Wildlife Management Areas

Public Hunting Limited on Wildlife Management Areas and Designated State Lands

Alkali Lake Wildlife Management Area (WMA), Argenta WMA, Bruneau River WMA, Carson Lake WMA, Fernley WMA, Franklin Lake WMA, Humboldt WMA, Scripps WMA, Steptoe Valley WMA And Wayne E. Kirch WMA

1. Hunting is allowed every day for wildlife species upon which there is an established open season.

Mason Valley WMA

1. Before or after any waterfowl season, hunting is allowed every day for wildlife species upon which there is an established open season.
2. During any waterfowl season open within the hunt zone, hunting is permitted only on:
   1. Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays,
   2. the following legal State holidays: Nevada Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Family Day (day after Thanksgiving), Christmas, New Year’s Day, and Martin Luther King Day,
   3. during any youth waterfowl hunt.
   4. Hunters with a valid turkey tag for the Mason Valley WMA may hunt each day of the established turkey season.

Ft. Churchill Cooling Pond Cooperative WMA

1. The Ft. Churchill Cooperative Cooling Pond Wildlife Cooperative WMA is closed year-round to all hunting.
2. From October 1, through the Friday preceding the second Saturday of February, the area shall be closed to trespass.

Overton WMA

1. Before or after any waterfowl season, hunting is allowed every day for wildlife species upon which there is an established season.
2. Waterfowl hunting is permitted on the Moapa Valley portion of the area on:
   1. the opening day of the earliest opening waterfowl season,
   2. even days thereafter through the end of regular duck and goose seasons,
   3. the final two days of the second duck and goose season, and
   4. during any youth waterfowl hunt.
3. Upland game bird and rabbit hunting is prohibited during the regular duck and goose seasons, except for persons possessing a valid wild turkey tag to hunt turkeys in the Moapa Valley of Clark County. These persons may hunt turkeys every day for which the tag is valid. These persons are prohibited from pursuing any other upland game birds or rabbits during such time that the fall turkey season is concurrent with the waterfowl season.
4. During the waterfowl season on the Moapa Valley portion of the area, hunters must hunt from assigned hunt locations (blinds) constructed by the Department of Wildlife. A maximum of up to four hunters are permitted at each hunt location. Assigned hunt locations are marked by numbered stakes. Hunters shall hunt only within their assigned hunt location and moving to vacant locations is prohibited. The only exception involves reasonable accommodation of the disabled.
5. During the opening day and the first weekend of the dove season, the maximum capacity for the Moapa Valley portion of the area is 60 hunters by reservation. Vacancies will be filled by stand-by hunters on a first-come, first-served basis.
6. On Overton Hunt days, only persons authorized to hunt waterfowl may use vessels on the portion of the area inundated by Lake Mead.

Key Pittman WMA

1. Before or after any waterfowl season, hunting is allowed every day for wildlife species upon which there is an established season.
2. Waterfowl hunting is permitted on: the opening weekend of the earliest opening waterfowl season within the hunt zone, odd-numbered days thereafter through the end of regular duck and goose seasons, the final two days of the second duck and goose season, and during any youth waterfowl hunt.
3. The maximum hunter capacity during the opening day of duck season and the opening day of goose season will be 55 at any time.
4. All hunters will check-in and out at the main entrance and will park in designated parking areas only. No vehicles are allowed on the area during the hunting season.
5. The area is closed to fishing during the waterfowl season.
6. No motorized boats are allowed on the area during the waterfowl season.

Overton-Key Pittman Hunter Reservation System

1. To guarantee an opportunity to hunt, reservations must be made for the following specified days of each hunt listed:
   • The Key Pittman WMA
     1. The earliest opening day of the general duck and goose seasons.
   • The Moapa Valley portion of the Overton WMA
     1. Opening day and the first weekend of the dove season.
     2. The entirety of any open waterfowl season.

