Nevada Mule Deer Antelope

Unit 171 - 173 (Toiyabe Range, Shoshone Mountains and Arc Dome)

Nevada Hunting Guide — Mule Deer, Antelope

Units 171 - 173 cover about 2,868 square miles of Nye and Lander counties. NDOW's sheet puts the most deer and the best harvest in Unit 173, with good numbers in 172 and few in 171, and the highest densities above the pinyon-juniper belt from 8,500 to 10,500 feet and up. The Arc Dome Wilderness in southern 173 has historically carried much higher buck ratios.

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Build your own PDF hunt guide for Unit 171 - 173

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Mule Deer guide Antelope guide

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Mule Deer Hunting in Unit 171 - 173

Where to Find Mule Deer in Units 171 - 173: the west Toiyabes, the east Shoshones and Arc Dome

The west side of the Toiyabe Range and the east side of the Shoshones

Deer live in every unit of this management area, from the foothills to the peaks. Unit 171 has low densities because there's little deer habitat. Unit 173 has the most deer and the highest harvest rates, and Unit 172 also supports good numbers. NDOW says the best access to good deer country is along the west side of the Toiyabe Range in Unit 173 and the east side of the Shoshone Range in Unit 172.

Above the pinyon-juniper, 8,500 to 10,500 feet

In season, the most deer are above the dense pinyon and juniper, in more open country from 8,500 to 10,500 feet and higher. Look for a mix of mountain brush and meadows, with pockets of pine or aspen and mountain mahogany. Productive habitat runs high through both the Toiyabe and Shoshone ranges. There are far more deer away from roads.

The Arc Dome Wilderness in southern Unit 173 supports very good deer densities, and buck ratios inside its boundary have historically run much higher than in the surrounding parts of the unit.

The ground NDOW draws for this tag

A mule deer tag for this group is good in units 171, 172 and 173, about 2,868 square miles measured on NDOW's own boundary, in Nye County and Lander County. The named ranges inside the line are Royston Hills, San Antonio Mountains, Shoshone Mountains, Lodi Hills and Paradise Range. The highest named points are Arc Dome (11,738 ft), Toiyabe Dome (11,345 ft) and Toiyabe Dome Southeast Summit (11,290 ft), and the lowest named ground sits near 4,650 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 80 springs inside it, Alum Spring, Woodchuck Spring, Fourmile Spring and Coyote Hole Spring among them.

Unit 171 - 173 terrain and land status

Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up

Named features inside the unit

Glass from: Arc Dome (11,738 ft), Bunker Hill (11,459 ft), Toiyabe Dome (11,345 ft), Mahogany Mountain (10,942 ft)

Holding ground: Belcher Basin (9,294 ft), Sheep Canyon (8,739 ft), Kingston Summit (8,670 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 Units 171 - 173: US 50, SR-376 and the Arc Dome trails

US 50, SR-376 and SR-89

US 50 runs along the north side of the group, SR-376 along the east and SR-89 to the southwest. Major access roads follow the ranges north to south, and off-road travel is restricted in some areas.

Trails into the Arc Dome Wilderness

Vehicles are prohibited in the Arc Dome Wilderness, which covers the southern part of Unit 173. Many trails reach it from the west, the east and the south. The east slope of 173 is extremely rugged and steep, so pick your approach with that in mind.

Glassing scattered deer in hot weather

Deer are widely scattered across these units. Hot, dry weather makes them more dependent on water and harder to see during the day, so do your glassing early in the morning and late in the evening. Patience behind the glass, and less walking, is what NDOW asks of hunters in this high country.

Services are limited in central Nevada. Full services are only in Austin, Carvers/Round Mountain and Tonopah, and camping is mostly primitive, with few developed sites and some trailhead facilities. NDOW flies helicopter surveys for this herd, usually in late November and again in early March.

The 2025 season in NDOW's own numbers

NDOW's 2025 Big Game Hunt Data is the hunter survey behind these figures: who drew, who went, who filled a tag. Success there is NDOW's own figure, successful hunters over hunters afield. NDOW ran 6 more mule deer hunts on this group, smaller ones; the draw panel lists them.

