Unit 261 (Last Chance Range north of Pahrump)
Nevada Hunting Guide — Bighorn Sheep
Unit 261 is the Last Chance Range and the hills around it north of Pahrump, about 449 square miles with most of the sheep habitat on BLM land. NDOW says mature desert bighorn rams are spread across the whole range rather than bunched in one place, and the steep, rocky ground makes it a hard hunt on foot.
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Bighorn Sheep Hunting in Unit 261
Unit 261 is the Last Chance Range and the hills around it north of Pahrump, about 449 square miles with most of the sheep habitat on BLM land. NDOW says mature desert bighorn rams are spread across the whole range rather than bunched in one place, and the steep, rocky ground makes it a hard hunt on foot.
Where to Find Desert Bighorn in Unit 261: every open corner of the Last Chance Range
Rams spread through the Last Chance Range
NDOW's sheet doesn't hand you a short list for Unit 261. Its message is the opposite: mature rams are well dispersed across the Last Chance Range, and tagholders are encouraged to hunt every part of the range that's open to hunting. That turns the hunt into a matter of covering ground rather than waiting on one canyon.
Small mountains and narrow valleys
The unit is a broken, mountainous block north of Pahrump and west of State Route 160. It isn't one long ridge. The Last Chance Range is a set of small mountains separated by narrow valleys, which is why roads reach most of its perimeter. Elevations run from about 2,460 feet to just under 5,000 at the highest peak, on the southeast end, and much of the range is extremely steep and rocky. GNIS also names the Johnnie Range and the Devils Hole Hills inside the unit line.
Most of the bighorn habitat is Bureau of Land Management ground in the Las Vegas District. Two pieces in the northwest aren't open to sheep hunting at all: the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge and Devils Hole, which the sheet lists under Death Valley National Monument. Leave those off your plan.
The ground NDOW draws for this tag
A bighorn sheep tag for this group is good in unit 261, about 449 square miles measured on NDOW's own boundary, in Nye County. The named ranges inside the line are Last Chance Range, Johnnie Range and Devils Hole Hills. The highest named points are Mount Montgomery (4,267 ft), Pupfish Peak (4,240 ft) and High Peak (3,987 ft), and the lowest named ground sits near 2,148 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 32 springs inside it, Fairbanks Spring, Devils Hole, Skruggs Spring and Longstreet Spring among them.
Unit 261 terrain and land status
Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up
The lay of it
- 2,133–3,238 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 2,625 ft ; peaks can run higher.
- 449 sq mi inside the boundary.
Water on the ground
- 14 tanks
- 56 springs
- 329 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: Last Chance Range (4,957 ft), Mount Montgomery (4,267 ft), Devils Hole Hills (4,254 ft), High Peak (3,987 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 Desert Bighorn in Unit 261: State Route 160, the perimeter roads and the closed northwest
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 — Late Season ram only (resident) | 3 | 58 | 5.2% | — |
| Rifle — Late Season ram only (nonresident) | 1 | 63 | 1.6% | — |
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.
- Any ram, any legal weapon — Residents: 58 demand for 3 tags, a 5.2% 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 261 cover?
What was hunter success for bighorn sheep on units 261 in 2025?
How hard is the bighorn sheep draw for units 261?
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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, 261 — 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 261, 449 square miles · accessed 2026-10-25
- Geographic Names Information System — named features inside the group — U.S. Geological Survey · supports: Last Chance Range, Johnnie Range, Devils Hole Hills, Mount Montgomery 4,267 ft, Pupfish Peak 4,240 ft · accessed 2026-10-25