New for 2018

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State Information

Nevada drought status as of March 27, 2018. Source: United States Drought Monitor

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The Draw System

Nevada's 2018 Desert Bighorn Sheep Breakdown

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goHUNT's Product Manager, Bryan Campos with his dad's 2017 Nevada desert bighorn sheep.

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Nevada desert bighorn sheep taken with Deep Creek Outfitters — A goHUNT Business Member

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Hidden Gem Information

INSIDER member Casey Spanish with his Nevada desert bighorn sheep taken with 7L Outfitters — A goHUNT Business Member

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The Points System

Desert bighorn sheep taken with G and J Outdoors — A goHUNT Business Member

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Nevada's 2018 Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep Breakdown

The Points System

Nevada's 2018 California Bighorn Sheep Breakdown

Hidden Gem Information

Nevada's 2018 Rocky Mountain Goat Breakdown

Mark H. took this great archery Nevada mountain goat with Secret Pass Outfitters — A goHUNT Business Member

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How to Uncover Hidden Gem Mountain Goat Units

Nevada's 2018 Antelope Breakdown

Hidden Gem Information

Nevada's 2018 Bighorn Sheep, Mountain Goat and Antelope Application Overview

Nevada offers more nonresident desert bighorn sheep permits each year than all of the other states combined. If you want to draw a desert bighorn permit, Nevada is hands down the top choice due to the number of tags available and the trophy quality throughout state. Because Nevada requires all applicants to purchase an annual hunting license in order to build bonus points, once you have committed to purchasing this license, it would be a mistake to not also apply for other species of interest since the cost is quite low. Nevada also allows its applicants to apply and build bonus points for California bighorn sheep and, if you are resident, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep at the same time, building points for each species separately. This means that if you have unbelievable luck, you could draw two bighorn sheep tags in the same year if you are a nonresident and three if you are a resident. Don’t hold your breath though; we are talking about Nevada and no matter the species, this state should be considered a long-term goal at best.

Nevada antelope are truly one of the unsung conservation successes in our lifetime. In 1982, the estimated population across the entire state was 10,500. Based upon the last two surveys of 2016 and 2017, wildlife officials estimate the population to be about 29,000. This is an amazing success story that doesn’t get enough attention. It truly is the best time to hunt antelope in Nevada. Not only have the populations increased, but the number of Boone and Crockett (B&C) caliber antelope illustrates a strong picture of success, too. Nevada has come in third in total number of B&C entries over the last few years.

Note: The application deadline for all species in Nevada is April 16, 2018 at 11 p.m. PST for online applications. Paper applications are no longer accepted in Nevada. You can apply online here.

Why Nevada for Sheep, Mountain Goat and Antelope in 2018

Lots of Bighorn Sheep Tags

Nevada is offering a total of 380 ram tags between all three species and 151 ewe permits. 34 of these are nonresident desert ram tags and five are nonresident California bighorn sheep tags. This is the greatest number of tags offered to nonresidents in the country.

Apply for Multiple Species

Nevada is only one of two states in the country that offers the applicant the opportunity to build bonus points for multiple species of bighorn sheep at the same time. This allows applicants to build bonus points for ewes without any bearing on their ram points.

Note: If you apply for a ewe permit in Nevada this draw happens prior to the ram drawing and if you are successful you will be taken out of the ram draw for that application period.

Resident Only Opportunities

Residents are allowed to apply for Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep as well as mountain goat. Although there was a nonresident permit available in 2017 for mountain goats this is no longer available for 2018.

High Success on Mature Antelope Bucks

With over an 80% success rate on rifle antelope hunts and over 30% of the bucks taken having at least one horn over 15”, if you are interested in an above average antelope, you need to be applying in Nevada.

Bighorn Sheep Herd Conditions

Nevada spends countless hours and thousands of dollars each year to protect their sheep herds. With so many factors against them, ranging from disease to predators, Nevada truly does a fantastic job. Total sheep populations for each of the subspecies are up from 2016. Desert bighorn sheep herds are up 4% with a total of 10,100 animals. California bighorn sheep herds also increased by an additional 100 animals in 2017, bringing the total count to 1,900 animals. Even the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, which tend to struggle the most in Nevada, were up by 30 animals, bringing the state total up to 240.

Nevada Silver State Tag

For an additional $25 you can select to be included in the Silver State tag drawing, which makes you eligible for one permit drawing each year that allows the recipient the opportunity to hunt any public land across the state from Aug. 1 to Dec. 31 just like the governor’s tag. This, along with thousands of dollars in free gear, is just too good to pass up. Make sure you click the box while applying and get your name in the hat for this amazing opportunity.

Nevada Dream Tags

Nevada Dream Tags are another shot at drawing the hunt of a lifetime for mule deer, antelope, desert bighorn sheep, California bighorn sheep, elk and black bear in Nevada. Dream Tags are similar to Super Tags, and Super Raffles in other western states. This drawing is open to both residents and nonresidents. After purchasing a $10 Resource Enhancement Stamp, you can then buy an unlimited number of raffle tickets for $5 each for as many species as you want. You can enter the Dream Tag raffle here.