Antlered, any legal weapon, Oct 05 - Oct 16: 310 resident and 17 nonresident tags. 280 hunters went afield and 74 filled their tag (26%). Hunters reported 4.5 days afield on average. 24% of the bucks residents took carried four or more points on a side.
Antlered, archery, Aug 10 - Sep 09: 270 resident and 25 nonresident tags. 221 hunters went afield and 37 filled their tag (17%). Hunters reported 6.5 days afield on average. 13% of the bucks residents took carried four or more points on a side.
Antlered, any legal weapon, Oct 17 - Oct 30: 180 resident and 8 nonresident tags. 166 hunters went afield and 63 filled their tag (38%). Hunters reported 4.6 days afield on average. 50% of the bucks residents took carried four or more points on a side.
Junior, any legal weapon, Oct 05 - Nov 02: 160 resident tags. 140 hunters went afield and 88 filled their tag (63%). Hunters reported 4.6 days afield on average. 38% of the bucks residents took carried four or more points on a side.

Roads in and the nearest towns

The longest named roads through the group are NV 376, Gabbs Pole Line Road, State Route 21 and South Newe Road 22. Our road inventory counts roughly 87 miles of pavement, 221 of gravel and 423 of high-clearance or four-wheel-drive track. The nearest towns are Carvers (6 mi), Round Mountain (8 mi) and Gabbs (13 mi), measured from the centre of the closest unit in the group.

Nevada rules that decide your day

Summarised from NDOW regulations. They change — read the current regulations and your permit-tag before you hunt.

Legal shooting hours

Big game may be taken from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset.

Motorized retrieval

Nevada has no general off-road retrieval allowance; travel stays on existing routes.

Tagging

Validate and attach the tag before the animal is moved.

Leaving meat

Wasting edible meat is illegal.

Where you may not shoot

Occupied structures — No shooting within 5,000 feet of an occupied dwelling without permission in some counties; no shooting from or across a highway.

Mule Deer: where to put the shot

Broadside or quartering away, on the back edge of the front leg about a third of the way up the body.

Shots to refuse

Nothing behind or overlapping the animal you picked.
Your maximum range is the farthest you have shot a three-shot group into a paper plate from the rest you are carrying.
Pass the shot you are talking yourself into.

Plan the carry: roughly 40– 120 lb of boned-out meat, before head and hide — two large coolers. ProHunt planning estimate, not an agency figure.

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Mule Deer Success Rates

Antlered, any legal weapon: 74 of 280 hunters afield (26%); Antlered, archery: 37 of 221 hunters afield (17%); Antlered, any legal weapon: 63 of 166 hunters afield (38%); Junior, any legal weapon: 88 of 140 hunters afield (63%). 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)	540	1,348	40.1%	—
Rifle — Mid Season bull/buck only (nonresident)	28	311	9.0%	—
Rifle — Limited Entry either sex (resident)	170	200	85.0%	—
Rifle — Limited Entry antlerless (resident)	170	183	91.3%	—
Rifle — Mid Season either sex (resident)	160	160	100.0%	—
Archery — Early Season bull/buck only (resident)	270	274	98.5%	—
Archery — Early Season bull/buck only (nonresident)	25	76	32.9%	—
Muzzleloader — Early Season bull/buck only (resident)	90	116	77.6%	—
Muzzleloader — Early Season bull/buck only (nonresident)	10	22	45.5%	—
Muzzleloader — Early Season either sex (resident)	80	5	100.0%	—

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 Engine

From 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: 695 demand for 310 tags, a 44.6% draw rate; Nonresidents: 164 demand for 17 tags, a 10.4% draw rate.
Antlered, archery — Residents: 274 demand for 270 tags, a 98.5% draw rate; Nonresidents: 76 demand for 25 tags, a 32.9% draw rate.
Antlered, any legal weapon — Residents: 355 demand for 180 tags, a 50.7% draw rate; Nonresidents: 76 demand for 8 tags, a 10.5% draw rate.
Junior, any legal weapon — Residents: 160 demand for 160 tags, a 100.0% draw rate.
Antlered, muzzleloader — Residents: 116 demand for 90 tags, a 77.6% draw rate; Nonresidents: 22 demand for 10 tags, a 45.5% draw rate.
Junior, SWR-Prmtve — Residents: 5 demand for 80 tags, a 100.0% draw rate.

