Nevada Unit 253 Bighorn-Sheep: draw, harvest & access

Hardest draw in Unit 2532024 draw

Nelson Desert Bighorn Management Ram - One Horn | Any Legal Weapon | 253, 254, 261 | Jan 05 - Feb 20

0 drew, 173 applied.

One of Nevada's hardest bighorn sheep draws: 1st hardest of 214 in 2024.

Hunt codes

Bighorn sheep huntsin Unit 253

Whole-hunt draw results: applicants, tags and the share that drew.

Hunt code	What it is	Draw result · 2025	Tags	Success 3-yr
645	Desert Bighorn Sheep Any Ram · any legal weapon · Nov 20–Jan 1	3 of 1,028 drew	5	100%
8375914	Desert Bighorn Sheep Any Ram · any legal weapon · Nov 20–Jan 1	1 of 1,091 drew	1	100%
Nelson (Desert) Bighorn Sheep Any Ram \| Any Legal Weapon \| 253 \| Nov 20 - Jan 01		3 of 1,028 drew		No harvest report
Nelson Desert Bighorn Management Ram - One Horn \| Any Legal Weapon \| 253, 254, 261 \| Jan 05 - Feb 20		0 of 173 drew		No harvest report

Some hunt codes cover several units; the hunt page lists them all.

Harvest & herd

How hunters didand how the herd is doing.

Harvest success by hunt, 2025–2025

% success

645100%

100%

2025

8375914100%

100%

2025

45%+28–45%Under 28%

How the herd is doing

Herd unit 253

2013–2025

Population estimate 2025

110

Rams / 100 ewes 2023

53

Average age of harvested rams 2016

6.5 yrs

Average Boone and Crockett score of harvested rams 2016

167.8

Population estimateFalling

202020212022202320242025

Rams per 100 ewesFalling

202120222023

Average age of harvested rams (years)Falling

20132016

Average Boone and Crockett score of harvested ramsFalling

20132016

Before you apply

Tag fee: “Nonresident bighorn sheep tag......................................................................... 1,200”
Points: “may electronically submit an application for a bonus point for that species or category of species”

Rules for 2026.

Season dates · 2025

645Any Legal Weapon · Any Legal WeaponNov 20–Jan 1
8375914Any Legal Weapon · Any Legal WeaponNov 20–Jan 1

Confirm in the regulations before you go.

Map & access

Unit 253and the units around it

Neighbors with a FarWide page open on click.

Public land & access

Wildlife management areas

Each program opens on the state's site. Check on-the-ground signage.

Offline maps

Take Unit 253into your map app

Opens in onX, Gaia GPS, CalTopo, Google Earth, and Garmin. Works offline in those apps.

Free

Unit boundary

The unit outline only.

Unit 253

KMZ GPX GeoJSON

Members

Unit 253 hunt pack

One file, layered: the unit boundary, with each bighorn sheep hunt's draw odds and harvest success attached to the unit.

Unit boundary
Draw odds per hunt
Harvest success per hunt

Download hunt pack (KMZ) GPX

Unit 253 · 645

3 of 1,028 drew

Success100%

Email me when 2027 boundaries post

Nevada Unit 253:bighorn sheep draw odds & harvest

Bighorn sheep huntsin Unit 253

How hunters didand how the herd is doing.

Unit 253and the units around it

Take Unit 253into your map app