New for GOHUNT

For 2018, GOHUNT has added Draw Odds for female species. In Nevada, there are many opportunities for female species for residents and nonresidents. When selecting your units to hunt be sure to also check out our standalone Draw Odds details page to see if opportunities exist that can be added to your hunt.

Desert Bighorn Sheep Ewe Draw Odds

Find your resident desert bighorn ewe draw odds here

Find your nonresident desert bighorn ewe draw odds here

California Bighorn Sheep Ewe Draw Odds

Find your resident California bighorn ewe draw odds here

Doe Antelope Draw Odds

Find your resident doe antelope draw odds here

State quotas will not be set until the May 2018 Commission meeting. This is done to ensure that the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) has the latest and most current data on big game herds.

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 Nevada desert sheep, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, California bighorn sheep, mountain goat, and antelope profile to access historical and statistical data to help you find trophy areas.

Important Dates and Information

Drought and Snowpack in Nevada

As you can see, the majority of the state is abnormally dry and, more importantly, some of the best areas of the state on the eastern border are in a moderate drought. As of March 27, 2018, 96.25% of the state is experiencing abnormally dry conditions (a decrease of almost 4% from mid-March) and 12.71% is showing moderate drought.

It is worth noting that, historically, even when snowpack is light, the most important months of the year for moisture are April and May in Nevada. These past few years have had great moisture during these months and, if that happens again this year, we should be in for a great season and also a fantastic fawn, lamb, and kid crop. As it sits, the Jarbridge as well as the Ruby’s both have decent snowpack right now and should fare well regardless of what kind of weather occurs this spring.

Understanding the Draw

For all species in Nevada, there are five hunt choices. When drawn, all five choices are considered prior to drawing the next application. For more information, check out the Nevada State Profile.

2018 maximum bonus points for desert bighorn sheep: 252018 maximum bonus points for Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep: 222018 maximum bonus points for California bighorn sheep: 252018 maximum bonus points for mountain goat: 252018 maximum bonus points for antelope: 23

Bonus Point Only Application

If you missed the application deadline to apply for a tag or you just want to apply for bonus points, then you may submit an application for a bonus point during the main big game application or within seven days after the application deadline. Application fees will still be charged. It is highly recommended that you print a copy of your application confirmation page for your records after applying. The last day to apply for a bonus point only is April 23, 2018 at 11 p.m. PST.

Unlocking Nevada’s System

Nevada should be considered a long-term goal and the key to success in this state like many others is to keep applying and to only apply “point only” when you absolutely cannot pull off a hunt that fall. You never know when it’s going to be your year and to miss out on a year of having your name in the hat is a mistake that should be avoided whenever possible. If you are looking for a hunt sooner rather than later, Nevada makes it possible to chase the odds while still applying for a top shelf hunt by allowing the applicant to select five choices each year.

Nevada's Draw Order and Why It Matters

With five choices available, the first two selections on your application should always be for the best units in the state or the hunt you desire the most. The last three selections can be a continuation of this strategy or a way to aggressively chase the odds and possibly draw in fewer years. The applicant will lose all his/her points on any successful application regardless of which choice so it’s important to be realistic in what kind of hunt you are looking for and always swing for the fence on your first two selections. Remember that your bonus points are squared each year plus one additional point for that year’s application. See the Nevada State Profile for more information.

Jake Rosevear of Pine Peak Outfitters with his Nevada desert bighorn ram — A GOHUNT Business Member

If you are not currently applying for any species in Nevada chances are that bighorn sheep will be the reason you begin. Nonresidents can apply for two different species, which makes Nevada very appealing and the overall number of bighorn sheep permits available outstanding. There are 327 desert ram tags available in 2018 and 34 of them are set aside for nonresidents. This makes more bighorn sheep tags available for nonresidents in Nevada than all of the other states combined. There are also 57 California bighorn sheep tags available with five of those reserved for nonresidents in the draw. Each species has three opportunities in the different state auctions and raffles. If you happen to be a resident you can also apply for Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep because there are five available tags for 2018. Proceed with caution on the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep since success rates have been rough and you need to plan for a very demanding and physical hunt in order to be successful. All in all, the Silver state is tough to beat for a nonresident looking to hunt bighorn sheep in the Lower 48. If you haven’t started yet you better get your name in the hat.

2017 Harvest Report

Harvest reports for 2017 show that the success rate across the state for desert bighorn rams was at 90%, which is slightly less than the previous year. Hunters spent an average of 4.5 days in the field. The average B&C score was 154 4/8”, which was almost an inch larger than the prior year. California rams had a 93% success rate out of 57 total tags. The average age was 6.7 years and the average B&C score was 151 1/8". Hunters spent an average of 8.6 days in the field.. There were six total Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep hunters last year. 50% of those hunters were successful in harvesting their rams. Those hunters averaged 7.5 days of hunting, and the rams harvested averaged out at 7.7 years old. The average score for the three rams was 166 7/8" with the largest of the three only seven-eighths of an inch larger than the average. Overall, it was a strong year for sheep hunting in Nevada aside from the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, which have been struggling for a number of years.