NDOW's hunt data publishes no points-required figure, so none is given here.

Antelope Hunting in Unit 171 - 173

Units 171 - 173 cover about 2,900 square miles of Nye and Lander counties south of US Highway 50. Antelope tie to water in August and are thickest in Ione and Big Smoky valleys, with alfalfa farms in Big Smoky and northern Reese River valleys drawing them in dry years. Access is excellent, though parts of Unit 173 are wilderness.

Where to Find Pronghorn in Units 171 - 173: Ione Valley Guzzlers and Big Smoky Valley

Ione Valley and its three water developments

The highest antelope densities are usually in Ione and Big Smoky valleys, though NDOW says animals are scattered across the whole group. Ione Valley has a specific draw. There are currently three wildlife water developments in the southern half of that valley, and in August that's exactly the kind of place antelope gather.

Water sources across the group

In August, antelope here are generally tied to water. Perennial streams, springs, livestock waters and artificial water developments are all good places to look for sign and find concentrations. Map those out before the season, starting with the three in southern Ione Valley.

Alfalfa in Big Smoky and northern Reese River Valleys

The farms are the other draw. Alfalfa fields in Big Smoky Valley and the northern Reese River Valley have antelope on them or nearby, especially in drought years. That's useful in a dry summer, but it comes with a condition. NDOW says you need landowner permission before hunting on any private property, so the antelope standing in a field aren't automatically yours to hunt.

A dry year pushes animals toward both water and farms. A wetter one spreads them out, which makes the scattered antelope NDOW mentions more important to find.

The ground NDOW draws for this tag

A pronghorn tag for this group is good in units 171, 172 and 173, about 2,868 square miles measured on NDOW's own boundary, in Nye County and Lander County. The named ranges inside the line are Royston Hills, San Antonio Mountains, Shoshone Mountains, Lodi Hills and Paradise Range. The highest named points are Arc Dome (11,738 ft), Toiyabe Dome (11,345 ft) and Toiyabe Dome Southeast Summit (11,290 ft), and the lowest named ground sits near 4,650 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 80 springs inside it, Alum Spring, Woodchuck Spring, Fourmile Spring and Coyote Hole Spring among them.

Unit 171 - 173 terrain and land status

Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up

Named features inside the unit

Glass from: Arc Dome (11,738 ft), Bunker Hill (11,459 ft), Toiyabe Dome (11,345 ft), Mahogany Mountain (10,942 ft)

Holding ground: Belcher Basin (9,294 ft), Sheep Canyon (8,739 ft), Kingston Summit (8,670 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 Pronghorn in Units 171 - 173: US 50, SR-376 and the Unit 173 wilderness

US Highway 50, SR-376 and SR-89

US Highway 50 runs along the north edge of the group, SR-376 the east side and SR-89 the southwest. Major access roads run north and south, parallel to the mountain ranges, and NDOW rates access to all the hunting areas as excellent. Many of the roads are unimproved two-tracks, so four-wheel drive with good clearance is recommended.

Farms, pastures and permission

Private alfalfa farms and native pastures sit in the valleys, but they rarely block access to public land. They do matter when antelope are on them. Get landowner permission before hunting any private property.

Wilderness in Unit 173

Sections of Unit 173 are designated wilderness. Motorized equipment and mechanized transport, including wheeled game carriers and chainsaws, are prohibited there. Contact the Forest Service or the BLM for details before you head into that country.

Austin, Round Mountain and Tonopah

Full services are found only in Austin, Carvers/Round Mountain and Tonopah. Camping is mostly primitive, with few developed campsites, though some trailheads have developed facilities. Stock up before you leave town.

