Nevada Revised Statutes
Chapter 501 - Administration and Enforcement
NRS 501.376 - Unlawful killing or possession of bighorn sheep, mountain goat, elk, deer, moose, pronghorn antelope, mountain lion or black bear; exceptions; criminal penalties.


1. Except as otherwise provided in this section, a person shall not intentionally kill or aid and abet another person to kill a bighorn sheep, mountain goat, elk, deer, moose, pronghorn antelope, mountain lion or black bear:
(a) Outside of the prescribed season set by the Commission for the lawful hunting of that animal;
(b) Through the use of a manned or unmanned aircraft or helicopter in violation of NRS 503.010;
(c) By a method other than the method prescribed on the tag issued by the Department for hunting that animal;
(d) Knowingly during a time other than:
(1) The time of day set by the Commission for hunting that animal pursuant to NRS 503.140; or
(2) If the Commission has not set such a time, between sunrise and sunset as determined pursuant to that section; or
(e) Without a valid tag issued by the Department for hunting that animal. A tag issued for hunting any animal specified in this subsection is not valid if knowingly used by a person:
(1) Except as otherwise provided by the regulations adopted by the Commission pursuant to subsection 9 of NRS 501.181, other than the person specified on the tag;
(2) Outside of the management area or other area specified on the tag; or
(3) If the tag was obtained by a false or fraudulent representation.
2. The provisions of subsection 1 do not prohibit the killing of an animal specified in subsection 1 if:
(a) The killing of the animal is necessary to protect the life of any person, pet or livestock in imminent danger of being attacked by the animal; or
(b) The animal killed was not the intended target of the person who killed the animal and the killing of the animal which was the intended target would not violate the provisions of subsection 1.
3. A person who violates the provisions of subsection 1 shall be punished for a category E felony as provided in NRS 193.130 or, if the court reduces the penalty pursuant to this subsection, for a gross misdemeanor. In determining whether to reduce the penalty, the court shall consider:
(a) The nature of the offense;
(b) The circumstances surrounding the offense;
(c) The defendant’s understanding and appreciation of the gravity of the offense;
(d) The attitude of the defendant towards the offense; and
(e) The general objectives of sentencing.
4. A person shall not willfully possess any animal specified in subsection 1 if the person knows the animal was killed in violation of subsection 1 or the circumstances should have caused a reasonable person to know that the animal was killed in violation of subsection 1.
5. A person who violates the provisions of subsection 4 is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.
6. As used in this section:
(a) "Livestock" has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 561.025.
(b) "Pet" has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 202.487.
(Added to NRS by 1985, 1348; A 1991, 1570, 2285; 1993, 569; 2003, 2538; 2007, 1798; 2015, 972; 2019, 449, 758)

Structure Nevada Revised Statutes

Nevada Revised Statutes

Chapter 501 - Administration and Enforcement

NRS 501.001 - Definitions.

NRS 501.003 - "Alternative livestock" defined.

NRS 501.005 - "Big game mammal" defined.

NRS 501.010 - "Board" defined.

NRS 501.013 - "Chumming" defined.

NRS 501.015 - "Closed season" defined.

NRS 501.020 - "Commission" defined.

NRS 501.023 - "County" defined.

NRS 501.024 - "Department" defined.

NRS 501.026 - "Director" defined.

NRS 501.030 - "Fishes," "fishing," "fished" and "to fish" defined.

NRS 501.035 - "Fur-bearing mammal" defined.

NRS 501.037 - "Game amphibian" defined.

NRS 501.045 - "Game fish" defined.

NRS 501.046 - "Game mammal" defined.

NRS 501.047 - "Game warden" defined.

NRS 501.050 - "Hunting," "hunted" and "to hunt" defined.

NRS 501.055 - "Migratory game birds" defined.

NRS 501.065 - "Open season" defined.

NRS 501.088 - "Took," "taken," "taking" and "to take" defined.

NRS 501.089 - "Trap" defined.

NRS 501.090 - "Trapping," "trapped" and "to trap" defined.

NRS 501.095 - "Upland game birds" defined.

NRS 501.096 - "Vessel" defined.

NRS 501.097 - "Wildlife" defined.

NRS 501.100 - Legislative declaration regarding wildlife.

NRS 501.102 - Legislative declaration regarding hunting.

NRS 501.105 - Commission to establish policies and adopt regulations.

NRS 501.110 - Classification of wildlife.

NRS 501.115 - Acceptance of federal aid in projects for restoration of wildlife pursuant to the Pittman-Robertson Act.

NRS 501.117 - Acceptance of federal aid in projects for restoration and management of fish pursuant to the Dingell-Johnson Act.

NRS 501.118 - Manner of publication of order or regulation regarding seasons, bag limits or hours.

