Nevada desert bighorn sheep hunting in unit group 206, 208
Unit group 206, 208 is NDOW's tag group for units 206 and 208 in Mineral and Esmeralda counties: 793,274 acres, 91.8% public land, mostly BLM (565,729 acres), measured from BLM's surface management map. In 2025, NDOW issued 6 desert bighorn ram tags here across 1 hunt; 6 hunters went afield and 5 were successful (83% of those who hunted, worked out from NDOW's two figures). NDOW's draw rate for the resident any-legal-weapon hunt was 6%: 6 tags for a demand of 100.
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 forestState landMilitary and Energy DepartmentUnit group 206, 208Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Units | 206, 208 |
|---|---|
| County | Mineral and Esmeralda |
| NDOW region | Western Region |
| Size | 793,274 acres (1,239 square miles) |
| Public land | 91.8% (728,155 acres) |
| Desert bighorn ram tags, 2025 | 6 issued, quota 6 |
| Successful hunters, 2025 | 5 of 6 afield |
| Resident any-legal-weapon draw rate, 2025 (NDOW) | 6% (6 tags, demand 100) |
| Resident desert bighorn ram season, any legal weapon, 2026 | November 20 to January 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Mina |
How many desert bighorn sheep tags does NDOW issue in units 206 and 208?
NDOW issued 6 desert bighorn ram tags for unit group 206, 208 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 | 6 | 6 | 100 | 6% | 6 | 5 | 83% |
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 units 206 and 208?
5 of 6 hunters afield were successful in 2025, 83% 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 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 83% | 206, 208 |
| 2024 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 100% | 206, 208 |
| 2023 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 75% | 206, 208 |
| 2022 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 100% | 206, 208 |
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 units 206 and 208 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 | 206, 208 | 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 units 206 and 208?
91.8% of unit group 206, 208 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 728,155 of 793,274 acres. The largest share is BLM, 565,729 acres or 71.3%.
| Manager | Acres | Share |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 565,729 | 71.3% |
| National forest | 162,426 | 20.5% |
| Military and Energy Department | 41,645 | 5.2% |
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).
The units in this group
| Unit | County | Square miles | Public land | Towns | Other species' pages |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 206 | Mineral | 983 | 89.9% | Mina | Pronghorn antelope (205 - 208), Black bear (192, 194 - 196, 201 - 204, 206, 291), Mule deer (202, 205 - 208) |
| Unit 208 | Esmeralda, Mineral | 256 | 99.1% | Pronghorn antelope (205 - 208), Mule deer (202, 205 - 208) |
How do you get to units 206 and 208?
Highways through it: NV 360 (about 23 miles inside). Along its boundary: US 95, NV 3, US 6 and NV 359. Towns and places inside: Mina.
Which units border units 206 and 208?
5 hunt units touch the group. Their public land and their own desert bighorn sheep group:
| Unit | Public land | Desert bighorn sheep page | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 202 | 75.4% | 202 | Mineral, Lyon |
| Unit 205 | 59.9% | 205 | Mineral, Nye |
| Unit 207 | 98.5% | 207 | Mineral |
| Unit 211 | 95.3% | 211 | Esmeralda |
| Unit 213 | 99.8% | 213 | Esmeralda |
Questions hunters ask
How many desert bighorn sheep tags are there in units 206 and 208?
NDOW set a quota of 6 desert bighorn ram tags for unit group 206, 208 in 2025 and issued 6, across 1 hunt by residency, weapon and season. In 2024 it issued 4.
What is hunter success for desert bighorn sheep in units 206 and 208?
In 2025, 5 of the 6 hunters NDOW counted afield took a desert bighorn ram here, 83% across every hunt in the group.
How hard is it to draw a desert bighorn sheep tag in units 206 and 208?
NDOW's draw rate for the 2025 resident any-legal-weapon hunt here was 6%: a quota of 6 against a demand of 100. NDOW describes the draw rate as quota divided by demand; it does not account for bonus points.
When is desert bighorn sheep season in units 206 and 208 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 units 206 and 208?
91.8% of the 793,274 acres, measured from BLM's surface management map; the largest share is BLM, 565,729 acres.
What is the closest town to units 206 and 208?
Mina is inside the group.
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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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