The 2025 season in NDOW's own numbers

NDOW's 2025 Big Game Hunt Data is the hunter survey behind these figures: who drew, who went, who filled a tag. Success there is NDOW's own figure, successful hunters over hunters afield.

Horns longer than ears, any legal weapon, Aug 22 - Sep 07: 20 resident and 3 nonresident tags. 21 hunters went afield and 21 filled their tag (100%). Hunters reported 1.9 days afield on average. 17% of the resident bucks had horns of 15 inches or longer.
Horns longer than ears, archery, Aug 01 - Aug 21: 7 resident and 1 nonresident tags. 8 hunters went afield and 4 filled their tag (50%). Hunters reported 4.9 days afield on average. 0% of the resident bucks had horns of 15 inches or longer.
Horns longer than ears, muzzleloader, Sep 25 - Oct 04: 7 resident tags. 7 hunters went afield and 7 filled their tag (100%). Hunters reported 1.7 days afield on average. 0% of the resident bucks had horns of 15 inches or longer.

Roads in and the nearest towns

Nevada rules that decide your day

Summarised from NDOW regulations. They change — read the current regulations and your permit-tag before you hunt.

Legal shooting hours

Big game may be taken from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset.

Motorized retrieval

Nevada has no general off-road retrieval allowance; travel stays on existing routes.

Tagging

Validate and attach the tag before the animal is moved.

Leaving meat

Wasting edible meat is illegal.

Where you may not shoot

Occupied structures — No shooting within 5,000 feet of an occupied dwelling without permission in some counties; no shooting from or across a highway.

Antelope: where to put the shot

Broadside, straight up the front leg, a third of the way into the body. Pronghorn are shallow-chested and the lungs sit forward.

Shots to refuse

Range it, then range it again. Open country makes 400 yards look like 250.
Wait for the buck to stop. Nobody kills a running pronghorn cleanly on purpose.
Mind the backdrop. A miss carries a long way across a flat.

Plan the carry: roughly 30– 45 lb of boned-out meat, before head and hide — one large cooler with ice already in it. ProHunt planning estimate, not an agency figure.

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Antelope Success Rates

Horns longer than ears, any legal weapon: 21 of 21 hunters afield (100%); Horns longer than ears, archery: 4 of 8 hunters afield (50%); Horns longer than ears, muzzleloader: 7 of 7 hunters afield (100%). Figures are NDOW's own, from its 2025 Big Game Hunt Data.

Antelope Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts (n/p)
Rifle — Early Season buck only (resident)	20	329	6.1%	—
Rifle — Early Season buck only (nonresident)	3	143	2.1%	—
Archery — Early Season buck only (resident)	7	14	50.0%	—
Archery — Early Season buck only (nonresident)	1	19	5.3%	—
Muzzleloader — Early Season buck only (resident)	7	15	46.7%	—

Open in Draw Odds Engine

From 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.

Horns longer than ears, any legal weapon — Residents: 329 demand for 20 tags, a 6.1% draw rate; Nonresidents: 143 demand for 3 tags, a 2.1% draw rate.
Horns longer than ears, archery — Residents: 14 demand for 7 tags, a 50.0% draw rate; Nonresidents: 19 demand for 1 tag, a 5.3% draw rate.
Horns longer than ears, muzzleloader — Residents: 15 demand for 7 tags, a 46.7% draw rate.

NDOW's hunt data publishes no points-required figure, so none is given here.

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Planning Notes

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Camp Sites

Developed campgrounds in the group: Berlin Ichthyosaur Campground, Big Creek Campground, Kingston Campground, Peavine Creek Campground.

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Water

GNIS names 80 springs inside the group. Desert springs go dry; carry water and treat what you find.

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Road Conditions

NV 376, Gabbs Pole Line Road and State Route 21 are the longest named roads in the group. About 87 mi paved, 221 mi gravel, 423 mi high-clearance or 4WD.

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Terrain Difficulty

Named features run from 4,650 to 11,738 ft across 3 units. More than 4,000 feet of relief, so plan the pack-out before the shot.