Current Desert Bighorn Sheep Herd Condition

The total population of desert bighorn sheep in Nevada was up 4% from 2016, bringing the tally to 10,100 animals. There were 19 units that had an increase in the number of bighorn sheep while eight units showed a decrease in the total number in 2017. The most notable increases were in Unit 183, which was up 130 sheep, bringing the unit total to 450, and Unit 263, which was up 60 sheep, bringing that unit total to 230 sheep. The most notable decreases were in Units 223, 241 and Units 267, 268, which were both down 50 sheep from 2016.

There are currently 25 units that are on average producing rams six years and older. Unit 262 comes in at the top with an average age class of 8.4 years old.

Gohunt’s Hit List Units for Trophy Nevada Desert Bighorn Sheep in 2018

* All hunters were unsuccessful in 2016 in Unit 272. One guy hunted 26 days and the other hunted two days.

INSIDER member Casey Spanish with his Nevada desert bighorn sheep taken with 7L Outfitters — A GOHUNT Business Member

Hidden gems are hard to find when it comes to sheep hunting and Nevada is no different than any other state. There simply is not a species monitored more and there is rarely anything going on with a unit or herd that a group of biologists has not already written a report on. To find the better odds you have got to be willing to either hunt areas that historically do not produce large rams, have small populations and have less than desirable success rates, and/or are extremely physical. All of these factors tend to discourage a number of applicants each year and, therefore, create the gem. Be sure to be realistic about your goals and your physical capabilities because there just couldn’t be anything more horrible than an unfilled sheep tag as the sun sets on the last day of the season.

A stand out for odds is Unit 213: the Monte Cristo Range. This area of the state holds a lot of sheep and can make for a very enjoyable hunt—just don’t expect to have an opportunity at a very large ram. Most of the rams taken on this hunt score between 140” to 150” B&C.

If you are simply looking to hunt a bighorn sheep and experience the mountain, there are currently four different units that offer desert bighorn ewe permits for residents and nonresidents. These units are 212, 213, 253, 268 and provide a total of 149 ewe permits with 15 of them set aside for nonresidents. This can be a great way to experience a mountain hunt without losing your ram points in the process. Be aware that the ewe drawing will happen prior to the ram drawing each year so if you were successful in drawing a ewe permit you will only be eligible for a bonus point on your ram application that year. You are able to build points for both ewe and ram separately; however, you are not allowed to have a ewe and a ram permit for the same species in the same year.

The other method in locating a hidden gem is with resources like our Filtering 2.0 and Draw Odds. It has never been easier to help you locate a unit that fits your individual goals. You can pour over information like trophy potential, draw odds percentages, and ram:ewe ratios per hunt and unit. You will also be able to analyze the number of applications that are submitted each year as well as the number of tags drawn to show you how a specific unit is trending. With all of these tools at your disposal, it has never been easier to locate your perfect hunt.

B&c Entry Trends for Nevada Desert Bighorn Sheep

Units listed below may not have a current hunt for this species. Units in this table are included if any part of the unit is found within the county. Data provided below courtesy of the Boone and Crockett Club.

The Bonus Point Race

2018 maximum bonus points for desert bighorn sheep: 25

Managing Points and Expectations

Resident applicants

Nonresident applicants

I Have 0 Desert Bighorn Sheep Bonus Points. What Can I Expect?

Residents:

Getting started in Nevada is exciting. Even with zero points you still have a chance. It is a very small chance with odds ranging from <0.01% and 0.09%. Remember to swing for the fence with at least your first two selections and, then, if you would like to chase the odds with your remaining three selections, have at it. Truth be told: if you were to draw with zero points you more than likely came out of the hat so early that you could pick whichever unit you would like so focus on the best units in the state or units with the most available tags. Who knows? Maybe you will be the one to beat the odds.

Find your resident desert bighorn sheep draw odds with 0 points here

Nonresidents:

Welcome friend. You should pull up a chair as chances are you are going to be here awhile. With zero points as a nonresident you have a <0.01% chance of drawing a permit in all 20 possible selections. If that isn’t exciting I don’t know what is. Yet, you do have a chance and, if you play this sheep game long enough, you will come to realize that’s more than some states offer. Swing for the fence with at least the first two selections and, if you are willing, look towards some of the less desirable units for your bottom two or three selections. Study up on which units have the least amount of applicants each year and if they fit your goals use them.

Find your nonresident desert bighorn sheep draw odds with 0 points here

What Can I Do with 3 or 4 Desert Bighorn Sheep Bonus Points?

