Nevada doesn’t sell over-the-counter deer tags. Every mule deer tag comes from a draw or from the small number of tags left after the draws. What you can control is which unit groups you apply for and which draw you enter. Here is how it all works for 2026.

Unit groups: how Nevada splits up deer hunts

Nevada is divided into hunt units, and most deer hunts cover a group of them, like 061, 062, 064, 066–068 or 101–109. Your tag is good anywhere in that group during your season. Each group has its own hunts and quotas for archery, muzzleloader, and any legal weapon (rifle).

A few groups hand out far more tags than the rest. The biggest 2026 quotas were in the northeastern groups:

Unit group	2026 rifle hunts	Resident / nonresident rifle tags
101–109	Early, mid, and late	755 / 72 early, 755 / 66 mid, 154 / 12 late
071–079, 091	Early and late	776 / 57 early, 72 / 6 late
061, 062, 064, 066–068	Early and late	761 / 53 early, 89 / 6 late
171–173	Early, mid, and late	383 / 33 early, 274 / 23 mid, 70 / 6 late
151–156	Early and late	289 / 18 early, 29 / 1 late
141–145	Early and late	258 / 15 early, 22 / 2 late

Many smaller groups give only one or two nonresident tags per hunt. Those can be very hard to draw, but they also see few hunters.

Nonresident guided mule deer tags

Nevada keeps a separate pool of tags for nonresidents who hunt with a licensed guide. It is called the nonresident restricted guided mule deer draw.

• Separate application: It runs before the main draw. In 2026 applications were February 9 to March 9, with results on March 20.
• You must book a guide first. Your licensed Nevada master guide or sub-guide signs off on your application, and the guide must be with you in the field at all times while you hunt.
• Rifle only. Guided tags are for any legal weapon hunts, mostly in October and November.
• Quotas: The guided quota is based on a share of the tags issued to nonresidents the year before. For 2026–27 the largest guided quotas were 32 for the early hunt in 061, 062, 064, 066–068, 29 for the early hunt in 071–079, 091, and 22 and 23 for the early and mid hunts in 101–109. Most other groups had one to six guided tags.
• Family rule: Immediate family members of the master guide or sub-guide can’t apply through their guide.
• Contract: You must get a written contract from the guide before the hunt begins.
• Tag fee: Nevada law (NRS 502.148) sets the restricted nonresident guided deer tag at $300.

It is one or the other: under Nevada rules, anyone who applies in the guided draw can’t apply for a nonresident deer tag in the main draw that same year, even if they don’t draw, and a hunter issued a guided tag can’t apply for any other Nevada deer tag that season. Ask NDOW how a guided application affects your bonus points before you apply. The guided route costs much more, since you’re paying for a guided hunt, so it makes the most sense if you planned to hire a guide anyway.

The second draw and first-come, first-served

Any tags not issued in the main draw go to the second draw in June (June 8–15 in 2026, with results on June 26). After that, any remaining tags are sold first come, first served, online only. Popular deer hunts rarely have tags left, but it is worth checking.

Specialty mule deer tags

Nevada also offers a handful of special tags for antlered mule deer:

Tag	How you get it	2026 mule deer quota
Silver State	Separate drawing open to residents and nonresidents. Bonus points don’t apply, so everyone has the same odds	1
Dream	Random drawing. Good in any open unit	1
Heritage	Sold outside the draw at auction. Drawing a regular tag doesn’t stop you from buying one	2
Partnership in Wildlife (PIW)	Separate drawing ($10 application fee)	11 resident, 1 nonresident

Silver State and Heritage mule deer tags were valid August 1 to December 31, 2026, in any unit with an open season. The odds are long, but the Silver State application costs only $20 and doesn’t touch your bonus points.

Junior hunts

Resident junior hunters have their own antlered-only hunts with separate quotas. Starting in 2026, a junior can get only one junior tag from the main draw. A second junior tag can come only from the second draw, alternate list, or first-come sales.

Which path fits you?

You are…	Best path
A resident	Main draw every year, five choices, never skip two years
A nonresident who wants a guided hunt	Guided draw in February (you can’t also apply for a nonresident deer tag in the main draw that year)
A nonresident on a budget	Main draw for points, with DIY-friendly unit groups as choices
Anyone hoping to get lucky	Add the Silver State and PIW drawings

Related: How Nevada draw points work · Draw odds by unit · Nevada Mule Deer Hunting Guide · How to apply for the draw · Season dates

Tag rules and quotas come from the Nevada Department of Wildlife for 2026 and change every year. Always check the current NDOW regulations for your unit group before you apply.