Unit 161 (Mount Jefferson and the Toquima Range)
Nevada Hunting Guide — Bighorn Sheep
Unit 161 covers about 1,446 square miles of Nye and Lander counties in the Toquima Range, and its desert bighorn live on and around Mount Jefferson. NDOW's sheet says that in a dry, mild season most sheep stay near the top, around 11,000 feet, inside wilderness you can reach only on foot or horseback. Late weather pushes them toward Barker Creek and Moore's Creek.
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Bighorn Sheep Hunting in Unit 161
Unit 161 covers about 1,446 square miles of Nye and Lander counties in the Toquima Range, and its desert bighorn live on and around Mount Jefferson. NDOW's sheet says that in a dry, mild season most sheep stay near the top, around 11,000 feet, inside wilderness you can reach only on foot or horseback. Late weather pushes them toward Barker Creek and Moore's Creek.
Where to Find Bighorn Sheep in Unit 161: the top of Mount Jefferson and its west-side canyons
The summit of Mount Jefferson
If the weather stays dry and fairly mild, most sheep will be on or near the top of Mount Jefferson, at around 11,000 feet. That's the rule early in the season. They like to feed on top in large groups, and they use the very steep cliffs and rocky ground along the edges as escape cover.
Barker, Willow, Indian, Slaughterhouse and Sawmill canyons
That escape terrain rings nearly the whole mountain. Even so, the sheep often seem to favor the canyons on Mount Jefferson's west side: Barker, Willow, Indian, Slaughterhouse and Sawmill. They may also use upper Pasco Canyon and Bucks Canyon. The heads of all those drainages are good places to look.
Barker Creek, Moore's Creek and Northumberland Canyon late
Once weather forces the sheep off the top in the late season, many stage in the Barker Creek and Moore's Creek area. As the movement goes on, some drift as far north as Northumberland Canyon, while others stay near the foothills of Mount Jefferson. Late in the season, that means checking the staging area and the foothills, not the summit.
The ground NDOW draws for this tag
A bighorn sheep tag for this group is good in unit 161, about 1,446 square miles measured on NDOW's own boundary, in Nye County and Lander County. The one named range inside the line is Toquima Range. The highest named points are South Summit (11,932 ft), North Summit Mount Jefferson (11,808 ft) and Middle Summit Mount Jefferson (11,684 ft), and the lowest named ground sits near 5,451 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 54 springs inside it, Spencer Hot Springs, Big Blue Spring, Mexican Spring and Water Canyon Springs among them.
Unit 161 terrain and land status
Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up
The lay of it
- 5,484–9,587 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 6,916 ft ; peaks can run higher. That spread means you can hunt two seasons in one day — plan clothing for both ends.
- 1,446.2 sq mi inside the boundary. Big enough that picking one drainage beats driving three.
Water on the ground
- 45 tanks
- 218 springs
- 253 stream segments
- 2 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: South Summit (11,932 ft), North Summit Mount Jefferson (11,808 ft), Shoshone Mountain (10,885 ft), Sawlog Ridge (10,477 ft)
Holding ground: Windy Pass (9,264 ft), Stoneberger Basin (8,899 ft), Jefferson Summit (8,777 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 Bighorn Sheep in Unit 161: Pine Creek, Meadow Canyon and the wilderness climb
Bighorn Sheep Success Rates
Any ram, any legal weapon: 3 of 3 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) | 3 | 222 | 1.4% | — |
| Rifle — Early Season ram only (nonresident) | 1 | 451 | 0.2% | — |
| Rifle — Late Season ram only (resident) | 7 | 100 | 7.0% | — |
| Rifle — Late Season ram only (nonresident) | 1 | 195 | 0.5% | — |
| Rifle — Mid Season ewe only (resident) | 44 | 898 | 4.9% | — |
| Rifle — Mid Season ewe only (nonresident) | 5 | 223 | 2.2% | — |
| Rifle — Mid Season ram only (resident) | 2 | 80 | 2.5% | — |
| Rifle — Mid Season ram only (nonresident) | 1 | 324 | 0.3% | — |
| Archery — Early Season ram only (resident) | 1 | 20 | 5.0% | — |
| Archery — Early Season ram only (nonresident) | 1 | 145 | 0.7% | — |
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.
- Any ram, any legal weapon — Residents: 222 demand for 3 tags, a 1.4% 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 161 cover?
What was hunter success for bighorn sheep on units 161 in 2025?
How hard is the bighorn sheep draw for units 161?
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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 — Desert bighorn sheep, 161 — 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 161, 1,446 square miles · accessed 2026-10-25
- Geographic Names Information System — named features inside the group — U.S. Geological Survey · supports: Toquima Range, South Summit 11,932 ft, North Summit Mount Jefferson 11,808 ft · accessed 2026-10-25