The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) is the state agency responsible for the restoration and management of fish and wildlife resources, and the promotion of boating safety on Nevada’s waters.

NDOW has responsibility for the wildlife resources and enforcement of the wildlife and boating safety laws on 109,894 square miles of land, 667 square miles of water and 529 streams that flow 2,750 miles.

Organizational Structure

The department consists of seven divisions responsible for administration, game management, fisheries management, law enforcement, conservation education, habitat, and wildlife diversity. Resource division chiefs report to the Deputy Director, who is directly responsible to the Director. The Administrative Services Division Chief reports directly to the Director. Divisions are responsible for both program and operational aspects of their specific disciplines statewide

Wildlife Management Areas

NDOW's eleven state-owned wildlife management areas provide approximately 117,000 acres of wildlife habitat.

Fisheries

Four fish hatcheries raise and stock more than 2 million trout a year in Nevada's reservoirs, 65 lakes and 50 streams. More than one million warm water species like wipers, bass, walleye and catfish are also stocked. More than 14 waters in the state are managed as urban fisheries in Clark, Washoe, and Churchill Counties.

Nevada Wildlife

There are or were 892 species of mammals, reptiles, fish, birds and amphibians in Nevada. Of that number, 790 species are native, 64 are only found in Nevada, 102 have been brought into the state and 32 are extinct

• 161 Mammals
• 173 Fish
• 24 Amphibians
• 78 Reptiles
• 456 Birds

  Game Birds
  Nevada's game bird resources include chukar and hungarian partridge, sage, blue and ruffed grouse, California, Gambel, and mountain quail, ring -necked pheasants, mourning dove and wild turkey. Waterfowl associated with the state's aquatic areas include northern pintail, mallard, America wigeon, redhead and wood, ducks as well as Canada and snow geese.

  Big Game
  Latest available numbers indicate that Nevada had estimated adult populations of 105,000 mule deer, 18,500 pronghorn antelope, 5,100 desert bighorn sheep, 210 Rocky Mountain bighorns, 1,500 California bighorn sheep, 7,400 Rocky Mountain elk, 370 Rocky mountain goats and about 2,700 young and adult mountain lions.
  

  Fish Facts
  Nevada has four native game fish: cutthroat trout, redband trout, bull trout and mountain whitefish. Introduced game fish include bass, catfish, crappie, walleye and rainbow, brown and brook trout. There are 77 species and subspecies of native nongame fish that reside in Nevada's waters ranging from the speckled dace to the razorback sucker.

Nevada Climate / Habitat

Nevada is a desert state, the driest in America. The state receives an average of less than seven inches of rain per year.

Nevada's topography ranges in elevation from 500 to 13,000 feet, and includes landscapes that range from the Mojave Desert to the high alpine zones. Because of the wide range of vegetation in these geographic zones, Nevada has a rich diversity of non-game wildlife as detailed in the wildlife section of this page.

Personnel

NDOW is the state agency directly responsible for managing all the fish and wildlife in the state of Nevada. There are just 226 people working towards or supporting this responsibility in one manner or another. Biologists monitor the health of wildlife populations. Game wardens enforce the wildlife laws passed by the state legislature and regulations set by the Nevada Wildlife Commission. Conservation Educators inform and educate people about Nevada’s wildlife. And, there are many, many other professionals, doing all kinds of jobs to help with the huge task of looking after the wildlife of our state.