Residents:

You are in luck: there are a couple of units that you now have over a 1% chance of drawing. In all seriousness, keep with your original plan and study the number of applicants each year to find a hunt that seems to trend up and down with the number of applicants and consistently apply for that unit if it fits your goals. The odds won’t be much better any given year, but if you consistently apply, you will be in it when it trends down. Who knows? Maybe this is the year you beat the odds.

Find your resident desert bighorn sheep draw odds with 4 points here

Nonresidents:

You are getting the hang of things now. There are still no units in the state that you even have a 0.05% chance of drawing. Same as the advice in the resident section, study the number of applicants in each unit and find one that tends to roller coaster up and down from year to year. If that unit fits your goals, start applying for it consistently. At a minimum, you will be in the mix of things on the downward trending years and will, in essence, have a better crack at drawing on that particular year.

Find your nonresident desert bighorn sheep draw odds with 4 points here

What Can I Expect with 9 or 10 Desert Bighorn Sheep Bonus Points?

Residents:

Your odds are still pretty rough, but you are starting to get some presence in the draw now with over 100 tickets in the bucket. Unit 133, 245 had odds of 7.1% last year, which was almost a 1:10 chance. Stick with it. You never know; this year could be your year.

Find your resident desert bighorn sheep draw odds with 10 points here

Nonresidents:

You have been playing this game long enough now to know what you are up against. It really doesn’t matter how many points you have: it’s going to take a lot of luck. At a minimum, you have a decent amount of points in a state that offers more desert bighorn tags than any other.

Find your nonresident desert bighorn sheep draw odds with 10 points here

What Can I Expect with 15 or More Desert Bighorn Sheep Bonus Points?

Residents:

Once you have 15 or more points, you are really getting into exceptional sheep odds in this day and age. There are eight different units with a 10% chance of drawing or better. In 2017, Unit 133, 245 had a 15% chance of drawing and Unit 211 had a 14% chance.

Maximum point holders can see draw odds as high as the mid to upper 20s. Check out our standalone Draw Odds details page for more information.

Find your resident desert bighorn sheep draw odds with 15 points here

Nonresidents:

At 20 points, your odds are still less than 1% in the majority of the state. That’s pretty rough news to hear, but it’s the truth. Keep applying. Keep your fingers crossed. When it happens, it will be oh so worth it. Hopefully, you have been applying for the other species Nevada has to offer and take full advantage of those opportunities when they have come.

Find your nonresident desert bighorn sheep draw odds with 20 points here

Nevada’s Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep herd experienced an increase of 30 sheep this year, bringing the herd up to 240 animals across the state. The largest of these herds resides in Unit 114 on Mount Moriah with approximately 90 sheep. The remaining herds located across a total of five other units make up the rest of the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep located in Nevada. There are currently only two different units offering hunts and they are for residents only. These units include Unit 114, which has an early and a late hunt; both offer two tags to draw and Unit 115, which offers one tag, bringing the total number of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep tags to five for the entire state.

The Seasons

All three of these hunt selections are any weapon. The hunter can choose to either hunt with their rifle, a muzzleloader or bowhunt if they prefer. Each of the hunts are exactly two months in length with the early hunt on Unit 114 occurring Sept. 1 to Oct. 31 and both the late hunt on Unit 114 and the only hunt on Unit 115 occurring Dec. 20 to Feb. 20, 2019.

B&c Entry Trends for Nevada Rocky and California Bighorn Sheep

Units listed below may not have a current hunt for this species. Units in this table are included if any part of the unit is found within the county. Data provided below courtesy of the Boone and Crockett Club.

* This county holds California bighorn sheep.

The Bonus Point Race

Only residents are allowed to apply for Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep in Nevada.

2018 maximum bonus points for Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep: 25

Managing Points and Expectations

Residents

I Have 0 Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep Bonus Points. What Can I Expect?

There are only three different hunt selections to choose from in Nevada: an early and a late hunt in Unit 114 and a late hunt in Unit 115. Your odds of drawing with zero points are <0.01%, but odds are for the weak; don’t let that distract you. You never know. You could have a tag in your pocket this fall. You can’t win if you don’t play.

Find your resident Rocky bighorn sheep draw odds with 0 points here

What Can I Do with 5 Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep Bonus Points?

You didn’t jump into this boat because the odds were good; you are here because a Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep tag in Nevada will be awesome. With five points, you still have less than a 1% chance of drawing, but who knows? It could be your year.

Find your resident Rocky bighorn sheep draw odds with 5 points here

What Can I Expect with 15 or 20 Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep Bonus Points?

Applying for Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep in Nevada is like fishing at Dr. Seuss’s Mcelligot’s Pool. If you don’t know what that is, look it up. The long story short is after all of these years of applying you are pretty much fishing in a pond without fish, but you are an application warrior so don’t get deterred. Instead, get your name in that hat this year and keep your fingers crossed. It’s bound to happen at some point, right? As of 2017, with 21 bonus points, your odds in Unit 114 were just over 0.2% and 0.14% for Unit 115.

