Nevada desert bighorn sheep hunting in unit 173
Unit 173 is a single unit in Nye and Lander counties: 998,902 acres, 96.3% public land, mostly national forest (489,879 acres), measured from BLM's surface management map. In 2025, NDOW issued 1 desert bighorn ram tag here across 1 hunt; 1 hunter went afield and 1 was successful (100% of those who hunted, worked out from NDOW's two figures). NDOW's draw rate for the resident any-legal-weapon hunt was 1%: 1 tag for a demand of 70.
Part of a unit: NDOW's 2025 ram hunt here was 173 North, "that portion of Unit 173 north and west of the Seyler Reservoir/Peavine Creek/Gabbs Valley Pole Line Roads" (CR 25-07). Amendment #2 of January 2026 lists the 2026-2027 resident ram hunt (3151) for unit 173 as a whole, September 1 to January 1. The map and the land figures cover the whole units.
Data updated October 2026. Tags and harvest: NDOW hunt statistics, 2022 to 2025. Seasons: NDOW's 2026-2027 regulation with its January 2026 amendment. Land: BLM.
BLMNational forestMilitary and Energy DepartmentTribal landUnit 173Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Units | 173 |
|---|---|
| County | Nye and Lander |
| NDOW region | Southern Region |
| Size | 998,902 acres (1,561 square miles) |
| Public land | 96.3% (962,147 acres) |
| Desert bighorn ram tags, 2025 | 1 issued, quota 1 |
| Successful hunters, 2025 | 1 of 1 afield |
| Resident any-legal-weapon draw rate, 2025 (NDOW) | 1% (1 tag, demand 70) |
| Resident desert bighorn ram season, any legal weapon, 2026 | September 1 to January 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Tonopah and Kingston |
How many desert bighorn sheep tags does NDOW issue in unit 173?
NDOW issued 1 desert bighorn ram tag for unit 173 in 2025, against a quota of 1. Every 2025 hunt in the group, as NDOW reports it:
| Hunt | Residency | Weapon | Season | Quota | Tags issued | Demand | NDOW draw rate | Hunters afield | Successful | Hunter success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Desert Bighorn Sheep Any Ram (173N) | Resident | Any legal weapon | Aug 15 - Jan 1 | 1 | 1 | 70 | 1% | 1 | 1 | 100% |
Source: NDOW Big Game Hunt Statistics (2022 to 2025; 2025 from NDOW's 2025 hunt data workbook). Demand is NDOW's count of tags awarded plus unsuccessful first-choice applicants. NDOW's draw rate is its quota divided by that demand; NDOW says it does not account for bonus points. Hunter success is successful hunters out of hunters afield.
What is hunter success for desert bighorn sheep in unit 173?
1 of 1 hunter afield was successful in 2025, 100% across the group's hunts. The group year by year:
| Year | Hunts | Quota | Tags issued | Hunters afield | Successful hunters | Success, all hunts | Labels NDOW used for the group |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 100% | 173N |
| 2024 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 100% | 173 (North Portion); 173B (South Portion) |
| 2023 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 67% | 173N; 173S |
| 2022 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 60% | 173N; 173S |
Source: NDOW Big Game Hunt Statistics (2022 to 2025; 2025 from NDOW's 2025 hunt data workbook). Totals are NDOW's hunt rows added together; the success share is worked out from NDOW's own two figures. A year is shown only where NDOW published the group's hunts; NDOW sometimes splits a unit with a letter (108B, 144A) or a portion, and those labels are listed.
What other desert bighorn sheep hunts cover these units?
NDOW's other 2025 desert bighorn sheep hunts with exactly this unit group:
| Hunt | Residency | Weapon | Season | Quota | Tags issued | Demand | NDOW draw rate | Hunters afield | Successful | Hunter success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Desert Bighorn Sheep Mgmt Ram (173 North) | Resident | Any legal weapon | Aug 15 - Jan 1 | 2 | 2 | 1,443 | 0.1% | 2 | 2 | 100% |
Source: NDOW Big Game Hunt Statistics (2022 to 2025; 2025 from NDOW's 2025 hunt data workbook).
When is desert bighorn sheep season in unit 173 in 2026?
