Hunting

Camouflaged hunter with rifle in open desert

Set Your Sights on the Desert

Lake Mead National Recreation Area was established, in part, to preserve the recreational potential of the area, which includes the traditions of hunting, fishing and trapping. The harvesting of wildlife in the park is carefully regulated with state partnerships to ensure equilibrium between wildlife and their habitats.

Hunting Information

Practice Safety First

The desert is very hot in the summer. Temperatures in the backcountry can surpass 110 F degrees. Bring plenty of water and food for everyone in your party, including dogs. Cellphone service is limited. Let people know where you are going and when you will return.

Be sure of your target and what is beyond. Make sure your equipment is in proper working condition to decrease risk of injury to yourself or others.

The Nevada Department of Wildlife and Arizona Game and Fish Department offer hunter education classes.

Laws and Licenses

Lake Mead National Recreation Area is located in both Nevada and Arizona. All hunters on public lands must carry a state hunting license for the state where they are hunting. For more information about hunting licenses in Nevada, visit the Nevada Department of Wildlife. In Arizona, learn more at Arizona Game and Fish.

Weapons, traps or nets may only be used when hunting within the recreation area in accordance with federal and state laws. Target practice is prohibited throughout the park.

Park visitors who can legally possess and carry firearms under federal, state and local law are allowed to carry them in the park. The role of the responsible gun owner is to know and obey the federal, state and local laws.

18 U.S.C. § 930 prohibits the possession of firearms in “federal facilities,” which are defined as “buildings or parts thereof owned or leased by the federal government, where federal employees are regularly present for the purpose of performing their official duties.” These places are marked with signs at public entrances.

Transporting of lawfully taken and properly tagged wildlife through the park is permitted.

Motorized vehicles may operate on designated public roadways only. Visit the park's backcountry page for more details.

Hunting Closures

The following areas are closed to all shooting, public hunting, and trapping for reasons of public safety:

All lands and waters within a one-mile radius of: Overton Beach; Saint Thomas Town Site; Redstone Picnic Area; Rogers Spring; Stewarts Point; Echo Bay; Eldorado Canyon; Cottonwood Cove; Willow Beach; Kingman Wash; Bonelli Landing; Temple Bar; Gregg’s Hideout; South Cove; Pearce Ferry; Callville Bay; Las Vegas Bay; Boulder Beach; Boulder Harbor; Hemenway Harbor; and the petroglyph section of Grapevine Canyon located in Section 24 Township 31 South, Range 65 East. For Sheep Hunters - (Note: During bighorn sheep season, closures around Gregg’s Hideout and Kingman Wash are reduced to one-half (1/2) mile).
Boulder Basin - All lands and waters within the Nevada portion of Boulder Basin. This shall include all of the area from Hoover Dam to a north-south line near the peninsula lying between Hamblin Bay and Rotary Cove. Complete townships or portions thereof located within the Lake Mead National Recreation Area that are included within this closure zone are all in the Mt. Diablo Base and Meridian as follows:
- Township 20 South, Range 63 East
- Township 20 South, Range 64 East
- Township 20 South, Range 65 East
- Township 21 South, Range 66 East, Section 6, 7 & 18
- Township 21 South, Range 63 East
- Township 21 South, Range 63 1/2 East
- Township 21 South, Range 64 East
- Township 21 South, Range 65 East
- Township 22 South, Range 64 East
- Township 22 South, Range 65 East
Black Canyon - All lands and waters within a one-mile strip parallel to the Arizona/Nevada state line and running from Willow Beach to the Hoover Dam security zone.

Bighorn Sheep Hunting Closures

During bighorn sheep season, the closures are:

Reduced to one-fourth mile north and south of Arizona Hot Spring.
Willow Beach closure is modified (see Backcountry Management Plan) on the south side to accommodate hunters on the slopes of Big Nasty.
Water closure remains in effect.
Katherine Landing, Arizona - All lands and waters within the National Recreation Area boundaries as described:
- Township 21 North, Range 21 West, Section 5, 6, 7, 8, 18, 19, and the West 1/2 of Sections 17, 20, and 30.
- Township 21 North, Range 22 West, Sections 1, 12, and 13.
- Township 22 North, Range 22 West, Sections 25, 36, and 24, that portion lying south of the 500-kV power line.
Katherine Landing, Nevada - All lands and waters commencing at the Arizona/Nevada line at the power line crossing then west to a point on the north section line of Section 4, Township 31 South, Range 66 East, 1/2 mile west of the shoreline of Lake Mohave, then south maintaining a distance of one-half mile west of the shoreline to the southern boundary.
Pearce Ferry Take-Out - Described as follows: 1/2 mile upstream from the center of the launch ramp and 1/2 mile downstream from the center of the launch ramp. This area spans from shoreline to the opposite shoreline with a 1/4 mile strip of land along the water’s edge included. This area is closed to hunting.