Official GIS polygon layers render here when available. Click a unit polygon to ask Jeremiah for practical hunting background; seeded unit cards appear only when no GIS layer has been imported yet.

1 GIS layer

Back to mapCompare all units Open application portal

Agency source

1

medium confidence

Opportunities

15

researched nonresident paths

Applications

0

public research mode

Unit map

GIS

ArcGIS REST

Black Bear opportunities

First-pass official-source research package for nonresident applications, draw/OTC paths, odds, harvest stats, and map linkage. Retrieved 2026-05-13.

1 opportunities

1 mapped

15 sources

Application process

Nevada is a draw-first western state for nonresident big game. All big-game applications go through the NDOW licensing portal. The 2026 main draw application period opened March 23 and closed May 13 at 11 p.m. PDT, with results scheduled for May 29. A second draw for remaining big-game tags opened June 8 and closed June 15, with results June 26. Nonresident guided mule deer had a separate application period from February 9 to March 9, with results March 20. Applicants may choose up to five unit/season choices per species and sex class where available. Nevada uses random numbers; bonus points add chances by squaring the bonus point total and adding one for the current year. Commission policy allocates quotas approximately 90 percent resident and 10 percent nonresident. Tags left after the main draw can move to alternates, the second draw, and finally first-come first-served purchase.

Open portal

Timezone: Pacific Time / PDT as stated by NDOW materials

Black Bear

Nonresident black bear draw

high

draw

nonresident

map: gmu

Hunt codes: black bear unit group choices

Units: 192/194/195/196 portions, 201/202/204/206, 203/291

Deadlines: Main draw deadline May 13, 2026; second draw/FCFS possible if tags remain

Fees: Nonresident black bear tag: $300 • Application and processing fees apply

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Prerequisites

• Create/use an account in the NDOW licensing portal at ndowlicensing.com; all big game applications are submitted online.
• Anyone 12 or older who hunts game birds or mammals in Nevada must hold a hunting license; nonresidents normally use the adult combination license ($155) or youth combination license ($15).
• A license is valid for 365 days from purchase; bonus point eligibility depends on having an active hunting or combination license.
• Anyone born after January 1, 1960 must provide proof of hunter education to purchase a Nevada hunting license.
• Applicants who are required by federal law to have a Social Security number must provide it for licensing.
• Applicants may choose to purchase the hunting license only if successful, but that option does not award a bonus point after an unsuccessful application.
• Applicants who failed to submit a required hunt survey questionnaire for a prior-year tag are blocked from applying until they complete the questionnaire and pay the penalty fee identified by NDOW.
• Successful applicants have seven days after draw results to complete tag payment; failure to pay is treated as receiving the tag for waiting-period and bonus-point purposes.

Black Bear map gaps

• Special bighorn sheep closures, black bear closed portions of Units 192/194, NAS Fallon, NTTR, Great Basin National Park exclusions, and depredation/ag-land boundaries require separate special-boundary handling before map promises are made.

Jeremiah guide notes

What should a nonresident do first in Nevada?

Create or recover an NDOW licensing account, confirm hunter education and license status, then review current eRegulations, quotas, unit maps, and status books before submitting up to five choices.

How does Nevada's bonus point system work?

Nevada assigns random numbers, and bonus points add extra chances using points squared plus one. The lowest random number on the application is used in the draw.

Can I buy a tag without drawing?

Mountain lion tags are sold over the counter. Other big game tags generally go through main draw, alternates, second draw, and first-come first-served if tags remain.

Does Nevada have nonresident allocation?

NDOW application-process materials state quotas for resident and nonresident allocations are set at approximately 90 percent resident and 10 percent nonresident under Commission Policy 24.

What Nevada opportunities are easy to miss?

The separate nonresident guided mule deer draw, second draw/FCFS returned tags, mountain lion OTC tags, and specialty tags such as Silver State/PIW/Dream/Heritage are distinct from the regular main draw.

Official sources

Nevada Big Game Hunting

Primary 2026 Nevada big game regulation entry point and PDF guide links.

Nevada Hunting Application Process

Draw order, bonus point formula, application calendar, five choices, second draw, alternates, FCFS, waiting periods, and nonresident allocation policy.

Nevada Hunting Licenses & Tag Fees

Nonresident license prices, tag fees, application fees, license validity, hunter education, SSN, and youth rules.

Nevada Big Game Tag Information

Tag returns, alternates, first-come first-served tags, specialty tags, PIW/Silver State/Dream/Heritage tags, and private-land tag programs.

Nevada Online Licensing System

NDOW licensing portal context.

NDOW Plan Your Hunt