General Information & Harvest Hotline

Please review the Hunt Book for current Hunting Regulations.

Mountain lion tags are available for residents and nonresidents to purchase over the counter (two per year) at NDOW offices, license agents, and online at www.ndowlicensing.com. View License and Tag Fees.

Harvested mountain lions must be inspected and sealed by a NDOW representative.

In Nevada, you do not need any special permits to use dogs for lion hunting. Unless you are guiding, the only permits needed are the hunting license and mountain lion tag.

Mountain lion quotas are established for each of Nevada's three regions. When the harvest objective has been met for a given region, the lion season is closed in that region. Before you hunt, please call the Mountain Lion Harvest Hotline at 1-800-800-1667.

Mountain lion harvest information is available on this web page in the table below, as well as through the harvest hotline. It is the hunter's responsibility to check this page, or call the hotline prior to hunting to obtain updated information about the status of mountain lion harvest objectives.

Tooth and Tissue Samples

NDOW Requests Tooth & Tissue at Time of Sealing

Phone the Harvest Hotline at 1-800-800-1667

The Western Region is comprised of the counties of Washoe, Humboldt, Pershing, Churchill, Mineral, Lyon, Douglas, Carson City and Storey. The Eastern Region is comprised of Elko, Lander, Eureka, and White Pine. The Southern area includes Nye, Esmeralda, Lincoln and Clark counties. Hunt areas listed on the Information Hotline correspond to the first two digits of the hunt unit groups listed here: Area 1 = Units 011-015, Area 2= Units 021 and 022, and Area 19= Units 192, 194, 195, and 196.

Scroll down below the table for more important mountain lion regulations.

Mountain Lion Tags

1. Unless otherwise specified by regulation of the Commission or Title 45 of NRS, any resident of Nevada or nonresident is eligible to apply once for a mountain lion tag in any year. View License and Tag Fees.

2. A person who harvests a mountain lion shall, within 72 hours after harvesting it, personally present the skull and hide to a representative of the Department for inspection. The representative shall affix the seal of the Department permanently to the hide.....

Which tooth is the premolar tooth? Click on the picture to enlarge the image.

NDOW Requests Tooth & Tissue at Time of Sealing

NDOW is requesting that hunters allow for the removal and retention of one premolar tooth from each harvested mountain lion when presenting the skull and hide to the NDOW for sealing. Please present the skull unfrozen or with the mouth fixed open. The premolar tooth will be used to accurately age harvested mountain lions. NDOW is also asking that a one inch square piece of tongue or other muscle tissue from each lion be turned in at the same time for future DNA testing.

3. It is unlawful for any person to:

(a) Transport the hide of a mountain lion from this state without a seal permanently affixed to the hide.
(b) Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, possess the hide of a mountain lion without a seal permanently attached to it.
(c) Kill a female mountain lion which is accompanied by a spotted kitten.
(d) Kill or possess a spotted mountain lion kitten.

4. If a mountain lion is accidentally trapped or killed, the person trapping or killing it shall report the trapping or killing within 48 hours to a representative of the Department. The animal must be disposed of in accordance with the instructions of the representative.

NOTE: Contact NDOW dispatch at (775) 688-1331 or Operation Game Thief at 1-800-992-3030 to make reports.

Special Mountain Lion Information

1. Mountain lion tags will be available to residents and nonresidents over the counter at all license agents, Department offices, and online at www.ndowlicensing.com.

2. There is no quota on the number of mountain lion tags that will be issued.

3. Each mountain lion management unit or unit group shall have a sport harvest objective.

4. The hunting season for mountain lion in each unit or unit group shall be open from the first day through the last day of the established season or until the sport harvest objective is reached for the specific unit or unit group, whichever occurs first.

5. Tag holders may hunt in any mountain lion unit or unit group within the established season where the sport harvest objective has not been reached.

6. It shall be the tag holder’s responsibility to determine if the harvest objective has been reached in a specific unit or unit group.

7. Tag holders may call the Mountain Lion Harvest Information Hotline at any time to determine if a unit or unit group has been closed due to the harvest objective being reached. The hotline number is 1-800-800-1667 and is accessible 24 hours a day.

Tag holders may also obtain information on the status of a unit or unit group by contacting Division offices in Fallon, Reno, Winnemucca, Elko, Ely, Las Vegas, and Henderson.