Unit 221 (Egan Range and Ward Mountain)
Nevada Hunting Guide — Elk
Unit 221 covers about 765 square miles of White Pine and Lincoln counties along the Egan Range. Its elk are thickest in the north, around the Upper Terrace and a string of springs, and scattered along the east bench of Ward Mountain, with fewer south of Shingle Pass. Access is good, but two-tracks need high clearance and spare tires.
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Elk Hunting in Unit 221
Unit 221 covers about 765 square miles of White Pine and Lincoln counties along the Egan Range. Its elk are thickest in the north, around the Upper Terrace and a string of springs, and scattered along the east bench of Ward Mountain, with fewer south of Shingle Pass. Access is good, but two-tracks need high clearance and spare tires.
Where to Find Elk in Unit 221: the Upper Terrace, Lion Springs and Ward Mountain's East Bench
The Upper Terrace and the northern springs
NDOW rates the north portion of Unit 221 as having good elk densities. The sheet names five places: the Upper Terrace, Lion Springs, Blue Springs, Lowry Springs and Williams Creek. Three of those are springs, which makes them natural places to look for fresh sign before you spend time glassing the country around them.
Ward Mountain's east bench and Bullwhack Summit to Long Canyon
Elk scatter along the east bench of Ward Mountain in Steptoe Valley. Farther along, the stretch from Bullwhack Summit to Long Canyon holds pockets of elk rather than steady numbers, so it rewards covering ground with optics.
South of Shingle Pass and the fields near Lund
Elk densities drop south of Shingle Pass. The south end isn't empty, but NDOW's sheet steers you north first. Elk also use the agricultural fields near the town of Lund.
NDOW's 2025 hunts here were for antlerless elk and spikes, and the sheet's advice reads the same for either: start in the north, work the springs and the Upper Terrace, then the east bench of Ward Mountain.
The ground NDOW draws for this tag
A elk tag for this group is good in unit 221, about 765 square miles measured on NDOW's own boundary, in White Pine County and Lincoln County. The one named range inside the line is Egan Range. The highest named points are Ward Mountain (10,921 ft), Hamels Peak (10,346 ft) and Shingle Peak (9,809 ft), and the lowest named ground sits near 5,690 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, Trough Spring, Willow Spring, Mountain Springs and Pine Spring among them.
Unit 221 terrain and land status
Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up
The lay of it
- 5,362–9,452 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 6,978 ft ; peaks can run higher. That spread means you can hunt two seasons in one day — plan clothing for both ends.
- 765.2 sq mi inside the boundary.
Water on the ground
- 2 tanks
- 150 springs
- 46 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: Ward Mountain (10,921 ft), Shingle Peak (9,809 ft), Sawmill Peak (9,437 ft), Ninemile Mountain (8,956 ft)
Holding ground: Upper Terrace (9,212 ft), Lone Pine Swale (7,899 ft), Murry Summit (7,305 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 Elk in Unit 221: Highways 6 and 318, Cave Valley Road and the South Egan wilderness
Elk Success Rates
Antlerless, any legal weapon: 2 of 16 hunters afield (13%); Antlerless, any legal weapon: 1 of 9 hunters afield (11%); Spike, any legal weapon: 0 of 5 hunters afield (0%); Spike, any legal weapon: 1 of 5 hunters afield (20%). Figures are NDOW's own, from its 2025 Big Game Hunt Data.
Elk Draw Odds
| Season | Tags | Applicants | Draw % | Pts (n/p) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle — Early Season antlerless (resident) | 17 | 275 | 6.2% | — |
| Rifle — Early Season antlerless (nonresident) | 3 | 19 | 15.8% | — |
| Rifle — Late Season antlerless (resident) | 13 | 70 | 18.6% | — |
| Rifle — Late Season antlerless (nonresident) | 1 | 15 | 6.7% | — |
| Rifle — Early Season spike only (resident) | 5 | 104 | 4.8% | — |
| Rifle — Late Season spike only (resident) | 5 | 32 | 15.6% | — |
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: 275 demand for 17 tags, a 6.2% draw rate; Nonresidents: 19 demand for 3 tags, a 15.8% draw rate.
- Antlerless, any legal weapon — Residents: 70 demand for 13 tags, a 18.6% draw rate; Nonresidents: 15 demand for 1 tag, a 6.7% draw rate.
- Spike, any legal weapon — Residents: 104 demand for 5 tags, a 4.8% draw rate.
- Spike, any legal weapon — Residents: 32 demand for 5 tags, a 15.6% 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 221 cover?
What was hunter success for elk on units 221 in 2025?
How hard is the elk draw for units 221?
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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, 221 — 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 221, 765 square miles · accessed 2026-10-25
- Geographic Names Information System — named features inside the group — U.S. Geological Survey · supports: Egan Range, Ward Mountain 10,921 ft, Hamels Peak 10,346 ft · accessed 2026-10-25