   Special Regulation for the Moapa Valley Portion of the Overton WMA: A person or their representative applying for reservations for group hunting will be limited to up to four hunters per party.

2. Waterfowl Remainder of Season Reservation Process:
   (Remainder of season reservation process is defined as that portion of the season following the opening day and weekend applications at Overton WMA and Key-Pittman WMA)
   Reservations for the remainder of the waterfowl hunting season at the Overton WMA will be available the Monday prior to the opening of the waterfowl season and can be made by calling 1-855-542-6369 Monday through Friday 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM pacific time. Hunters that are successful during the Overton WMA Opening Day and Weekend application process must use those reservations before making reservations for the remainder of the season. An individual may reserve no more than one assigned hunt location on the Moapa Valley portion of the area for no more than four individuals to hunt as a party and this reservation must be utilized prior to reserving another hunt day. The reservations must be in the hunter’s possession and be shown to the check station attendant to constitute a valid reservation for the day specified. At the Key Pittman WMA, reservations for hunting will be required only on the earliest opening day of the regular duck season and goose seasons. All hunters will check in at the main entrance on the opening day of waterfowl season. For the remainder of the waterfowl season, hunters will complete a reservation card obtained from the Frenchy Lake or Nesbitt Lake check station box and deposit the card in an appropriate drop box for each day hunted. Failure to turn in a completed card at the Key Pittman WMA or failure to check out at the Overton WMA may result in a citation being issued, and the loss of hunting privileges for the remainder of the season. No vehicles are allowed on the areas during the hunting season.
3. During the waterfowl season at the Overton WMA, an assigned hunt location program will be in effect. Hunters will make a reservation for one of three types of hunt locations (field, pond or bulrush plot) and the specific hunt location will be determined by a drawing at the check station prior to each day’s hunt. NDOW reserves the right to adjust blind availability and blind assignments based on the conditions present on the day of the hunt.
4. A hunter with a reservation will be considered as a “no-show” if they do not present themselves at the check station by one full hour before shooting time, except that at the Overton WMA, a hunter with a reservation will be considered a “no-show” if they do not present themselves at the checking station one and one-half hours before shooting time during the waterfowl season.
5. Standby hunters must register at the check station upon arrival.
6. All reservations, permits and assigned hunting locations are nontransferable.

The State of Nevada through the Department of Wildlife owns or has long-term leases on more than 155,000 acres of land incorporated into wildlife management areas (WMAs) across the state. The primary management emphasis on WMAs is the protection of wetlands and waterfowl including the use of the areas as public hunting grounds. Hunting opportunities for sportsmen on WMAs include migratory game bird, upland game bird, furbearer and big game hunting. Below is a table of restrictions associated with each of the wildlife management areas. Please review this table and the accompanying list of hunt and use restrictions on wildlife management areas before hunting in these areas.

Restrictions on Use of Firearms and Ammunition

1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 6, the discharging of a rifle or pistol is prohibited on the following wildlife management areas:
   1. Overton in Clark County.
   2. Key Pittman in Lincoln County.
   3. Wayne E. Kirch in Nye County.
   4. Scripps in Washoe County.
   5. Mason Valley in Lyon County.
2. Deer may be hunted on the Mason Valley and Wayne E. Kirch Wildlife Management Areas only by persons using:
   1. Shotguns and rifled shotgun slugs or shotgun rounds with sabots that contain a single expanding projectile; or
   2. Longbows and arrows.

A shotgun that is used to hunt deer pursuant to this subsection may be equipped with a smoothbore barrel that is partially or fully rifled.

