Nevada desert bighorn sheep hunting in unit 253
Unit 253 is a single unit in Nye County: 453,254 acres, 92.8% public land, mostly BLM (420,502 acres), measured from BLM's surface management map. In 2025, NDOW issued 6 desert bighorn ram tags here across 2 hunts; 6 hunters went afield and 6 were 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 0.5%: 5 tags for a demand of 1,019.
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 wildlife refugeState landNational Park ServiceMilitary and Energy DepartmentTribal landUnit 253Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Units | 253 |
|---|---|
| County | Nye |
| NDOW region | Southern Region |
| Size | 453,254 acres (708 square miles) |
| Public land | 92.8% (420,502 acres) |
| Desert bighorn ram tags, 2025 | 6 issued, quota 6 |
| Successful hunters, 2025 | 6 of 6 afield |
| Resident any-legal-weapon draw rate, 2025 (NDOW) | 0.5% (5 tags, demand 1,019) |
| Nonresident any-legal-weapon draw rate, 2025 (NDOW) | 0.1% (1 tag, demand 1,088) |
| Resident desert bighorn ram season, any legal weapon, 2026 | November 20 to January 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Amargosa Valley and Beatty |
How many desert bighorn sheep tags does NDOW issue in unit 253?
NDOW issued 6 desert bighorn ram tags for unit 253 in 2025, against a quota of 6. 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 | Resident | Any legal weapon | Nov 20 - Jan 1 | 5 | 5 | 1,019 | 0.5% | 5 | 5 | 100% |
| Desert Bighorn Sheep Any Ram | Nonresident | Any legal weapon | Nov 20 - Jan 1 | 1 | 1 | 1,088 | 0.1% | 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 253?
6 of 6 hunters afield were 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 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 100% | 253 |
| 2024 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 100% | 253 |
| 2023 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 100% | 253 |
| 2022 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 83% | 253 |
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 253 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 | 253 | Nov 20 - Jan 1 | Nov 20 - Jan 1 |
| 3251 | Nonresident Nelson (Desert) Bighorn Sheep | Any Ram - Any Legal Weapon | 253 | Nov 20 - Jan 1 | Nov 20 - Jan 1 |
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 253?
92.8% of unit 253 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 420,502 of 453,254 acres. The largest share is BLM, 420,502 acres or 92.8%.
| Manager | Acres | Share |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 420,502 | 92.8% |
| National Park Service | 285 | 0.1% |
| Military and Energy Department | 114 | 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), and neither is National Park Service land, whose rules differ by park: Lake Mead National Recreation Area allows hunting under state law, Great Basin National Park and Death Valley do not.
Other species NDOW groups with unit 253: Mule deer (251 - 254).
How do you get to unit 253?
Highways through it: US 95 (about 41 miles inside), NV 374 (about 9 miles inside) and NV 5 (about 6 miles inside). Along its boundary: NV 373. Towns and places inside: Amargosa Valley and Beatty.
Which units border unit 253?
3 hunt units touch unit 253; so do Death Valley National Park and Nellis Air Force Range/Nevada Test Site, which NDOW's unit map marks as closed to hunting. Their public land and their own desert bighorn sheep group:
| Unit | Public land | Desert bighorn sheep page | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 252 | 97.1% | No desert bighorn sheep group page | Nye |
| Unit 254 | 97% | 254 | Nye |
| Unit 261 | 87.1% | 261 | Nye |
Questions hunters ask
How many desert bighorn sheep tags are there in unit 253?
NDOW set a quota of 6 desert bighorn ram tags for unit 253 in 2025 and issued 6, across 2 hunts by residency, weapon and season. In 2024 it issued 6.
What is hunter success for desert bighorn sheep in unit 253?
In 2025, 6 of the 6 hunters 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 253?
NDOW's draw rate for the 2025 resident any-legal-weapon hunt here was 0.5%: a quota of 5 against a demand of 1,019. For nonresidents it was 0.1% (1 tag, demand 1,088). 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 253 in 2026?
For Nelson (desert) bighorn rams, NDOW's 2026-2027 regulation sets: resident any legal weapon, November 20 to January 1; nonresident any legal weapon, November 20 to January 1.
How much public land is in unit 253?
92.8% of the 453,254 acres, measured from BLM's surface management map; the largest share is BLM, 420,502 acres.
What is the closest town to unit 253?
Amargosa Valley and Beatty 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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