Find your resident Rocky bighorn sheep draw odds with 20 points here

Located up in the northwest corner of the state are 12 different hunt areas that offer California bighorn sheep hunting. Out of these 12 hunt areas, there are 57 total ram tags and five of those across four different units are set aside for nonresidents in the draw. Three of the tags are set aside for the different auction and raffle opportunities in the state. California bighorn sheep are considered a smaller subspecies of the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, but are not recognized as their own species by B&C. It is rare that a California bighorn sheep makes the minimum required score to be entered into B&C. The odds of drawing one of these tags are quite low and don’t get much better over time, but, if you are lucky enough to come out of the hat, you are in for a fantastic hunt. The overall success rate in 2017 was 93%. The age class was 6.7 years old and the average score was 151 1/8", which is great for California rams. The biggest ram taken in 2017 was a 177 4/8” giant that came out of Unit 051.

Current California Bighorn Sheep Herd Condition

Current herd conditions across the state were up 100 sheep (6%) with the total count coming in at 1,900 sheep. Five of the hunt areas showed an increase in the total number of sheep with Unit 032 being the most notable with 50 additional sheep counted from the previous year’s survey. Three hunt areas showed a decrease in total sheep with Unit 051 being the most drastic at 30 sheep less than the 2016 count. The overall average of rams:ewes ratio in the state is 60 rams for every 100 ewes. The most drastic being Unit 012 on the low end with 27 rams for every 100 ewes and Unit 031 with 97 rams for every 100 ewes. The California bighorn sheep are in great shape in Nevada and seem to be headed in the right direction. It is not an application that I would typically call strong enough to apply for on its own, but if you are going to be purchasing the state hunting license for any other species, it would be a mistake to not include California bighorn sheep on your application spreadsheet.

The Seasons

Nevada offers only one season for each of their hunt areas and the successful applicants are allowed to hunt with whatever weapon they prefer: rifle, muzzleloader, or archery. The season for each hunt area is now Sept. 1 to Oct. 31. This two month season is one of the factors that contributes to the high success rates on these hunts; however, be aware that the average number of days hunting was only 8.6 across all surveyed hunters in 2017.

* Recent die-off in this unit so caution should be taken to burn lots of points.** Units that have nonresident permits.

With so few of options and because each of these sheep herds are so closely monitored in Nevada, there really aren’t many hidden gems. Unit 032 and Unit 034 have the highest populations of sheep in the state and can make for a very fun hunt. Because you are allowed to make five selections on your application each year, it might not hurt to throw Unit 012 in as your last selection as it tends to have the least number of applications most years. Be prepared. This hunt took two hunters over 10 days to be successful. If you are nonresident, it is simple to apply for all four selections and keep your fingers crossed that your name comes out of the hat early.

B&c Entry Trends for Nevada California Bighorns

B&C classifies California bighorns as Rocky Mountain bighorns. So the B&C table is the same as the one above in the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep section. Look at Humboldt county for the California bighorn sheep units.

The Points System

The Bonus Point Race

2018 maximum bonus points for California bighorn sheep: 25

Managing Points and Expectations

Residents

Nonresidents

I Have 0 California Bighorn Sheep Bonus Points. What Can I Expect?

Residents:

Draw odds for bighorn sheep in any state are tough. The drawing odds for Nevada’s California bighorn sheep are even harder in most cases. With the limited number of tags and a very high demand, the odds start off small—like <0.01% small—and they stay pretty close to that even after many years of applying. If you are not currently applying for all the other species this state has to offer now is the time to start since this application is a long shot and, if you want to get out in the mountains sooner rather than later, apply for everything you can in your home state.

Find your resident California bighorn sheep draw odds with 0 points here

Nonresidents:

There are only four choices to choose from for nonresident applicants. These choices are Unit 012, Unit 032, Unit 034, and Unit 035. The odds of drawing one of these permits will take some serious luck as you will be starting with <0.01% odds across the board and the odds don’t improve that much even if you apply for 20 years. However, you have almost the same odds of drawing whether you are just getting started or have been at it for many years. If you are not currently applying for all species of interest in Nevada you should start now as it would be a mistake to be purchasing the nonresident hunting license and not applying for all the top shelf opportunities the Silver State has to offer.

Find your nonresident California bighorn sheep draw odds with 0 points here

What Can I Do with 5 California Bighorn Sheep Bonus Points?

Resident:

Your odds are not better, but they have increased slightly to above 0.01% in a couple of units. Continue with your original plan. Who knows? Any year could be your year. Don’t apply for a “point only” unless you just absolutely cannot hunt this coming fall.

Find your resident California bighorn sheep draw odds with 5 points here

Nonresident:

There is very little movement on your odds as the number of applicants coming out of the draw is typically only five. While the demand for these five tags continues to increase. Keep applying for all four selections and keep your fingers crossed, rub your lucky rabbit’s foot and anything else you can think to increase your luck because you are still going to need it.

