You know that neighbor that seems to draw a tag every year? The one who always seems to have a great time and is almost always successful on his hunt? Chances are he's probably not as "lucky" as you think. It's more likely he figured out that the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) offers quite a bit of valuable information that can help any sportsmen not only improve their chances of drawing a tag, but also their chances of having a successful and enjoyable hunt.

"I would guess we still have some sportsmen who pick up the Big Game Seasons and Application Regulations book and make their choices without looking at the most current hunt and draw results on our NDOW website," said Mike Cox, game biologist for NDOW. "I would hope more sportsmen would take advantage of all the tools and data at their disposal before making their choices."

Cox points to the Top 10 Big Game Tag Application Resources page on the Department's website at www.ndow.org as an important first step. The page includes the big game season tables, bonus point data, hunter information sheets, maps and eligibility requirements. One section includes valuable hunt and draw odd statistics for each hunt, with hunter success rates, harvest by point-class, bighorn age and score, and basic draw odds by hunt and unit group.

"Everything you need is all on one page. It makes sense for someone interested in applying for a big game tag in Nevada to first visit this page and do some research. Otherwise you are just applying blind and hoping for the best," said Cox.

If you are new to the process or just want a better understanding, hunters can also attend a tag application workshop. NDOW staff will explain the tag application, draw process and strategies to help you draw a tag in plain language. This year's regulation changes will also be explained. A question and answer session will follow the presentation. The Las Vegas workshop is on March 28 from 6:30 p.m. - 10 p.m. at the Clark County Shooting Complex Education Center at 11357 Decatur Blvd. The Reno workshop is on March 27 from 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. at the Verdi Wildlife Education Center at 270 Bridge Street.

The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) protects, restores and manages fish and wildlife, and promotes fishing, hunting, and boating safety. NDOW's wildlife and habitat conservation efforts are primarily funded by sportsmen's license and conservation fees and a federal surcharge on hunting and fishing gear. Support wildlife and habitat conservation in Nevada by purchasing a hunting, fishing, or combination license. Find us on Facebook, Twitter or visit us at www.ndow.org.