Nevada Bighorn Sheep

Unit 283 (McCullough / Highland Ranges)

Nevada Hunting Guide — Bighorn Sheep

The 283, 284 hunt group covers the McCullough Range and Highland Range of deep-south Clark County — Mojave desert limestone and volcanic cliff country south of Las Vegas toward the California line. BLM Las Vegas District manages most of the public land, with Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area anchoring the McCullough Range. Per NDOW's draw statistics, the group runs roughly 464 three-year applicants against 8 tags — a lifetime desert bighorn application with solid paved access off I-15 and US-95.

View Draw Odds Nevada Hunting Guide

Bighorn Sheep Hunting in Unit 283

Where to Find Desert Bighorn in 283, 284

Nelson's desert bighorn in the 283, 284 group favor the steepest limestone and volcanic crags of the McCullough and Highland ranges. We concentrate on cliff-and-water intersections.

McCullough Range / Sloan Canyon NCA

The Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area on the north end of the McCulloughs holds rams on the black volcanic ridges and canyon cliffs. Foot access only inside the NCA wilderness boundaries.

Highland Range

The Highland Range south of Jean, NV holds a separate sheep concentration on its limestone escarpments. BLM roads off I-15 give reasonable day access to glassing points.

Springs and Guzzlers

Desert bighorn in this country cycle tightly between escape cliffs and a short list of reliable springs and BLM-maintained guzzlers. We inventory active water in August scouting and plan hunt days around it.

How to Hunt Desert Bighorn in 283, 284

This is a once-in-a-lifetime desert bighorn tag with unusually good paved access — we use that access for deep pre-season scouting.

Scout Water First

In Mojave desert bighorn country, the active water list drives everything. We inventory springs and BLM guzzlers in August, confirm which are running in early September, and plan ram-finding glassing stations around them.

Glass Long

Limestone and volcanic cliffs silhouette sheep from a mile out with a quality spotting scope. We set up tripod stations on elevated ridges and rotate through first/last-light windows rather than still-hunting the canyons.

Sloan Canyon NCA Rules

The Sloan Canyon NCA has specific access and wilderness regulations on the McCullough Range portion of the hunt. We contact BLM Las Vegas before the hunt to confirm current travel designations and any seasonal closures.

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Bighorn Sheep Success Rates

NDOW does not publish unit-specific success percentages for the 283, 284 group. With roughly 8 tags across three years, the live Draw Odds chart on this page shows NDOW's current-year tag allocations and applicant trendlines. Southern-Nevada desert bighorn rifle success historically tracks in the 80-95% band for dedicated tag holders working the country hard.

Bighorn Sheep Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— Late Season	3	70	4.3%	0

Data from 2025 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Nevada desert bighorn is a once-in-a-lifetime species — draw one ram tag and you are done with Nelson's desert bighorn in this state. The 283, 284 group runs roughly 8 tags across three years against 464 applicants, with Nevada's weighted bonus-point system adding one extra entry per accumulated point (straight count, max held per species). Max-point applicants carry leverage but the hunt remains a deep single-digit draw.

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Planning Notes

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Camp Sites

Dispersed BLM camping on non-NCA ground. Hotel-based hunts out of Las Vegas or Primm are practical given the paved approach.

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Water

Very limited. We carry all drinking water — 2+ gallons per person per day. On-unit water is a wildlife tool, not a resupply.

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Road Conditions

I-15 and US-95 paved to the range fronts. BLM roads off the interstates run from maintained gravel to high-clearance two-track; wilderness sections inside Sloan Canyon NCA are foot-only.

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Terrain Difficulty

Strenuous. Mojave desert limestone and volcanic crags with loose rock, exposure, and 1,500-3,500 ft of vertical from road ends into ram habitat.

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Hunting Pressure

Very low. Single-digit annual tags across a large multi-unit group.

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Weather

Mojave desert climate — warm to hot even in fall/winter bighorn seasons. Season dates vary year to year; we confirm the current NDOW schedule.

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Cell Service

Good near I-15 and US-95; drops off quickly in the ranges.

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Nearest Town

Las Vegas, Henderson, and Jean, NV for services. Primm on the California line is the closest fuel stop for the south end of the Highland Range.

Note: Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area has specific access rules in the McCullough Range. We contact BLM Las Vegas District before the hunt to confirm travel designations and wilderness boundaries.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What bighorn subspecies is in the 283, 284 group?

Nelson's desert bighorn sheep — the southern-Nevada desert subspecies found across Clark County ranges. Nevada treats desert bighorn as a once-in-a-lifetime species in the draw.

How hard is the 283, 284 bighorn tag to draw?

Very hard — NDOW draw statistics show roughly 8 tags across three years against 464 applicants. Plan on a lifetime application; maximum-point holders still face deep single-digit odds year to year.

Can I day-hunt the 283, 284 group from Las Vegas?

Yes — the I-15 and US-95 paved access makes day-hunts from Las Vegas or Henderson practical. We still plan for full pack-out logistics out of the limestone and volcanic cliff country.

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Sources & Verification

Every fact on this page is tied to a primary source below. Last fact-checked 2026-04-17.

NDOW Hunt Information Sheets — Desert Bighorn Units 283, 284 — Nevada Department of Wildlife · supports: Hunt group 283, 284 covers the McCullough Range and Highland Range in southern Clark County, Nelson's desert bighorn subspecies, Once-in-a-lifetime species in Nevada · accessed 2026-04-17
2026 Nevada Big Game Seasons & Applications Booklet — Nevada Department of Wildlife · supports: Units 283 and 284 draw as a combined Nelson's desert bighorn group, Nevada weighted bonus-point system — straight count, max held per species, Desert bighorn treated as once-in-a-lifetime species · accessed 2026-04-17
Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area — Bureau of Land Management · supports: Sloan Canyon NCA covers the north McCullough Range in Clark County, NCA includes the North McCullough Wilderness (foot access only), BLM Las Vegas District administers travel management · accessed 2026-04-17