Nevada desert bighorn sheep hunting in unit 286
Unit 286 is a single unit in Clark County: 336,831 acres, 69.5% public land, mostly national wildlife refuge (193,226 acres), measured from BLM's surface management map. In 2025, NDOW issued 3 desert bighorn ram tags here across 1 hunt; 3 hunters went afield and 2 were successful (67% of those who hunted, worked out from NDOW's two figures). NDOW's draw rate for the resident any-legal-weapon hunt was 3%: 3 tags for a demand of 94.
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 refugeBureau of ReclamationNational Park ServiceMilitary and Energy DepartmentTribal landUnit 286Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Units | 286 |
|---|---|
| County | Clark |
| NDOW region | Southern Region |
| Size | 336,831 acres (526 square miles) |
| Public land | 69.5% (234,220 acres) |
| Desert bighorn ram tags, 2025 | 3 issued, quota 3 |
| Successful hunters, 2025 | 2 of 3 afield |
| Resident any-legal-weapon draw rate, 2025 (NDOW) | 3% (3 tags, demand 94) |
| Resident desert bighorn ram season, any legal weapon, 2026 | November 20 to January 1 |
| Towns in and near it | North Las Vegas, Las Vegas and Henderson |
How many desert bighorn sheep tags does NDOW issue in unit 286?
NDOW issued 3 desert bighorn ram tags for unit 286 in 2025, against a quota of 3. 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 | 3 | 3 | 94 | 3% | 3 | 2 | 67% |
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 286?
2 of 3 hunters afield were successful in 2025, 67% 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 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 67% | 286 |
| 2024 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 100% | 286 |
| 2023 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 100% | 286 |
| 2022 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 50% | 286 |
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 286 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 | 286 | 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 286?
69.5% of unit 286 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 234,220 of 336,831 acres. The largest share is national wildlife refuge, 193,226 acres or 57.4%.
| Manager | Acres | Share |
|---|---|---|
| National wildlife refuge | 193,226 | 57.4% |
| BLM | 40,989 | 12.2% |
| National Park Service | 18,091 | 5.4% |
| Military and Energy Department | 11,464 | 3.4% |
| Tribal land | 1,615 | 0.5% |
| National forest | 5 | 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.
No other species has a FilledTag page for unit 286 yet.
How do you get to unit 286?
Highways through it: NV 599 (about 7 miles inside), NV 574 (about 6 miles inside) and NV 573 (about 2 miles inside). Along its boundary: US 93, US 95 and I-15. Towns and places inside: North Las Vegas. Nearby: Las Vegas (on the line) and Henderson (14 miles).
Which units border unit 286?
7 hunt units touch unit 286. Their public land and their own desert bighorn sheep group:
| Unit | Public land | Desert bighorn sheep page | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 244 | 68.4% | 244 | Clark |
| Unit 262 | 86% | 262 | Clark, Nye |
| Unit 263 | 75.9% | 263 | Clark |
| Unit 268 | 75.9% | 268 | Clark |
| Unit 282 | 11.3% | 282 | Clark, Lincoln |
| Unit 283 | 99.4% | 283 - 284 | Lincoln, Clark |
| Unit 284 | 99% | 283 - 284 | Clark, Lincoln |
Questions hunters ask
How many desert bighorn sheep tags are there in unit 286?
NDOW set a quota of 3 desert bighorn ram tags for unit 286 in 2025 and issued 3, across 1 hunt by residency, weapon and season. In 2024 it issued 3.
What is hunter success for desert bighorn sheep in unit 286?
In 2025, 2 of the 3 hunters NDOW counted afield took a desert bighorn ram here, 67% across every hunt in the group.
How hard is it to draw a desert bighorn sheep tag in unit 286?
NDOW's draw rate for the 2025 resident any-legal-weapon hunt here was 3%: a quota of 3 against a demand of 94. 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 286 in 2026?
For Nelson (desert) bighorn rams, NDOW's 2026-2027 regulation sets: resident any legal weapon, November 20 to January 1.
How much public land is in unit 286?
69.5% of the 336,831 acres, measured from BLM's surface management map; the largest share is national wildlife refuge, 193,226 acres.
What is the closest town to unit 286?
North Las Vegas is inside the unit. Just outside: Las Vegas (on the line) and Henderson (14 miles).
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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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