Unit 121 (Cherry Creek Range and Goshute Basin)
Nevada Hunting Guide — Mule Deer
Unit 121 covers about 1,250 square miles of White Pine and Elko counties around the Cherry Creek Range. NDOW puts the most deer, and the most hunters and roads, in Smith Valley, Gleason Creek and Bothwick Creek. Telegraph Peak, Goshute Basin and other canyons offer more room, and the thinner north end still holds mature bucks.
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Mule Deer Hunting in Unit 121
Unit 121 covers about 1,250 square miles of White Pine and Elko counties around the Cherry Creek Range. NDOW puts the most deer, and the most hunters and roads, in Smith Valley, Gleason Creek and Bothwick Creek. Telegraph Peak, Goshute Basin and other canyons offer more room, and the thinner north end still holds mature bucks.
Where to Find Mule Deer in Unit 121: Gleason Creek, Telegraph Peak and Goshute Basin
Smith Valley, Gleason Creek and Bothwick Creek
NDOW says the highest deer densities in Unit 121 are in the Smith Valley, Gleason Creek and Bothwick Creek areas. It's honest about the trade-off. Those same areas also carry high road and hunter densities, so expect company.
Telegraph Peak, Goshute Basin and the other canyons
If you'd rather spread out, the sheet lists a second tier of good deer country: Telegraph Peak, Paris Creek, Snow Creek, Taylor Canyon, Cottonwood Canyon, McDermid Creek and Goshute Basin. That's a long list, which gives you options if the top three areas are crowded.
McDermid Creek comes with a caveat covered in the access section: private property blocks the way in. Plan around that before you put it on your scouting list.
The north end of the unit
Deer density drops toward the north end of Unit 121. NDOW still notes that mature bucks can be found there. For a hunter who'd trade numbers for a quieter hunt and a chance at an older buck, the north end is worth the drive, though you'll be looking over more country per deer.
The ground NDOW draws for this tag
A mule deer tag for this group is good in unit 121, about 1,259 square miles measured on NDOW's own boundary, in White Pine County and Elko County. The one named range inside the line is Cherry Creek Range. The highest named points are Telegraph Hill (10,142 ft), Telegraph Peak (9,908 ft) and High Peak (9,660 ft), and the lowest named ground sits near 6,099 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 125 springs inside it, Currie Gardens, Flat Canyon Spring, Gooseberry Spring and Westside Spring among them.
Unit 121 terrain and land status
Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up
The lay of it
- 5,848–10,229 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 6,998 ft ; peaks can run higher. That spread means you can hunt two seasons in one day — plan clothing for both ends.
- 1,259.1 sq mi inside the boundary. Big enough that picking one drainage beats driving three.
Water on the ground
- 11 tanks
- 389 springs
- 10 stream segments
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: Cherry Creek Range (10,458 ft), Telegraph Hill (10,142 ft), Telegraph Peak (9,908 ft), High Peak (9,660 ft)
Holding ground: Currie Summit (8,453 ft), Goshute Basin (7,750 ft), Molleson Gap (7,688 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 121: two-tracks, McDermid Creek and winter storms
Mule Deer Success Rates
Antlered, any legal weapon: 43 of 57 hunters afield (75%); Junior, seasonal weapon restriction: 30 of 34 hunters afield (88%); Antlered, archery: 7 of 25 hunters afield (28%); Antlered, muzzleloader: 9 of 15 hunters afield (60%). 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) | 63 | 536 | 11.8% | — |
| Rifle — Mid Season bull/buck only (nonresident) | 5 | 134 | 3.7% | — |
| Rifle — Limited Entry either sex (resident) | 70 | 99 | 70.7% | — |
| Rifle — Limited Entry either sex (resident) | 2 | 0 | 0.0% | — |
| Rifle — Limited Entry either sex (nonresident) | 3 | 0 | 0.0% | — |
| Rifle — Limited Entry antlerless (resident) | 15 | 84 | 17.9% | — |
| Rifle — Early Season either sex (resident) | 40 | 84 | 47.6% | — |
| Archery — Early Season bull/buck only (resident) | 25 | 41 | 61.0% | — |
| Archery — Early Season bull/buck only (nonresident) | 3 | 12 | 25.0% | — |
| Archery — Late Season bull/buck only (resident) | 7 | 26 | 26.9% | — |
| Archery — Late Season bull/buck only (nonresident) | 1 | 11 | 9.1% | — |
| Muzzleloader — Early Season bull/buck only (resident) | 15 | 37 | 40.5% | — |
| Muzzleloader — Early Season bull/buck only (nonresident) | 2 | 11 | 18.2% | — |
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: 364 demand for 55 tags, a 15.1% draw rate; Nonresidents: 73 demand for 4 tags, a 5.5% draw rate.
- Junior, seasonal weapon restriction — Residents: 84 demand for 40 tags, a 47.6% draw rate.
- Antlered, archery — Residents: 41 demand for 25 tags, a 61.0% draw rate; Nonresidents: 12 demand for 3 tags, a 25.0% draw rate.
- Antlered, muzzleloader — Residents: 37 demand for 15 tags, a 40.5% draw rate; Nonresidents: 11 demand for 2 tags, a 18.2% draw rate.
- Antlered, any legal weapon — Residents: 172 demand for 8 tags, a 4.7% draw rate; Nonresidents: 61 demand for 1 tag, a 1.6% draw rate.
- Antlered, archery — Residents: 26 demand for 7 tags, a 26.9% draw rate; Nonresidents: 11 demand for 1 tag, a 9.1% 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 mule deer tag for 121 cover?
What was hunter success for mule deer on units 121 in 2025?
How hard is the mule deer draw for units 121?
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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, 121 — 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 121, 1,259 square miles · accessed 2026-10-25
- Geographic Names Information System — named features inside the group — U.S. Geological Survey · supports: Cherry Creek Range, Telegraph Hill 10,142 ft, Telegraph Peak 9,908 ft · accessed 2026-10-25