Find your nonresident California bighorn sheep draw odds with 5 points here

What Can I Expect with 15 or More California Bighorn Sheep Bonus Points?

Resident:

This is where reality is starting to set in. With over a decade and half of applying you still only have approximately a 1% chance in one of the units and even after all of this time you are going to need some serious luck for this hunt to happen. Who knows? You are in Nevada; crazier things have happened when we are talking about luck.

Find your resident California bighorn sheep draw odds with 15 points here

Nonresident:

Congratulations! After all of this time, you have successfully moved from <0.01% to last year in Unit 032 a 0.08% chance of drawing. You have to look at this application like a cheap raffle ticket. Your points are not doing you much good at all, but for only a few bucks a year the “what if” tends to overpower the logic in all of this. Good luck and, when the day comes, oh how sweet it will be.

Find your nonresident California bighorn sheep draw odds with 15 points here

Mark H. took this great archery Nevada mountain goat with Secret Pass Outfitters — A GOHUNT Business Member

Nevada once again is only offering mountain goat tags to residents only this year. The units that are available to apply in are Unit 101, 102, and 103. There are a total of eight tags available in 2018 with six of them in Unit 102. The total population in the state is slightly down from last year with a total of 310 animals and continues the downward trend we have been seeing since 2009 when there were an estimated 470 goats in the state.

The success rate in 2017 was 78% with two tags not being filled. Only 57% of the goats harvested were males. This was largely due to the fact that only 40% of the goats taken in Unit 102 were males.

Although the opportunities are limited in Nevada, if you do happen to draw one of these tags, the caliber of billies coming out of this state are quite good if you look at B&C records. This is most likely caused by the very limited number of tags each year as well as the remoteness of the herds; these two factors help maintain a higher age class. While drawing a Nevada mountain goat tag is very difficult, if you are the lucky recipient and you can put a few miles on your boots in rough terrain, you are in for a world-class experience.

* This number only takes into account the successful hunters. There were two unsuccessful hunters in Unit 102 last year. One of them only hunted one day and the other hunted six days. There was also one hunter who reported hunting 24 days before taking a goat and another that hunted 17 days prior to taking his goat.

Note: There were 3,834 applicants for the one nonresident permit in Unit 102 last year. The recipient of that permit was unsuccessful.

Current Mountain Goat Herd Condition

The current mountain goat population in Nevada sits at approximately 310 animals. The system used to determine this number has a + or – of 20%. This number reflects a decrease of 6% in total goats over the 2016 survey. Both Unit 102 and Unit 103 came back with the same number of goats from the 2016 survey. Unit 102 currently holds the bulk of Nevada’s mountain goats in the state at 200 animals while Unit 103 holds approximately 45. Unit 101 saw a decrease of 20 animals since the 2016 survey, which brought that unit population down to 65 animals. The long story short is that Nevada mountain goats are in rough shape. As recently as 2009 there were close to 500 mountain goats in Nevada and due to an outbreak of pathogens that have led to a large number of pneumonia-related mortalities this herd continues to decline. With a very poor recruitment happening each year it is hard to say when this epidemic is going to stop.

Nanny harvest numbers have been a concern in Nevada since 2007. You'll see in the table above that the past 10 years have seen a substantial increase in the amount of nanny harvest. Nanny harvest will continue to be monitored closely and assessed relative to quota development to minimize any potential impacts to overall production and recruitment following the recent disease event documented in the mountain goat population. Nevada’s mountain goat populations are limited by winter ranges. Normal snowpack years are required to produce adequate feed on their summer ranges.

The Seasons

Nevada mountain goat hunts are any legal weapon permits. You can use a rifle, muzzleloader or even archery equipment if you choose. The great part about Nevada mountain goat hunting is the two-month long season. Dates are Sept. 1 through Oct. 31, which give hunters plenty of time to find a quality goat.

With only three available selections there really isn’t a way to uncover a gem. Based on the overall population, Unit 102 sticks out as an obvious first choice, but when you look at the caliber of goats that the hunters took in Unit 101 and 103 last year and the number of days hunted, that is hard not to consider as well. At the end of the day, you should apply for all three units each time you submit your application and feel very fortunate if you happen to be successful no matter which unit it happens in.

B&c Entry Trends for Nevada Mountain Goat

Units listed below may not have a current hunt for this species. Units in this table are included if any part of the unit is found within the county. Data provided below courtesy of the Boone and Crockett Club.

The Points System

The Bonus Point Race

2018 maximum bonus points for mountain goat: 25

Managing Points and Expectations

Residents

I Have 0 Mountain Goat Bonus Points. What Can I Expect?

Residents:

We love your passion for the game! Odds are for the weak, are we right? Don’t let the fact that you have a less than 0.01% chance of drawing deter you from your goals. It’s Nevada and the best part is you essentially have just as good of odds as the guys who have been at it for over a decade. Apply for all three units and keep your fingers crossed.

Find your resident mountain goat draw odds with 0 points here

What Can I Do with 3 to 5 Mountain Goat Bonus Points?

