Unit 102 (Ruby Mountains and Lamoille Canyon)
Nevada Hunting Guide — Mountain Goat, Bighorn Sheep
Unit 102 covers about 1,133 square miles of Elko County around the Ruby Mountains, where goats use the highest and roughest ground from Tipton Peak north to Soldier Peak. Much of the past harvest has come from around Lamoille Canyon, the main road into the high country. Private benches and the Ruby Mountain Wilderness limit vehicle access, and a seminar is mandatory before tags are mailed.
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Mountain Goat Hunting in Unit 102
Unit 102 covers about 1,133 square miles of Elko County around the Ruby Mountains, where goats use the highest and roughest ground from Tipton Peak north to Soldier Peak. Much of the past harvest has come from around Lamoille Canyon, the main road into the high country. Private benches and the Ruby Mountain Wilderness limit vehicle access, and a seminar is mandatory before tags are mailed.
Where to Find Mountain Goats in Unit 102: Tipton Peak to Soldier Peak and Lamoille Canyon
Tipton Peak to Soldier Peak
Mountain goats in the Ruby Mountains live in the highest, steepest and most treacherous terrain in the unit. Their use is widespread, from Tipton Peak in the south to Soldier Peak in the north. Ruby Dome, Mount Silliman, Mount Fitzgerald, Snow Lake Peak and Mount Gilbert are the tallest named summits inside the line, and that list alone tells you what kind of ground this is.
Snowbanks and high water around Lamoille Canyon
In summer, goat home ranges are often tied to snowbanks that linger and to high-elevation water. Look for both. Much of the historical harvest has centered on Lamoille Canyon. NDOW reads that two ways: the goat habitat there is very good, and the canyon is far easier to reach by vehicle than the rest of the range.
Don't let the road fool you about the difficulty. NDOW asks hunters to come in the best physical shape they can manage and to be mentally ready for harsh mountain terrain and harsh weather. A goat taken anywhere between Tipton Peak and Soldier Peak still has to be packed off a cliff band, so match the ground you choose to the climbing you can do.
The ground NDOW draws for this tag
A mountain goat tag for this group is good in unit 102, about 1,133 square miles measured on NDOW's own boundary, in Elko County. The named ranges inside the line are Elko Hills and Ruby Mountains. The highest named points are Ruby Dome (11,366 ft), Mount Silliman (11,241 ft) and Mount Fitzgerald (11,122 ft), and the lowest named ground sits near 5,068 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 20 springs inside it, Big Spring, Sulphur Hot Springs, Forest Spring and Gheen Spring among them.
Unit 102 terrain and land status
Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up
The lay of it
- 5,350–9,997 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 6,528 ft ; peaks can run higher. That spread means you can hunt two seasons in one day — plan clothing for both ends.
- 1,133.3 sq mi inside the boundary. Big enough that picking one drainage beats driving three.
Water on the ground
- 92 tanks
- 364 springs
- 140 stream segments
- 22 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: Ruby Dome (11,366 ft), Mount Fitzgerald (11,122 ft), Mount Gilbert (11,058 ft), Verdi Peak (11,045 ft)
Holding ground: Liberty Pass (10,462 ft), Withington Basin (8,489 ft), Thomas Canyon (7,540 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 Mountain Goats in Unit 102: the Lamoille byway, wilderness trailheads and the inspection rule
Mountain Goat Success Rates
Either sex, any legal weapon: 10 of 14 hunters afield (71%). Figures are NDOW's own, from its 2025 Big Game Hunt Data.
Mountain Goat Draw Odds
| Season | Tags | Applicants | Draw % | Pts (n/p) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle — Early Season either sex (resident) | 14 | 5,436 | 0.3% | — |
| Rifle — Early Season either sex (nonresident) | 1 | 7,315 | 0.0% | — |
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.
- Either sex, any legal weapon — Residents: 5,436 demand for 14 tags, a 0.3% draw rate; Nonresidents: 7,315 demand for 1 tag, a 0.0% 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 mountain goat tag for 102 cover?
What was hunter success for mountain goat on units 102 in 2025?
How hard is the mountain goat draw for units 102?
Which units does a Nevada bighorn sheep tag for 102 cover?
What was hunter success for bighorn sheep on units 102 in 2025?
How hard is the bighorn sheep draw for units 102?
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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 — Mountain goat, 102 — 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 102, 1,133 square miles · accessed 2026-10-25
- Geographic Names Information System — named features inside the group — U.S. Geological Survey · supports: Elko Hills, Ruby Mountains, Ruby Dome 11,366 ft, Mount Silliman 11,241 ft · accessed 2026-10-25