NRS 501.119 - Collection of data from hunters, trappers and anglers; penalty for failure to comply; immunity from prosecution on basis of information supplied.

NRS 501.121 - Contact information to be posted on guzzler.

NRS 501.167 - Creation; number and appointment of members.

NRS 501.171 - Appointment and qualifications of members; officers.

NRS 501.172 - Removal of member from office.

NRS 501.177 - Meetings; quorum.

NRS 501.179 - Compensation of members.

NRS 501.181 - Duties; regulations.

NRS 501.1812 - System of assessing demerit points for wildlife convictions: Definitions.

NRS 501.1814 - System of assessing demerit points for wildlife convictions: Establishment and administration of system; assessment and deletion of points.

NRS 501.1816 - System of assessing demerit points for wildlife convictions: Reduction of accumulated points; suspension or revocation of licenses, permits or privileges.

NRS 501.1817 - System of assessing demerit points for wildlife convictions: Judicial review of suspension or revocation of license, permit or privilege.

NRS 501.1818 - System of assessing demerit points for wildlife convictions: Regulations.

NRS 501.182 - Cooperative agreements with adjoining states.

NRS 501.243 - Enforcement of chapter 488 of NRS; regulations; cooperative agreements.

NRS 501.260 - Creation; number of members; officers.

NRS 501.265 - Appointment of members; vacancies.

NRS 501.270 - Qualifications of members.

NRS 501.275 - Appointment and terms of members.

NRS 501.285 - Compensation of members.

NRS 501.290 - Meetings.

NRS 501.293 - Removal of member.

NRS 501.297 - Duties: Evaluating local opinion and advising Commission.

NRS 501.303 - Duties: Submission of recommendations; attendance of chair or other members at meetings of Commission.

NRS 501.310 - Fund for advisory board.

NRS 501.320 - Budgets.

NRS 501.325 - Duties of county auditor and county treasurer.

NRS 501.331 - Creation; administration of laws.

NRS 501.333 - Director: Appointment; qualifications; classification.

NRS 501.337 - Director: Duties.

NRS 501.339 - Director: Exercise of powers of Commission in emergency; designation of deputies and game wardens.

NRS 501.341 - Offices.

NRS 501.343 - Collection and dissemination of certain information; publications.

NRS 501.344 - Confidentiality of information obtained by Department.

NRS 501.346 - Fees for advertising in printed materials or on website of Department.

NRS 501.349 - Game wardens.

NRS 501.351 - Cooperative and reciprocal agreements.

NRS 501.352 - Reporting of suspected communicable diseases in wildlife.

NRS 501.3525 - Taking of wildlife by employee of Department.

NRS 501.3535 - Fences constructed by Department: Requirements concerning construction and maintenance.

NRS 501.354 - Receipt, deposit and expenditure of money.

NRS 501.356 - Wildlife Account.

NRS 501.3575 - Wildlife Heritage Account.

NRS 501.3585 - Wildlife Trust Fund.

NRS 501.359 - Wildlife Imprest Account.

NRS 501.361 - Petty Cash Account.

NRS 501.363 - Change Account.

NRS 501.375 - Powers and duties of game wardens, sheriffs and other peace officers.

NRS 501.376 - Unlawful killing or possession of bighorn sheep, mountain goat, elk, deer, moose, pronghorn antelope, mountain lion or black bear; exceptions; criminal penalties.

NRS 501.3765 - Unlawful activities concerning traps, snares or similar devices owned by another person; criminal penalties.

NRS 501.377 - Unlawful to remove, tamper with or alter tag placed on wildlife or equipment seized as evidence.

NRS 501.379 - Unlawful sales of wildlife or importation of game mammals, game birds or game amphibians; exception.

NRS 501.381 - Unlawful sale of game fish.

NRS 501.382 - Unlawful feeding of big game mammal; penalties; exceptions.

NRS 501.383 - Unlawful vandalism of sign or notice erected by Department.

NRS 501.384 - Unlawful possession of certain wildlife from another state or country.

NRS 501.3845 - Unlawful to bring into this State or possess carcasses or any part of carcasses of certain animals susceptible to chronic wasting disease from another state, territory or country; exceptions; destruction or removal.

NRS 501.385 - Unlawful acts; criminal penalties.

NRS 501.3855 - Civil penalties.

NRS 501.3857 - Forfeitures.

NRS 501.386 - Citation of violators.

NRS 501.3865 - Failure to appear by holder of license, tag or permit.

NRS 501.3867 - Failure to appear by person who does not hold license, tag or permit.

NRS 501.387 - Penalties concerning licenses; confiscation and disposal of wildlife.

NRS 501.388 - Revocation of license and of privilege to apply for big game tag on conviction of certain violations.

NRS 501.389 - Sale, donation or retention of equipment seized as evidence.

NRS 501.395 - Rewards.