Unit 041 Unit 041
Big, dry Great Basin antelope country between Gerlach and Lovelock — glass the water, cover the miles.
Western Nevada — Pershing & Washoe Counties (NDOW Area 4) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
2,620
sq mi
Public land
90%
approx.
Elevation
3,900–7,800
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
Unit 041 is a sprawling ~2,620-square-mile block of western Nevada high desert lying east of Highway 447 and Gerlach and west of Interstate 80 and Lovelock. It strings together a chain of isolated BLM mountain ranges — the Selenite Range, Nightingale Mountains, Sahwave Mountains, western Trinity Range, Lava Beds and Seven Troughs Range — separated by broad sagebrush valleys. Antelope are the headline here with strong five-year success (~82%), while mule deer are thin and scattered (~43%). This is remote, waterless-feeling country: success comes from scouting water and animal-use areas before the season.
Terrain
Classic basin-and-range: long sagebrush valley floors and benches rising into a series of isolated, rugged desert ranges. Pronghorn range from the valley floors up into the foothills and higher slopes of each range, so glass big and cover ground between ranges. Four-wheel drive is necessary and the roads are long.
Cover: Big sagebrush, greasewood and salt-desert shrub across the flats, with bitterbrush, grasses and scattered mountain mahogany and juniper on the higher slopes. Springs and man-made big-game guzzlers are the green magnets in an otherwise dry landscape.
Landmarks: Selenite Range · Nightingale Mountains (Sage Hen Spring, Stonehouse Canyon, Tunnel Springs) · Sahwave Mountains · Seven Troughs Range (Porter Springs, Vernon, Burnt/Rocky/Egbert Canyons) · West Trinity Range (Eagle Picher Mine area, big-game guzzlers) · Lava Beds (east side) · Rabbit Hole / Barrell Springs · Highway 447 (west boundary)
Access
NDOW rates access to all units as good, but four-wheel drive is necessary and the driving distances between ranges are long. The ground is overwhelmingly BLM, so dispersed camping is unrestricted; expect scattered private mining and ranch parcels and checkerboard sections near the I-80 corridor on the east side. Several BLM wild-horse Herd Management Areas (Sahwave, Bluewing, Seven Trough, Lava Beds) overlap the unit — horses hammer the same springs pronghorn use.
Managers: BLM, Private (valley bottoms, mining parcels, I-80/railroad checkerboard on east edge)
Access points: Highway 447 corridor (Gerlach side, west) · Interstate 80 / Lovelock (east) · Rabbit Hole / Barrell Springs roads · Seven Troughs / Vernon area roads · BLM two-tracks to guzzlers in the Trinity and Sahwave ranges
Species notes
Pronghorn
common qualityAntelope are the reason to draw this unit. Densities across the group are average to high and five-year success runs about 82%, so a tag generally means a real chance at a mature buck. Animals are found from the valley floors up into the ranges, but almost always tie to water.
- →Focus effort within about a 2-mile radius of every reliable water source — springs and big-game guzzlers concentrate bucks in this dry country.
- →Glass long from the range foothills and benches at first and last light; pronghorn live by their eyes, so keep the sun at your back.
- →Pre-season scout the guzzlers in the west Trinity Range and the Seven Troughs / Sahwave springs to inventory bucks before opening morning.
- →Use terrain folds and washes to close the distance rather than trying to walk across open flats in view of a buck.
Mule Deer
limited opportunityMule deer are scattered and thin here (~43% five-year success on small harvest). These desert ranges hold pockets of deer in the higher canyons and mahogany, but this is not a numbers deer unit — treat a buck as a bonus while chasing antelope.
- →Hunt the highest, roughest canyons and mahogany pockets of the Selenite, Sahwave and Seven Troughs ranges where the few resident bucks hold.
- →Glass shaded north slopes and spring-fed draws morning and evening.
- →Be willing to hike well off the roads — the better desert bucks live away from vehicle disturbance.
- →Key on water in early seasons; deer here are tied to the same limited springs as everything else.
Pro tips
- →Come for the antelope — ~82% success and average-to-high densities make this a quality opportunity tag.
- →Water is everything: inventory every spring and guzzler pre-season and hunt within ~2 miles of it.
- →Cover ground — the ranges are isolated, so be willing to reposition between the Seven Troughs, Sahwave and Trinity blocks.
- →Expect wild horses on the water in the HMAs; they push game and muddy the tanks, so hunt the fringes of the herds.
- →Treat any mule deer as a bonus and hunt the high canyons for them rather than the flats.
- →Assume zero cell coverage: paper map, offline GPS, extra fuel and full recovery kit.
Watch out for
- !Extremely remote with no cell service — a breakdown, flat or injury is a serious problem; go fully self-sufficient.
- !Clay flats and two-tracks become impassable mud after rain.
- !Scattered private mining/ranch parcels and I-80 checkerboard sections on the east edge — verify ownership before crossing.
- !Long waterless stretches and summer heat — dehydration and vehicle trouble are the real hazards.
- !BLM wild-horse HMAs mean heavy horse use at springs, which can displace antelope.
Logistics
Lovelock (east, on I-80) is the closest full stop with a hospital, motels, fuel and groceries; Fernley and Winnemucca are the larger service hubs, and Gerlach on the west side offers fuel and a bar/store. Restaurants, fuel and convenience stores are also at the Rye Patch Reservoir and Mill City/Unionville I-80 exits. Camping on BLM ground is unrestricted and dispersed camping is the norm. Cell service is essentially nonexistent across the interior — carry offline maps, extra fuel, water and recovery gear, and tell someone your plan.
Nearest towns: Lovelock, Gerlach, Fernley, Winnemucca
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Nevada sources:
Research sources: NDOW Antelope Hunt Information Sheet, Unit Group 041,042 (boundaries, ranges, water-focused tactics, access, facilities) · NDOW Hunt Information Sheets index
FAQ
- How big is Unit 041 in Nevada?
- Unit 041 (Unit 041) covers about 2,620 square miles, ranging from roughly 3,900 to 7,800 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 041?
- Approximately 90% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM, Private (valley bottoms, mining parcels, I-80/railroad checkerboard on east edge). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 041?
- Pronghorn, Mule Deer. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Nevada agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 041 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.