Unit 034 (Black Rock Range and Summit Lake Mountain)
Nevada Hunting Guide — Bighorn Sheep, Mule Deer
Unit 034 is remote Humboldt County country, about 1,400 square miles built around the Black Rock Range north of Gerlach. California bighorns are spread along the range from Little Big and Big Mountain north to the rim country near Red Mountain, and much of their habitat sits inside two wilderness areas where you'll travel on foot. NDOW rates it a difficult hunt.
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Bighorn Sheep Hunting in Unit 034
Unit 034 is remote Humboldt County country, about 1,400 square miles built around the Black Rock Range north of Gerlach. California bighorns are spread along the range from Little Big and Big Mountain north to the rim country near Red Mountain, and much of their habitat sits inside two wilderness areas where you'll travel on foot. NDOW rates it a difficult hunt.
Where to Find California Bighorn Sheep in Unit 034: Big Mountain to Red Mountain
Little Big Mountain, Big Mountain and Copper Canyon
NDOW says bighorns are spread widely across the Black Rock Range, and it suggests working the range from south to north. Start around Little Big Mountain and Big Mountain, which the sheet notes have been very popular with hunters in past seasons. That same block takes in Copper Canyon and, on the east side, Indian Creek. The upper Paiute Creek drainage and the ridges above it come next.
Red Mountain, Colman Creek and the northern rims
Farther north, the sheet points you toward Red Mountain and Colman Creek, where rim country makes what NDOW calls "great sheep habitat." Two more spots get a mention. Sheep are sometimes found near Rough Canyon, and later in the year around Bartlett Peak.
That's a long range to cover on foot, so pick your end of it before the season starts. The wilderness lines described in the next section shape that choice more than anything. NDOW notes that access to the headwaters of Snow, Colman and Battle creeks is restricted from the top of Summit Lake Mountain, which matters if you planned to reach the Colman Creek rims from that side. Battle Creek Basin, Mahogany Creek, Summer Camp Creek and Dry Lake stay open.
The ground NDOW draws for this tag
A bighorn sheep tag for this group is good in unit 034, about 1,415 square miles measured on NDOW's own boundary, in Humboldt County. The one named range inside the line is Black Rock Range. The highest named points are Big Mountain (8,579 ft), Summit Lake Mountain (8,103 ft) and Red Mountain (7,704 ft), and the lowest named ground sits near 3,906 feet. We don't print a land-status split for Nevada groups, because the figures we held didn't come from BLM's surface-management data; check BLM's current map for private parcels before you cross a fence or a cattle guard. GNIS names 53 springs inside it, Cane Springs, Indian Springs, Mahogany Spring and Secondhand Spring among them.
Unit 034 terrain and land status
Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up
The lay of it
- 3,909–7,253 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 4,582 ft ; peaks can run higher.
- 1,414.7 sq mi inside the boundary. Big enough that picking one drainage beats driving three.
Water on the ground
- 15 tanks
- 179 springs
- 33 stream segments
- 7 lakes
Counts from mapping data, so this is how many exist, not how many hold water in a dry year. Sitting water only pays where you find fresh tracks.
Named features inside the unit
Glass from: Black Rock Range (8,770 ft), Big Mountain (8,579 ft), Summit Lake Mountain (8,103 ft), Red Mountain (7,704 ft)
Holding ground: Buck Pasture (7,051 ft), Horseshoe Bend (7,017 ft), Copper Canyon (4,628 ft)
Every one of these was tested against the unit polygon before it went on the map. They are starting points, not agency recommendations.
How to Hunt California Bighorn Sheep in Unit 034: Soldier Meadows, Leonard Creek and two wildernesses
Bighorn Sheep Success Rates
Any ram, any legal weapon: 5 of 5 hunters afield (100%). Figures are NDOW's own, from its 2025 Big Game Hunt Data.
Bighorn Sheep Draw Odds
| Season | Tags | Applicants | Draw % | Pts (n/p) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle — Early Season ram only (resident) | 4 | 622 | 0.6% | — |
| Rifle — Early Season ram only (nonresident) | 1 | 1,010 | 0.1% | — |
Data from 2025 draw results. Each row is one residency pool — read the label before the number. This agency publishes no point thresholds, so the Pts column stays blank and these are pool odds, not what a point total draws.
Open in Draw Odds EngineFrom NDOW's 2025 Big Game Hunt Data. Demand is NDOW's count of tags awarded plus first-choice applicants who did not draw; its draw rate is tags over demand.
- Any ram, any legal weapon — Residents: 622 demand for 4 tags, a 0.6% draw rate; Nonresidents: 1,010 demand for 1 tag, a 0.1% draw rate.
NDOW's hunt data publishes no points-required figure, so none is given here.
Unit Logistics & Expectations
Frequently Asked Questions
Which units does a Nevada bighorn sheep tag for 034 cover?
What was hunter success for bighorn sheep on units 034 in 2025?
How hard is the bighorn sheep draw for units 034?
Which units does a Nevada mule deer tag for 034 cover?
What was hunter success for mule deer on units 034 in 2025?
How hard is the mule deer draw for units 034?
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Upgrade to Pro — $49/yrSources & Verification
Every fact on this page is tied to a primary source below. Last fact-checked 2026-10-25.
- Hunt Information Sheet — California bighorn sheep, 034 — Nevada Department of Wildlife · supports: Access, Recommended hunting areas, Biologist comments · accessed 2026-10-25
- 2025 Nevada Big Game Hunt Data — Nevada Department of Wildlife · supports: Seasons, quotas and tags issued, Demand and draw rate by residency, Hunters afield, successful hunters and hunter success, Days hunted · accessed 2026-10-25
- NDOW Hunt Unit Boundaries — unit groups (ArcGIS) — Nevada Department of Wildlife · supports: Units 034, 1,415 square miles · accessed 2026-10-25
- Geographic Names Information System — named features inside the group — U.S. Geological Survey · supports: Black Rock Range, Big Mountain 8,579 ft, Summit Lake Mountain 8,103 ft · accessed 2026-10-25
- Hunt Information Sheet — Mule deer, 034 — Nevada Department of Wildlife · supports: Access, Recommended hunting areas, Biologist comments · accessed 2026-10-25