Nevada desert bighorn sheep hunting in unit group 221, 223
Unit group 221, 223 is NDOW's tag group for units 221 and 223 in Lincoln and White Pine counties: 1,211,750 acres, 96.6% public land, mostly BLM (1,130,021 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 97.
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 landNational Park ServiceMilitary and Energy DepartmentTribal landUnit group 221, 223Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Units | 221, 223 |
|---|---|
| County | Lincoln and White Pine |
| NDOW region | Southern Region |
| Size | 1,211,750 acres (1,893 square miles) |
| Public land | 96.6% (1,170,979 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 97) |
| Resident desert bighorn ram season, any legal weapon, 2026 | November 20 to January 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Hiko, Bennett Springs, Caliente and Ely |
How many desert bighorn sheep tags does NDOW issue in units 221 and 223?
NDOW issued 1 desert bighorn ram tag for unit group 221, 223 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 | Resident | Any legal weapon | Nov 20 - Jan 1 | 1 | 1 | 97 | 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 units 221 and 223?
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% | 221, 223 |
| 2024 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 100% | 221, 223 |
| 2023 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0% | 221, 223 |
| 2022 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 100% | 221, 223 |
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 221 and 223 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 | 223, 221 | 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 221 and 223?
96.6% of unit group 221, 223 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 1,170,979 of 1,211,750 acres. The largest share is BLM, 1,130,021 acres or 93.3%.
| Manager | Acres | Share |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 1,130,021 | 93.3% |
| National forest | 38,631 | 3.2% |
| Tribal land | 2,568 | 0.2% |
| State land | 2,327 | 0.2% |
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 221 | White Pine, Lincoln, Nye | 766 | 95.7% | Ely (2 mi) | Pronghorn antelope (221 - 223, 241), Mule deer (221 - 223), Elk (221 - 223) |
| Unit 223 | Lincoln | 1,128 | 97.3% | Hiko and Bennett Springs | Pronghorn antelope (221 - 223, 241), Mule deer (221 - 223), Elk (221 - 223) |
How do you get to units 221 and 223?
Highways through it: NV 320 (about 10 miles inside), NV 38 (about 7 miles inside) and NV 321 (about 4 miles inside). Along its boundary: NV 318, US 93, US 6 and US 50. Towns and places inside: Hiko and Bennett Springs. Nearby: Caliente (on the line) and Ely (2 miles).
Which units border units 221 and 223?
9 hunt units touch the group. Their public land and their own desert bighorn sheep group:
| Unit | Public land | Desert bighorn sheep page | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 111 | 90.5% | No desert bighorn sheep group page | White Pine |
| Unit 131 | 97% | 131, 132, 164 | White Pine, Nye |
| Unit 132 | 97.4% | 131, 132, 164 | Nye, Lincoln, White Pine |
| Unit 133 | 98.3% | 133, 245 | Lincoln, Nye |
| Unit 222 | 98.3% | No desert bighorn sheep group page | Lincoln, White Pine |
| Unit 231 | 96.5% | No desert bighorn sheep group page | Lincoln |
| Unit 241 | 99.3% | 241 | Lincoln |
| Unit 242 | 97.3% | 242, 271 | Lincoln |
| Unit 245 | 95.9% | 133, 245 | Lincoln |
Questions hunters ask
How many desert bighorn sheep tags are there in units 221 and 223?
NDOW set a quota of 1 desert bighorn ram tag for unit group 221, 223 in 2025 and issued 1, across 1 hunt by residency, weapon and season. In 2024 it issued 1.
What is hunter success for desert bighorn sheep in units 221 and 223?
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 units 221 and 223?
NDOW's draw rate for the 2025 resident any-legal-weapon hunt here was 1%: a quota of 1 against a demand of 97. 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 221 and 223 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 221 and 223?
96.6% of the 1,211,750 acres, measured from BLM's surface management map; the largest share is BLM, 1,130,021 acres.
What is the closest town to units 221 and 223?
Hiko and Bennett Springs are inside the group. Just outside: Caliente (on the line) and Ely (2 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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