Residents:

You are an application warrior; don’t slow down now. You know deep down in your gut that you were meant for that tag and it was meant for you. If you back out now, you will always wonder if it could have been you in that picture with a mountain goat. Unfortunately, it is still a long shot and your odds are less than 1% in all three units.

Find your resident mountain goat draw odds with 5 points here

What Can I Expect with 10 or More Mountain Goat Bonus Points?

Residents:

This is rough news. Please brace yourself: you still have less than a 1% chance of drawing a mountain goat tag in your home state. I know that is hard to swallow, but it is the reality. Do not feel too bad as you are in good company and not alone. Step back into that batter’s box and make this one count. The 2017 odds for an applicant with 15 points were: Unit 101 at 0.05%, Unit 102 at 0.28%, and Unit 103 at 0.06%. Remember it’s fun to win and you can’t win if you don’t play.

Find your resident mountain goat draw odds with 10 points here

Nevada’s antelope herd is truly an unsung conservation success story over the last 40 years. With a population of just over 10,000 animals, back in the early 1980s, things were not looking too good for antelope across the state. Thanks to an extensive effort by NDOW, the recovery started moving forward and has not slowed down ever since. The 2017 surveys show a herd of 29,000 antelope across the state and the overall age class and caliber of antelope is showing a similar trend.

Nevada had 14 different hunt areas that reported over 30% of the harvested bucks with at least one horn over 15”. Essentially, one out of every three hunters took bucks of this caliber. The top hunt area was Unit 076, 077, 079, 081, 091 with 55% of the bucks taken having a horn over 15” long. There were 153 bucks taken in the state that were over 16” and 38 bucks that had at least one horn over 17”. If you are looking for a better than average antelope and a crack at a B&C caliber buck it would be a mistake not to apply in Nevada.

Nevada antelope is not typically talked about when hunters are looking to plan an antelope hunt, but if you are already buying the state hunting license, it makes sense to build points for this species, especially the way it is trending. If archery hunting is your passion, there are two unit groups in the state that have better than a one in four chance of drawing—even with zero points.

Note: Only residents can apply for muzzleloader antelope hunts in Nevada.

Current Antelope Herd Condition

With a total population of 29,000 animals, the herd is in as good of shape as it has been in a long time—maybe ever. There were 15 hunt areas in the state that showed increased populations while seven hunt areas showed a decrease. The most notable on both sides of the spectrum was an increase of 400 animals in Units 141, 143, 151 through 156 and a decrease of 900 animals in Units 032, 034, 035. All units surrounding this area of the state showed an increase in population, too. So far, there has not been anything released as to why there was such a dramatic swing in this area’s antelope herd. At a minimum, this herd is still listed at 2,000 animals and the state does not seem to be too concerned as they are issuing almost the same number of tags in 2018 as they did in previous years. While an increase in wildfires across the state has been very damaging to the mule deer habitat, it has created better conditions for the antelope, which can be seen in the state surveys.

Top Hit List Units for Nevada Antelope

This table is meant to show you that there is at least one unit in the hunt area with over 80” potential; it also averages out the amount of public land between all units in the hunt area. When you draw a tag for any of these hunt areas, be sure to consult the Filtering 2.0 section of the website for more detailed trophy potential from unit to unit as you start your scouting process.

The more primitive of a weapon you are willing to hunt with, the faster you can expect to have a tag in your pocket. Unfortunately, when we are talking about archery hunting with antelope, the most common successful method involves sitting in a blind over water in blazing heat. There are two different archery hunts that had a better than one in four chance of drawing for nonresidents even with zero points. Units 065, 142, 144 had a 39% chance and Units 181 through 184 had a 28% chance. Remember you are in Nevada and you get five choices on your application. Always swing for the fence on the hunts you want the most for the first two selections and, then, chase the odds with your final three selections.

Buck: Doe Ratios and Why This Matters

Following the buck to doe ratios can be an excellent way of locating a hidden gem and is a critical tool for wildlife managers when deciding how many tags to issue in each unit each year. Essentially, when a unit has a higher buck:doe ratio you can’t help but assume that some of these bucks are making it through each season; therefore, creating an opportunity for an older age class buck. This is not a given, but tends to hold true most of the time. If you are not looking to break records while you are hunting and are simply looking for a hunt where you can expect to see more bucks per day, studying these ratios could be the most important data to consider. Whether you are planning a youth hunt or just tired of not seeing bucks while you are out hunting, take a look at the total population of deer in each unit and compare that to the buck:doe ratio. Before long, you will off and running to a very enjoyable hunt.

B&c Entry Trends for Nevada Antelope

Units listed below may not have a current hunt for this species. Units in this table are included if any part of the unit is found within the county. Data provided below courtesy of the Boone and Crockett Club.

It should be noted that both Washoe and Elko counties took a fairly large leap since last season.

