Unit 014 Unit 014
Granite Range high country rising out of the Black Rock and Smoke Creek deserts: a solid antelope-and-deer unit with a premium California bighorn tag.
Northwestern Nevada — northern Washoe & western Humboldt Counties (NDOW Area 1) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
500
sq mi
Public land
95%
approx.
Elevation
4,000–8,900
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Unit 014 is a roughly 500-square-mile block of far northwestern Nevada that begins at Gerlach and runs about 40 miles north, straddling northern Washoe and western Humboldt Counties. Its backbone is the Granite Range, which climbs to near 8,900 feet at Granite Peak and stands high above the surrounding Black Rock and Smoke Creek desert playas. Antelope are the headline hunt here (about 53% five-year success) with a scattered but respectable mule deer resource (roughly 69% success on a small tag pool), and the unit also carries a limited, premium California bighorn sheep hunt. This is overwhelmingly public BLM country — remote, dry, and best worked with glass and good boots.
Terrain
Steep, rugged relief concentrated in the Granite Range in the south, with the rest of the unit grading into broken-to-mild hills, benches and flats that spill onto the Black Rock and Smoke Creek desert floors near 4,000 feet. It hunts as open glassing country low down with rocky, physically demanding slopes and canyons on the mountain itself; nearly the entire unit can be reached on foot if not by vehicle.
Cover: Big sagebrush and desert shrub across the flats and lower benches, giving way to bitterbrush, mountain mahogany, scattered aspen and rocky outcrops on the higher Granite Range slopes. Green riparian pockets and water sources are common through the southern Granite Range and concentrate game; water is scattered and scarce across the northern portion.
Landmarks: Granite Range (unit backbone) · Granite Peak (~8,900 ft, unit high point) · Black Rock Desert (east) · Smoke Creek Desert (southwest) · Gerlach (southern tip) · State Route 447 / 34 corridors
Access
About 95% public, nearly all of it BLM sagebrush-steppe and desert range with no National Forest in the unit. Public road access is good in most places, though a few areas are gated or blocked by private ground; almost the entire unit is walkable if not driveable. Private ranch parcels sit in the valley bottoms and around water — verify ownership before crossing. Roads are dirt and gravel two-tracks that turn to slick clay on the playa margins after rain.
Managers: BLM, Private (valley bottoms and ranch parcels)
Access points: Gerlach / State Route 447 (south) · State Route 34 / Soldier Meadows Road corridor (east side toward Black Rock) · BLM dirt-road network into the Granite Range · Smoke Creek Desert access roads (southwest)
Species notes
Pronghorn
common qualityAntelope are the unit's strongest draw, with about 53% five-year success across the sagebrush flats and benches below the Granite Range. Tags are limited-draw and hunter numbers are low, so an outing here is a well-earned, uncrowded opportunity at a decent buck.
- →Glass the big sagebrush flats, benches and playa margins from high points at first and last light — antelope live by their eyes in open country.
- →Key on the scattered water sources, especially through the drier northern half, during warm early seasons.
- →Use swales, washes and terrain folds to close on a located buck rather than chasing across open ground.
- →Scout pre-season to inventory bucks and pick a stalkable animal away from the road corridors.
Mule Deer
limited opportunityMule deer are scattered at modest densities, concentrated in and around the higher Granite Range; the small tag pool posts a strong roughly 69% five-year success. This isn't a numbers unit, but the mahogany, aspen and rocky heads of the range hold quality bucks for the hunter willing to climb.
- →Hunt the Granite Range — glass mahogany benches, aspen pockets and rocky basins morning and evening.
- →Get above the roads and into the steep heads of canyons where mature bucks hold security cover.
- →Work water and green riparian stringers in the southern range during warm early seasons.
- →Hunt the later rifle window if you hold that tag, when cooler weather and rut move bucks into the open.
Bighorn Sheep
limited trophyThe Granite Range carries a California bighorn sheep population and Unit 014 offers a limited, premium ram hunt — a rare, essentially once-in-a-lifetime tag. Drawing it is the hard part; the sheep are here in the steep, rocky heart of the range.
- →If you draw, scout the steep, rocky escape terrain of the Granite Range hard well before the season.
- →Glass rimrock, cliff bands and rugged basins at dawn and dusk from long range, then plan a patient stalk.
- →Come physically prepared — this is steep, remote country with limited vehicle access to the high rocks.
- →Coordinate with NDOW biologists on recent ram distribution and water sources before your hunt.
Pro tips
- →Come primarily for the antelope — low hunter numbers and open glassing country make for a quality, uncrowded hunt.
- →For deer, focus on the Granite Range's mahogany, aspen and rocky heads and be willing to climb above the roads.
- →Scout water hard — the northern half is dry and game keys tightly on the scattered sources.
- →Avoid the dirt roads during and right after rain; the playa-margin clay is a vehicle trap.
- →Assume no cell coverage in the north: carry offline maps, extra water and fuel, and a satellite communicator.
- →A Unit 014 sheep tag is a rare prize — if you draw, scout early and plan for steep, remote rock.
Watch out for
- !Very remote with little to no cell service, especially in the north — a breakdown or injury is a serious problem.
- !Dirt and playa-margin roads become impassable clay gumbo after rain or snow.
- !Private ranch parcels and gated access sit in the valley bottoms and around water — verify ownership before crossing.
- !Water is scarce across the northern half; plan your hunt and your own supply around it.
- !Strong, persistent wind and extreme daytime heat early, cold and storms late — dress and pack for both.
Logistics
Gerlach at the southern tip has a bar/motel, a small store and limited fuel — treat it as your last reliable stop. Reno (about 85 miles southwest) is the full-service hub for lodging, groceries, fuel and gear. Dispersed camping is easy and legal across the surrounding BLM ground. Cell service is spotty at best and often nonexistent in the northern half of the unit — download offline maps, carry a paper backup and a communication device, and tell someone your plan. Carry extra water, fuel and recovery gear; this is remote high desert.
Nearest towns: Gerlach, Empire, Nixon, Reno
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Nevada sources:
Research sources: GOHUNT — Nevada Unit 014 Unit Profile (elevation 4,000–8,900 ft, ~94.9% public, Granite Range/Granite Peak, Gerlach ~85 mi NE of Reno, antelope/mule deer/California bighorn sheep, road access, water distribution, limited cell in north) · NDOW Hunt Information Sheets (unit descriptions, access, recommended areas, California bighorn ram season for Unit 014) · NDOW 2023 Big Game Hunt Unit Map Insert (Area 1 unit boundaries, Black Rock / Smoke Creek deserts)
FAQ
- How big is Unit 014 in Nevada?
- Unit 014 (Unit 014) covers about 500 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,000 to 8,900 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 014?
- Approximately 95% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM, Private (valley bottoms and ranch parcels). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 014?
- Pronghorn, Mule Deer, Bighorn Sheep. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Nevada agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 014 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.