Where do I buy a Nevada hunting license?

Nevada hunting licenses and tags are sold by the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) through its official licensing site. Buy direct from the agency rather than a reseller, and complete hunter education first if your birth year requires it.

When is Nevada hunting season?

Seasons differ by species, weapon and zone, and the Nevada season dates change every year. Our Nevada deer guide summarizes the 2025 deer season structure; for every other species, check the current Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) regulations before you plan a hunt.

What can you hunt in Nevada?

Besides mule deer, our species guides single out Nevada for mule deer, pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep, chukar partridge. Each species guide explains tags, seasons and tactics.

Where is public hunting land in Nevada?

Good starting points include Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Ruby Mountains, Schell Creek and Snake ranges. Confirm access rules, closures and special regulations with the managing agency before you go.

Hunting · State by State

Nevada Hunting Guide

What to hunt in Nevada, what it costs, the laws that matter and where the public land is — with the official Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) links.

Nevada trades high deer densities for wide-open, lightly hunted mule deer country — if you can draw one of its strictly limited tags.

Nevada deer hunting is defined by the Great Basin's basin-and-range geography — dozens of isolated mountain ranges separated by wide desert valleys, each holding its own small, semi-isolated deer herd that migrates seasonally between high-elevation summer range and lower winter range.

Agency: Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW)
Region: Mountain West
Deer rank: #47 of 50
Species guides: 5

Nevada hunting license and tag costs

Deer license and tag prices as last reviewed. Other species' permits are listed in the agency fee schedule.

License / tag	Price
Nonresident hunting license	approx. $155
Nonresident deer tag	approx. $300, drawn/capped
Nonresident application fee	approx. $15 per species applied for
Nonresident bonus point (if not drawn)	approx. $15–$30

Nevada hunting laws to know

Rules that catch hunters out most often. Not a substitute for the regulations book.

Topic	Rule
Blaze orange	Not legally required for big game hunters in Nevada, though wearing hunter orange is recommended for visibility on multi-use public land.
Baiting	Baiting big game, including deer, is illegal statewide in Nevada.
Crossbows	Legal for use during archery season only with a permit for disability; otherwise restricted to general firearm seasons.
Sunday hunting	Allowed statewide; no Sunday closure in Nevada.
Legal firearms	Centerfire rifles are standard for general season; muzzleloader and archery seasons have their own equipment restrictions.
Tagging/reporting	Tags must be validated immediately upon harvest, and hunters must complete mandatory online harvest reporting after the season, even if unsuccessful.
Antler point restrictions	Some units require a minimum antler point count for legal bucks; restrictions vary by hunt unit and are listed in the annual regulations.
Hunter education	Required for anyone born after Jan. 1, 1960 before purchasing a Nevada hunting license.

Nevada deer season structure (2025)

Nevada deer hunts are organized by management unit groups with unique season dates and quotas each year — always check the current-year Big Game Season Dates and Quotas booklet before applying.

Season	Weapon	Typical window
Archery	Bow / crossbow (with permit)	Mid-Aug. – mid-Sept.
Muzzleloader	Muzzleloader	Mid-Sept. – early Oct.
General rifle	Centerfire rifle	Early Oct. – late Oct., unit-dependent
Youth hunts	Rifle/archery	Varies, often overlapping general season

What you can hunt in Nevada

Deer — Mule deer
Limited · ranked #47 of 50 for deer.
Mule Deer
The best trophy potential in the West on desert and high-desert units
Access: Bonus-point systems; premium units realistically 10–20 years
Pronghorn Antelope
Lower density, high quality, and big country
Access: Bonus-point draws, longer waits
Bighorn Sheep
The premier desert bighorn states
Access: Bonus-point draws; Arizona's system squares points, so waits are extreme
Chukar Partridge
Vast public land and remote canyon country with light pressure
Access: Over-the-counter license

Public hunting land in Nevada

With most of Nevada under federal management, access is rarely an issue — the key is drawing a tag in a unit that fits the terrain and season you want to hunt.

Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest
National forest · Statewide (largest national forest in the Lower 48)
Spans dozens of mountain ranges across Nevada, offering high-elevation aspen and conifer habitat for mule deer in numerous hunt units.
Official page
Ruby Mountains
National forest / BLM · Northeastern Nevada
Rugged, glacier-carved range known for strong mule deer numbers and dramatic alpine terrain.
Official page
Schell Creek and Snake ranges
BLM / national forest · Eastern Nevada
High desert mountain ranges near Ely with a long-standing reputation for mature mule deer bucks.
Official page
Toiyabe and Toquima ranges
National forest / BLM · Central Nevada
Remote, lightly hunted central Nevada ranges with good aspen and sage habitat for deer.
Official page
Spring Mountains
National forest · Southern Nevada, near Las Vegas
Higher-elevation range close to Las Vegas offering accessible mule deer habitat in the state's drier south.
Official page

Official Nevada links

Last reviewed 2025.

Nearby state hunting guides

Questions

Frequently asked

Where do I buy a Nevada hunting license?: Nevada hunting licenses and tags are sold by the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) through its official licensing site. Buy direct from the agency rather than a reseller, and complete hunter education first if your birth year requires it.
When is Nevada hunting season?: Seasons differ by species, weapon and zone, and the Nevada season dates change every year. Our Nevada deer guide summarizes the 2025 deer season structure; for every other species, check the current Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) regulations before you plan a hunt.
What can you hunt in Nevada?: Besides mule deer, our species guides single out Nevada for mule deer, pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep, chukar partridge. Each species guide explains tags, seasons and tactics.
Where is public hunting land in Nevada?: Good starting points include Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Ruby Mountains, Schell Creek and Snake ranges. Confirm access rules, closures and special regulations with the managing agency before you go.