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Nevada desert bighorn sheep hunting in unit 204

Unit 204 is a single unit in Lyon and Mineral counties: 286,958 acres, 95.7% public land, mostly national forest (273,959 acres), measured from BLM's surface management map. In 2025, NDOW issued 2 desert bighorn ram tags 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%: 2 tags for a demand of 136.

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.

Map of Nevada desert bighorn sheep unit 204: public land by manager, neighboring units 201, 202 and 203, and Yerington

BLMNational forestState landMilitary and Energy DepartmentTribal landUnit 204Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway

Unit 204 at a glance (desert bighorn sheep)
Units204
CountyLyon and Mineral
NDOW regionWestern Region
Size286,958 acres (448 square miles)
Public land95.7% (274,663 acres)
Desert bighorn ram tags, 20252 issued, quota 2
Successful hunters, 20251 of 1 afield
Resident any-legal-weapon draw rate, 2025 (NDOW)1% (2 tags, demand 136)
Resident desert bighorn ram season, any legal weapon, 2026September 15 to November 15
Towns in and near itYerington

How many desert bighorn sheep tags does NDOW issue in unit 204?

NDOW issued 2 desert bighorn ram tags for unit 204 in 2025, against a quota of 2. Every 2025 hunt in the group, as NDOW reports it:

HuntResidencyWeaponSeasonQuotaTags issuedDemandNDOW draw rateHunters afieldSuccessfulHunter success
Desert Bighorn Sheep Any RamResidentAny legal weaponSep 15 - Nov 15221361%11100%

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 204?

1 of 1 hunter afield was successful in 2025, 100% across the group's hunts. The group year by year:

YearHuntsQuotaTags issuedHunters afieldSuccessful huntersSuccess, all huntsLabels NDOW used for the group
202512211100%204
202412222100%204
202311100204
202211111100%204

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.

When is desert bighorn sheep season in unit 204 in 2026?

The 2026-2027 seasons NDOW's regulation sets for this unit group:

Hunt numberHuntWeaponUnit group as NDOW prints it2026-2027 season2025-2026 season
3151Resident Nelson (Desert) Bighorn SheepAny Ram - Any Legal Weapon204Sep 15 - Nov 15Sep 15 - Nov 15

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 204?

95.7% of unit 204 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 274,663 of 286,958 acres. The largest share is national forest, 273,959 acres or 95.5%.

ManagerAcresShare
National forest273,95995.5%
BLM7040.2%

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 204: Pronghorn antelope (202, 204), Black bear (192, 194 - 196, 201 - 204, 206, 291), Mule deer (201, 204).

How do you get to unit 204?

No numbered highway crosses it. Along its boundary: NV 338 and NV 208. Nearby: Yerington (8 miles).

Which units border unit 204?

3 hunt units touch unit 204. Their public land and their own desert bighorn sheep group:

UnitPublic landDesert bighorn sheep pageCounty
Unit 20171.3%No desert bighorn sheep group pageDouglas, Lyon
Unit 20275.4%202Mineral, Lyon
Unit 20357.5%No desert bighorn sheep group pageLyon

Questions hunters ask

How many desert bighorn sheep tags are there in unit 204?

NDOW set a quota of 2 desert bighorn ram tags for unit 204 in 2025 and issued 2, across 1 hunt by residency, weapon and season. In 2024 it issued 2.

What is hunter success for desert bighorn sheep in unit 204?

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 204?

NDOW's draw rate for the 2025 resident any-legal-weapon hunt here was 1%: a quota of 2 against a demand of 136. 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 204 in 2026?

For Nelson (desert) bighorn rams, NDOW's 2026-2027 regulation sets: resident any legal weapon, September 15 to November 15.

How much public land is in unit 204?

95.7% of the 286,958 acres, measured from BLM's surface management map; the largest share is national forest, 273,959 acres.

What is the closest town to unit 204?

No town is inside it. The nearest is Yerington (8 miles).

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Where these numbers come from

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.

Nevada hunting Western Region All desert bighorn sheep groups