1. The use of shotguns capable of holding more than three shells is prohibited on all wildlife management areas owned or managed by this State unless the shotgun is plugged with a one-piece filler, incapable of removal without disassembling the gun, so that the total capacity of the shotgun does not exceed three shells.
2. The use or possession of shells for a shotgun containing shot that is toxic or larger than standard-size T is prohibited on the following wildlife management areas:
   1. Overton in Clark County.
   2. Key Pittman in Lincoln County.
   3. Wayne E. Kirch in Nye County.
   4. Scripps in Washoe County.
   5. Mason Valley in Lyon County.
   6. Fernley in Lyon County.
   7. Alkali Lake in Lyon County.
   8. Humboldt in Churchill and Pershing Counties.
   9. Steptoe Valley in White Pine County.
   10. Franklin Lake in Elko County.
3. The use or possession of shotgun rounds with sabots that contain other than rifled slugs of conventional design is prohibited on all wildlife management areas owned or managed by this State.
4. The provisions of subsection 1 do not apply to persons authorized by the Department to use rifles and pistols for the control of predatory animals and rodents.
5. For the purposes of this section, all shot shall be deemed toxic unless it has been approved as nontoxic by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service pursuant to 50 C.F.R. § 20.134.

(Refer to NAC 504.135)

Restrictions on Entry into Certain Areas

Between February 15 and August 15 a person shall not enter, occupy, use or be upon the following portions of Wildlife Management Areas:

1. Scripps: that portion of which lies south of Little Washoe Lake, as posted.
2. Key Pittman: that portion of Nesbit Lake north of the old fence line.
3. Wayne E. Kirch: the upper portion of Adams-McGill, Cold Springs, Dacey and Haymeadow reservoirs, as posted and all of Tule reservoir.
4. Mason Valley: the eastern portion of the main developed area, as posted.

Between March 1 and August 1 a person shall not enter, occupy, use or be upon the following portions of Wildlife Management Area:

1. Overton: the Honey Bee Pond and the Center Pond.

(Refer to NAC 504.120)

Construction and Use of Hunting Blinds; Use of Decoys

1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 6, a person may construct a hunting blind on any wildlife management area if the Department has no obligation to protect a privately constructed blind or to arbitrate the use or priority of use of such a blind. A blind to be constructed must:
   1. Be temporary and portable;
   2. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (c) be constructed of lumber, screen, fabric, synthetic material or native vegetation; and
   3. In the Kirch, Steptoe Valley and Mason Valley Wildlife Management Areas, be constructed of native vegetation, removable fabric, or a synthetic material that is of a temporary nature.
2. A group of persons may construct a blind only after the supervisor of the wildlife management area has approved the plans for the blind.
3. Sunken blinds, and barrels and boxes used as sunken blinds, must be covered when not in use to prevent the entrapment of animals.
4. The use of a sink box is prohibited.
5. A blind may not be locked or reserved for the use of a particular person or group of persons.
6. The Department may:
   1. Prohibit the construction of a hunting blind if it is detrimental to a wildlife management area or portion thereof.
   2. Designate a hunting blind on a wildlife management area as intended for the use of persons with physical handicaps pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. §§ 12101 to 12213, inclusive, and the regulations adopted pursuant thereto.
7. A person may use decoys on a wildlife management area so long as the decoys are not left set up in the field between the hours of 9 p.m. and 3 a.m.

(Refer to NAC 504.160)

Control of Vehicular Travel

1. Vehicular travel within a wildlife management area may be controlled for operation of the area, for public use and to benefit the public and wildlife resources. Such control may include specifying parking areas, closing interior roads or trails to vehicular travel and prohibiting travel beyond designated points.
2. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 3, it is prohibited, within a wildlife management area, to operate a motor vehicle:
   1. Off an interior road or trail that is designated for vehicular travel; or
   2. On an interior road or trail that is marked as closed to vehicular travel.

(Refer to NAC 504.115)

Denial of Use of Area for Abuse or Littering of Area

The Department may deny further use of the management area to any person who abuses or litters the area.

(Refer to NAC 504.155)

Removal of Persons from Area: Authority; Ground

The Department or an authorized agent may remove a person from a wildlife management area for disorderly conduct, intoxication or any other conduct which endangers the area, a person, wildlife or livestock.

(Refer to NAC 504.110)