The 2026-2027 seasons NDOW's regulation sets for this unit group:
| Hunt number | Hunt | Weapon | Unit group as NDOW prints it | 2026-2027 season | 2025-2026 season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3151 | Resident Nelson (Desert) Bighorn Sheep | Any Ram - Any Legal Weapon | 173 | Sep 1 - Jan 1 * | New hunt |
| 3172 | Resident Nelson (Desert) Bighorn Sheep - Any Ram | Management Ram - Access Limited* - Any Legal Weapon | 173 North | Closed * | New hunt |
Source: NDOW Commission Regulation 25-07, 2026-2027 big game seasons, with Amendment #2 (January 2026). * Changed or added by Amendment #2. NDOW can change a season during the year; check NDOW before you go.
How much public land is in unit 173?
96.3% of unit 173 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 962,147 of 998,902 acres. The largest share is national forest, 489,879 acres or 49%.
| Manager | Acres | Share |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 489,879 | 49% |
| BLM | 472,268 | 47.3% |
| Tribal land | 4,409 | 0.4% |
| Military and Energy Department | 37 | under 0.1% |
Measured by FilledTag inside NDOW's unit boundaries from BLM Surface Management Agency map (national, limited scale), a generalized national map; the rest is private or not mapped. Military, Energy Department and tribal land are not counted as open to hunting (they are closed to the public or need the owner's permission).
Other species NDOW groups with unit 173: Pronghorn antelope (171 - 173), Mule deer (171 - 173), Elk (161 - 164, 171 - 173).
How do you get to unit 173?
No numbered highway crosses it. Along its boundary: NV 376, NV 8, NV 89 and US 50. Towns and places inside: Tonopah and Kingston.
Which units border unit 173?
10 hunt units touch unit 173. Their public land and their own desert bighorn sheep group:
| Unit | Public land | Desert bighorn sheep page | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 154 | 95.7% | No desert bighorn sheep group page | Lander |
| Unit 156 | 94.5% | No desert bighorn sheep group page | Lander |
| Unit 161 | 96.9% | 161 | Nye, Lander |
| Unit 162 | 98.8% | 162 - 163 | Nye, Eureka |
| Unit 171 | 97.9% | No desert bighorn sheep group page | Nye |
| Unit 172 | 96.5% | No desert bighorn sheep group page | Nye, Lander |
| Unit 184 | 96.8% | 184 | Lander, Churchill |
| Unit 212 | 96.9% | 212 | Esmeralda |
| Unit 213 | 99.8% | 213 | Esmeralda |
| Unit 251 | 98.4% | 134, 251 | Nye |
Questions hunters ask
How many desert bighorn sheep tags are there in unit 173?
NDOW set a quota of 1 desert bighorn ram tag for unit 173 in 2025 and issued 1, across 1 hunt by residency, weapon and season. In 2024 it issued 3.
What is hunter success for desert bighorn sheep in unit 173?
In 2025, 1 of the 1 hunter NDOW counted afield took a desert bighorn ram here, 100% across every hunt in the group.
How hard is it to draw a desert bighorn sheep tag in unit 173?
NDOW's draw rate for the 2025 resident any-legal-weapon hunt here was 1%: a quota of 1 against a demand of 70. NDOW describes the draw rate as quota divided by demand; it does not account for bonus points.
When is desert bighorn sheep season in unit 173 in 2026?
For Nelson (desert) bighorn rams, NDOW's 2026-2027 regulation sets: resident any legal weapon, September 1 to January 1.
How much public land is in unit 173?
96.3% of the 998,902 acres, measured from BLM's surface management map; the largest share is national forest, 489,879 acres.
What is the closest town to unit 173?
Tonopah and Kingston are inside the unit.
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Where these numbers come from
- Tags, quota, demand, draw rate, hunters and success: NDOW Big Game Hunt Statistics (2022 to 2025; 2025 from NDOW's 2025 hunt data workbook).
- Seasons: NDOW Commission Regulation 25-07, 2026-2027 big game seasons, with Amendment #2 (January 2026).
- Public land: BLM Surface Management Agency map (national, limited scale). Unit boundaries: NDOW hunt units.
- Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 primary and secondary roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer, places.
FilledTag is not part of the Nevada Department of Wildlife. Numbers are copied from NDOW or measured from public maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.
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