra Center Pkwy Reno, NV 89511 Phone: 775-688-1500 Licensing/Customer Support: (855) 542-6369 Harvest Questionnaire Verification: 800-576-1020

• https://www.ndow.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/CR25-07-2025-2026-and-2026-2027-Big-Game-Seasons.pdf
• https://www.ndow.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-Big-Game-Application-FAQ.pdf
• https://www.ndow.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/17-B-CR-26-01-2026-2027-Application-Deadlines-Draw-Result-Dates.pdf
• https://www.ndow.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/20G-CR25-07-2025-2026-and-2026-2027-Big-Game-Seasons.pdf
• https://www.ndow.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/CR-26-01-2026-2027-Application-Deadlines-Draw-Result-Dates-NBWC-Approved-January-2026.pdf
• https://www.eregulations.com/nevada/hunting/big-game/application-process
• https://www.huntinfool.com/states/nevada
• https://hunterpassport.com/tools/draw-odds/nevada/
• https://huntwise.com/field-guide/state-hunting-guide/nevada-hunting-seasons

Last Updated: April 03, 2026