The Points System

The Bonus Point Race

2018 maximum bonus points for antelope: 23

Managing Points and Expectations

Residents

Nonresidents

I Have 0 Antelope Bonus Points. What Can I Expect?

Residents:

Welcome to the antelope draw! You can head down this path in two different directions. The first would be to apply for the best tags in the state with all five of your selections, knowing that it’s going to take some serious luck and most likely a number of years to reach your goal. The other method would be to apply for your dream hunt as the first and second selection on your application and then chase the odds with your final three selections, knowing that you will most likely settle for a hunt that was considered below average in the state.

If you choose to chase the odds, your best bet will be to apply for an archery hunt in Units 205 through 208 as, last year, the odds of drawing this permit were 28%. Units 141, 143, 151-156 had a 19% chance for the archery hunt with zero points and Units 065, 142, 144 had archery odds of 16% last year as well.

If you are looking for a rifle hunt or muzzleloader your odds are quite small with your current point level.

Find your resident antelope draw odds with 0 points here

Nonresidents:

Applying for an archery hunt is going to be the best way to fast track yourself into an antelope tag in Nevada. If you are trying to see this plan come to fruition as soon as possible always apply for your dream hunt with the first two selections and chase the odds with your last three if the units meet your goals.

There are two areas of the state that, based upon last year’s odds, you will have at least a 25% chance or above at drawing an archery permit. Unit 181 through 184 drew a 28% chance with zero points and Unit 065, 142, 144 drew with a 39% chance.

Currently, there are no units in the state that you have better than a 1% chance of drawing a rifle tag.

Find your nonresident antelope draw odds with 0 points here

What Can I Do with 3 or 4 Antelope Bonus Points?

Residents:

With as few as four points, you have some options to consider if you are interested in an archery hunt. There are many options to consider with above average drawing odds.

There were two rifle hunts with better than a 25% chance of drawing in 2017. They are Units 205 through 208 with a 27% chance and Units 141, 143, 151 through 156 with a 35% chance.

Study each of these areas before applying and make sure they line up with what your goals are. Again, keep swinging for the fence with your first two selections. Who knows? You could come out of the hat early and be headed to the best hunt in the state.

Find your resident antelope draw odds with 4 points here

Nonresidents:

If you are up for an archery hunt there are a couple of options to consider. Pay close attention to the success rates, trophy quality, and buck:doe ratios, but, if everything looks good based on your goals, your hunt may not be too far away.

If you are still waiting on a rifle hunt look towards Unit 078, 105 through 107, 121. Applicants with four points had a 14% chance last year.

Keep applying for the best tags in the state with your first two selections. If you come out early, planning a hunt for the best area of the state is more fun anyways.

It will be best to study the standalone draw odds here for nonresidents and adjust your individual point value to see your best odds.

Find your nonresident antelope draw odds with 4 points here

What Can I Expect with 9 or 10 Antelope Bonus Points?

Residents:

Well, you have waited your turn whether you meant to or not and you are in luck; there isn’t an archery or muzzleloader tag in the state that you wouldn’t likely be the top point holder when applying. If a rifle tag is what you have been waiting for there are three hunt areas that are producing over 80” bucks and had better than a 50% chance of drawing.

Find your resident antelope draw odds with 10 points here

Nonresidents:

With 10 points, you have a number of archery hunts to consider. There are three units with over 80” potential in that list as well as two rifle hunts that have over 75” potential and greater than 50% chance of drawing in 2017.

Find your nonresident antelope draw odds with 10 points here

What Can I Expect with 15 or More Antelope Points?

Residents:

Things either haven’t worked out for you or you are now just choosing to burn the points you have been saving for a number of years. Unfortunately, because of how Nevada’s system works, nothing is a guarantee. With 15 points, unless you have an airtight plan for a specific buck, swing for the fence with all five selections. You have not waited this long to simply hunt an antelope and, with the way things are going, you should have a crack at a real giant. Unit 033 is generally considered the best unit in the state, but both Units 012-014 and Units 041, 042 had five bucks each with at least a 17” horn. This doesn’t mean they were all B&C caliber antelope, but a 17” horn is a good start towards getting there.

If you’re near this point total, it’s very important to study the standalone draw odds here for residents and adjust your individual point value to see your best odds for drawing a tag.

Find your resident antelope draw odds with 15 points here

Nonresidents:

Well, it is Nevada and we never said it would be easy. As we have talked about in the past, every species should be considered a long-term goal in the Silver State—even antelope. Unfortunately, there is still only one rifle hunt that has over 80” trophy potential that you have a >25% chance of drawing at least based on the 2017 odds.

Unit 031 drew the rifle hunt at 33% last year.

Take a hard look at the number of over 15” bucks taken in the above table if you want to chase the odds a little, but, at a minimum, keep applying for the best tags in the state with your first couple of choices.

If you’re near this point total, it’s very important to study the standalone draw odds here for nonresidents and adjust your individual point value to see your best odds for drawing a tag.

Find your nonresident antelope draw odds with 15 points here