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Weather

Season normals from the group's largest unit: Sep 81/44°F, 0.4 in.; Oct 68/33°F, 0.6 in.; Nov 54/23°F, 0.5 in.; Dec 42/16°F, 0.6 in..

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Nearest Town

Carvers (6 mi), Round Mountain (8 mi), Gabbs (13 mi)

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Permit Notes

A tag for this group is good only inside units 171 - 173. Check NDOW's current regulations for season dates before you go.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which units does a Nevada mule deer tag for 171 - 173 cover?

NDOW draws it as one unit group: units 171, 172 and 173, about 2,868 square miles in Nye County and Lander County. The tag is good anywhere inside that line and nowhere outside it.

What was hunter success for mule deer on units 171 - 173 in 2025?

On NDOW's largest 2025 mule deer hunt here, the antlered hunt (any legal weapon), Oct 05 - Oct 16, 74 of 280 hunters afield filled their tag, 26%. That is NDOW's figure from its 2025 Big Game Hunt Data.

How hard is the mule deer draw for units 171 - 173?

For the antlered hunt (any legal weapon) NDOW counted 695 resident demand for 310 tags in 2025, a 44.6% draw rate, and 164 nonresident demand for 17, 10.4%. NDOW publishes no points-required figure in that data.

Which units does a Nevada pronghorn tag for 171 - 173 cover?

NDOW draws it as one unit group: units 171, 172 and 173, about 2,868 square miles in Nye County and Lander County. The tag is good anywhere inside that line and nowhere outside it.

What was hunter success for pronghorn on units 171 - 173 in 2025?

On NDOW's largest 2025 pronghorn hunt here, the horns longer than ears hunt (any legal weapon), Aug 22 - Sep 07, 21 of 21 hunters afield filled their tag, 100%. That is NDOW's figure from its 2025 Big Game Hunt Data.

How hard is the pronghorn draw for units 171 - 173?

For the horns longer than ears hunt (any legal weapon) NDOW counted 329 resident demand for 20 tags in 2025, a 6.1% draw rate, and 143 nonresident demand for 3, 2.1%. NDOW publishes no points-required figure in that data.

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Sources & Verification

Every fact on this page is tied to a primary source below. Last fact-checked 2026-10-25.

Hunt Information Sheet — Mule deer, 171-173 — 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 171 - 173, 2,868 square miles · accessed 2026-10-25
Geographic Names Information System — named features inside the group — U.S. Geological Survey · supports: Royston Hills, San Antonio Mountains, Shoshone Mountains, Arc Dome 11,738 ft, Toiyabe Dome 11,345 ft · accessed 2026-10-25
Hunt Information Sheet — Pronghorn antelope, 171, 172, 173 — Nevada Department of Wildlife · supports: Access, Recommended hunting areas, Biologist comments · accessed 2026-10-25

Unit 171 - 173 (Toiyabe Range, Shoshone Mountains and Arc Dome)

Build your own PDF hunt guide for Unit 171 - 173

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit 171 - 173

Where to Find Mule Deer in Units 171 - 173: the west Toiyabes, the east Shoshones and Arc Dome

The west side of the Toiyabe Range and the east side of the Shoshones

Above the pinyon-juniper, 8,500 to 10,500 feet

The ground NDOW draws for this tag

Unit 171 - 173 terrain and land status

Named features inside the unit

How to Hunt Mule Deer in Units 171 - 173: US 50, SR-376 and the Arc Dome trails

Mule Deer Success Rates

Mule Deer Draw Odds

Antelope Hunting in Unit 171 - 173

Where to Find Pronghorn in Units 171 - 173: Ione Valley Guzzlers and Big Smoky Valley

Ione Valley and its three water developments

Water sources across the group

Alfalfa in Big Smoky and northern Reese River Valleys

The ground NDOW draws for this tag

Unit 171 - 173 terrain and land status

Named features inside the unit

How to Hunt Pronghorn in Units 171 - 173: US 50, SR-376 and the Unit 173 wilderness

Antelope Success Rates

Antelope Draw Odds

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Explore Related Units

Bighorn Sheep — Unit 173

Frequently Asked Questions

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Sources & Verification