The Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners has approved the big game hunting tag quotas for the 2024-2025 season. The decision follows recommendations from the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) and input from County Advisory Boards to Manage Wildlife. While most species quotas, including antelope, elk, mountain goat, bear, and bighorn sheep, align with NDOW's suggestions, significant changes were made to mule deer quotas due to public concerns about population declines in northeastern Nevada.
Alan Jenne, Director of NDOW, noted the positive impact of recent weather conditions on wildlife: “We’ve had a positive year for many of our big game herds and we expect their health to only improve thanks to two consecutive wet winters, which resulted in improved habitat conditions. This has helped big game species in their recovery from long-term drought followed by severe winter weather experienced during late 2022 and throughout the early months of 2023.”
The commission’s decision was informed by extensive surveys conducted by NDOW biologists. These surveys involved ground and aerial methods to assess age, sex ratios, young recruitment rates, and population sizes. Public feedback also played a role in shaping these sustainable quota recommendations.
Jenne highlighted the role of hunters in conservation efforts: “Additionally, we saw significant numbers in big game tag applications. The ongoing support we receive from sportsmen and women helps increase our conservation efforts and ensures continued improvements for all of Nevada’s 897 wildlife species.”
A comprehensive list of approved quotas can be found in Commission Regulation 24-12 for the 2024 Big Game Quota. The application period for big game tags closed on May 8th, with draw results expected by May 17th.