Unit 072 - 074 (Jarbidge Mountains, Marys River and Bear Mountain)
Nevada Hunting Guide — Elk
Units 072 - 074 cover about 2,240 square miles of Elko County, from the Jarbidge Wilderness to the Salmon River Range near Jackpot, mostly on BLM and Forest Service land. Most of NDOW's elk here live inside the wilderness, away from roads, and the storms that roll through during the seasons can quickly reshuffle where they are.
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Elk Hunting in Unit 072 - 074
Units 072 - 074 cover about 2,240 square miles of Elko County, from the Jarbidge Wilderness to the Salmon River Range near Jackpot, mostly on BLM and Forest Service land. Most of NDOW's elk here live inside the wilderness, away from roads, and the storms that roll through during the seasons can quickly reshuffle where they are.
Where to Find Elk in Units 072 - 074: Slide, T, Draw and Canyon Creeks, Marys River and Bear Mountain
Unit 072: the creeks, Marys River and Elk Mountain
Most of the elk harvest in Unit 072 comes from Slide, T, Draw and Canyon creeks, Marys River, the East Fork of the Jarbidge River and Elk Mountain. NDOW adds that the majority of elk in this area live in the Jarbidge Wilderness, which is centered in Unit 072.
Bear and Grassy mountains, and Beaver Creek
In Unit 074, the harvest has traditionally come from Bear and Grassy mountains. In Unit 073, the Beaver Creek area produces the most.
Water early, storms later
In August and September, elk generally stay close to water. NDOW's advice is to start with a map that shows water sources, roads and terrain, and to build your first plan from that. Then expect the picture to change. Summer thunderstorms and winter snowstorms are common during the seasons here and can alter elk movement quickly, and hunting pressure can push elk farther from roads and trails in a hurry. Jarbidge Peak, Matterhorn and Marys River Peak are among the high summits in the group, and the Elk Mountains and Bone Mountains are among its named ranges.
The ground NDOW draws for this tag
A elk tag for this group is good in units 072, 073 and 074, about 2,240 square miles measured on NDOW's own boundary, in Elko County. The named ranges inside the line are Salmon River Range, Mallard Hills, Bone Mountains, Marys River Range, Elk Mountains and Jarbidge Mountains. The highest named points are Jarbidge Peak (10,790 ft), Matterhorn (10,741 ft) and Square Top (10,681 ft), and the lowest named ground sits near 5,159 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 90 springs inside it, Union Spring, Chicken Creek Springs, Hillside Spring and Jim Bob Spring among them.
Unit 072 - 074 terrain and land status
Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up
Named features inside the unit
Glass from: Jarbidge Peak (10,790 ft), Matterhorn (10,741 ft), Marys River Peak (10,566 ft), Prospect Peak (10,426 ft)
Holding ground: Coon Creek Summit (8,449 ft), Canyon Creek Pockets (7,855 ft), Camp Draw (7,395 ft), Upper Maggie Spring, Buckhorn Spring
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 Elk in Units 072 - 074: the Jarbidge Wilderness and hunting away from roads
Elk Success Rates
Antlerless, any legal weapon: 18 of 39 hunters afield (46%); Antlered, any legal weapon: 13 of 34 hunters afield (38%); Antlered, any legal weapon: 20 of 33 hunters afield (61%); Antlered, archery: 8 of 23 hunters afield (35%). Figures are NDOW's own, from its 2025 Big Game Hunt Data.
Elk Draw Odds
| Season | Tags | Applicants | Draw % | Pts (n/p) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle — Mid Season bull/buck only (resident) | 30 | 789 | 3.8% | — |
| Rifle — Mid Season bull/buck only (nonresident) | 3 | 335 | 0.9% | — |
| Rifle — Late Season bull/buck only (resident) | 30 | 272 | 11.0% | — |
| Rifle — Late Season bull/buck only (nonresident) | 4 | 184 | 2.2% | — |
| Rifle — Early Season antlerless (resident) | 40 | 640 | 6.3% | — |
| Rifle — Early Season antlerless (nonresident) | 4 | 74 | 5.4% | — |
| Rifle — Early Season spike only (resident) | 20 | 217 | 9.2% | — |
| Rifle — Late Season spike only (resident) | 20 | 88 | 22.7% | — |
| Rifle — Mid Season antlerless (resident) | 106 | 723 | 14.5% | — |
| Rifle — Mid Season antlerless (nonresident) | 11 | 63 | 17.5% | — |
| Rifle — Mid Season spike only (resident) | 10 | 196 | 5.1% | — |
| Archery — Early Season bull/buck only (resident) | 25 | 104 | 24.0% | — |
| Archery — Early Season bull/buck only (nonresident) | 3 | 184 | 1.6% | — |
| Archery — Early Season antlerless (resident) | 9 | 27 | 33.3% | — |
| Archery — Early Season antlerless (nonresident) | 1 | 4 | 25.0% | — |
| Muzzleloader — Early Season bull/buck only (resident) | 6 | 165 | 3.6% | — |
| Muzzleloader — Early Season bull/buck only (nonresident) | 1 | 189 | 0.5% | — |
| Muzzleloader — Early Season antlerless (resident) | 25 | 64 | 39.1% | — |
| Muzzleloader — Early Season antlerless (nonresident) | 2 | 7 | 28.6% | — |
| Muzzleloader — Mid Season bull/buck only (resident) | 6 | 111 | 5.4% | — |
| Muzzleloader — Mid Season bull/buck only (nonresident) | 1 | 114 | 0.9% | — |
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.
- Antlerless, any legal weapon — Residents: 640 demand for 40 tags, a 6.3% draw rate; Nonresidents: 74 demand for 4 tags, a 5.4% draw rate.
- Antlered, any legal weapon — Residents: 272 demand for 30 tags, a 11.0% draw rate; Nonresidents: 184 demand for 4 tags, a 2.2% draw rate.
- Antlered, any legal weapon — Residents: 789 demand for 30 tags, a 3.8% draw rate; Nonresidents: 335 demand for 3 tags, a 0.9% draw rate.
- Antlered, archery — Residents: 104 demand for 25 tags, a 24.0% draw rate; Nonresidents: 184 demand for 3 tags, a 1.6% draw rate.
- Antlerless, muzzleloader — Residents: 64 demand for 25 tags, a 39.1% draw rate; Nonresidents: 7 demand for 2 tags, a 28.6% draw rate.
- Spike, any legal weapon — Residents: 217 demand for 20 tags, a 9.2% 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 elk tag for 072 - 074 cover?
What was hunter success for elk on units 072 - 074 in 2025?
How hard is the elk draw for units 072 - 074?
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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 — Elk, 072-074 — 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 072 - 074, 2,240 square miles · accessed 2026-10-25
- Geographic Names Information System — named features inside the group — U.S. Geological Survey · supports: Salmon River Range, Mallard Hills, Bone Mountains, Jarbidge Peak 10,790 ft, Matterhorn 10,741 ft · accessed 2026-10-25