Unit 065 (Piñon Range and Grindstone Mountain)
Nevada Hunting Guide — Mule Deer
Unit 065 covers about 975 square miles of Elko and Eureka counties, built around the Piñon Range. Deer live throughout, but NDOW puts the highest densities in the upper Piñon Range from Bunker Hill south toward Robinson Mountain. Access is mostly good on BLM land, though mining and private ground limit the northwest corner.
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Mule Deer Hunting in Unit 065
Unit 065 covers about 975 square miles of Elko and Eureka counties, built around the Piñon Range. Deer live throughout, but NDOW puts the highest densities in the upper Piñon Range from Bunker Hill south toward Robinson Mountain. Access is mostly good on BLM land, though mining and private ground limit the northwest corner.
Where to Find Mule Deer in Unit 065: Bunker Hill to Robinson Mountain on the Piñon Range
Bunker Hill to Robinson Mountain, and Coffin to Bailey Mountain
Mule deer live through much of Unit 065, from the low ground near farm fields on both sides of the unit up to the high Piñon Range. During the archery, muzzleloader and rifle hunts, though, the highest densities are along the upper elevations of the range. NDOW names two stretches to focus on: from Bunker Hill on the north end south toward Robinson Mountain, and between Coffin Mountain and Bailey Mountain. Grindstone Mountain and Cedar Ridge also hold deer, at low densities.
Aspen, serviceberry, mahogany and old burns
The biologist's advice is to find good feed, water and cover together. In this unit, the more productive spots often sit along riparian areas close to stands of aspen, serviceberry and mountain mahogany.
Fire has reshaped much of the unit over the past several decades. Some burn scars have recovered well through fire rehab and the natural return of native plants. Others haven't. NDOW notes that mule deer tend to avoid sites dominated by cheatgrass, so a burn that came back to native brush and grass is worth glassing, and one that went to cheatgrass usually isn't.
The ground NDOW draws for this tag
A mule deer tag for this group is good in unit 065, about 975 square miles measured on NDOW's own boundary, in Elko County and Eureka County. The named ranges inside the line are Dixie Hills, Diamond Hills and Piñon Range. The highest named points are Bunker Hill (8,677 ft), Ravens Nest (8,676 ft) and Bailey Mountain (8,318 ft), and the lowest named ground sits near 5,042 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 37 springs inside it, Bruffeys Hot Springs, Crane Springs, Cherry Springs and Carlotti Ranch Springs among them.
Unit 065 terrain and land status
Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up
The lay of it
- 4,898–7,466 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 5,911 ft ; peaks can run higher.
- 975 sq mi inside the boundary. Big enough that picking one drainage beats driving three.
Water on the ground
- 20 tanks
- 249 springs
- 38 stream segments
- 10 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: Piñon Range (8,677 ft), Bailey Mountain (8,318 ft), Pine Mountain (8,253 ft), Coffin Mountain (8,161 ft)
Holding ground: Red Rock Summit (6,151 ft), Railroad Pass (5,900 ft), Bruffey Canyon (5,850 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 Mule Deer in Unit 065: State Routes 228 and 278 and mining roads
Mule Deer Success Rates
Antlered, any legal weapon: 18 of 20 hunters afield (90%); Junior, any legal weapon: 6 of 6 hunters afield (100%); Junior, SWR-Prmtve: 4 of 5 hunters afield (80%); Antlered, archery: 1 of 3 hunters afield (33%). Figures are NDOW's own, from its 2025 Big Game Hunt Data.
Mule Deer Draw Odds
| Season | Tags | Applicants | Draw % | Pts (n/p) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle — Mid Season bull/buck only (resident) | 20 | 427 | 4.7% | — |
| Rifle — Mid Season bull/buck only (nonresident) | 1 | 115 | 0.9% | — |
| Rifle — Limited Entry either sex (resident) | 10 | 33 | 30.3% | — |
| Rifle — Limited Entry antlerless (resident) | 15 | 87 | 17.2% | — |
| Rifle — Mid Season either sex (resident) | 6 | 21 | 28.6% | — |
| Archery — Early Season bull/buck only (resident) | 4 | 9 | 44.4% | — |
| Archery — Early Season bull/buck only (nonresident) | 1 | 20 | 5.0% | — |
| Muzzleloader — Early Season bull/buck only (resident) | 3 | 16 | 18.8% | — |
| Muzzleloader — Early Season bull/buck only (nonresident) | 1 | 8 | 12.5% | — |
| Muzzleloader — Limited Entry either sex (resident) | 6 | 6 | 100.0% | — |
| Muzzleloader — Early Season either sex (resident) | 6 | 7 | 85.7% | — |
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.
- Antlered, any legal weapon — Residents: 427 demand for 20 tags, a 4.7% draw rate; Nonresidents: 115 demand for 1 tag, a 0.9% draw rate.
- Junior, any legal weapon — Residents: 21 demand for 6 tags, a 28.6% draw rate.
- Junior, SWR-Prmtve — Residents: 7 demand for 6 tags, a 85.7% draw rate.
- Antlered, archery — Residents: 9 demand for 4 tags, a 44.4% draw rate; Nonresidents: 20 demand for 1 tag, a 5.0% draw rate.
- Antlered, muzzleloader — Residents: 16 demand for 3 tags, a 18.8% draw rate; Nonresidents: 8 demand for 1 tag, a 12.5% draw rate.
- Guided antlered, any legal weapon — Nonresidents: 17 demand for 2 tags, a 11.8% 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 mule deer tag for 065 cover?
What was hunter success for mule deer on units 065 in 2025?
How hard is the mule deer draw for units 065?
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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 — Mule deer, 065 — 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 065, 975 square miles · accessed 2026-10-25
- Geographic Names Information System — named features inside the group — U.S. Geological Survey · supports: Dixie Hills, Diamond Hills, Piñon Range, Bunker Hill 8,677 ft, Ravens Nest 8,676 ft · accessed 2026-10-25