Unit 044 Unit 044
Sonoma Range and East Range pronghorn ground with a sleeper desert bighorn tag
North-Central Nevada — Pershing & Humboldt Counties · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
995
sq mi
Public land
64%
approx.
Elevation
5,000–7,500
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Unit 044 straddles the East Range, Sonoma Range and Granite Mountain just southeast of Winnemucca, wrapped by I-80 on the north and the big sagebrush basins of Buena Vista, Grass and Pleasant valleys. It is first and foremost a pronghorn unit — the valley flats produce consistent, high-success antelope hunting — with a modest but real mule deer herd in the higher timbered pockets and a small, coveted desert bighorn population on the steep East Range and Granite Mountain faces. Expect open-country glassing, water-source hunting, and honest opportunity rather than a trophy factory.
Terrain
Mixed relief: steep, broken rock on the East Range and Granite Mountain, transitioning to flat-to-rolling valley floor across Buena Vista, Dun Glen Flat, Grass and Pleasant valleys. The mountains hunt vertical and hikey; the basins hunt as classic open-country spot-and-stalk.
Cover: Wyoming big sagebrush and greasewood-shadscale flats across the valleys, giving way to bitterbrush and scattered pinyon-juniper on the mid-slopes and a thin mountain-mahogany fringe up high.
Landmarks: East Range · Sonoma Range · Granite Mountain · Buena Vista Valley · Dun Glen Flat · Grass Valley · Pleasant Valley · McKinney Pass Road · Interstate 80
Access
Southern half is predominantly BLM, especially the west side; the northern valleys (Buena Vista and Grass valleys) are heavily checkerboarded with private ranch land and agricultural bottoms, so confirm ownership before crossing fences. Buena Vista Valley Road / SR 400 form the west boundary and I-80 the north; McKinney Pass Road cuts the south.
Managers: BLM Winnemucca District, Private ranchland
Access points: State Route 400 / Buena Vista Valley Road · Grass Valley-Pleasant Valley Road · McKinney Pass Road · I-80 frontage from Mill City and Imlay exits
Species notes
Pronghorn
common qualityThe unit's calling card — antelope run the valley flats and benches with strong, consistent five-year success near 74%. Herds are visible and huntable, and a drawn tag here is a high-odds harvest.
- →Glass the sage flats of Buena Vista, Grass and Pleasant valleys at first and last light
- →Sit or still-hunt near stock tanks and springs in warm weather
- →Use terrain rolls and washes to close the final stalk in open country
- →Respect the private ag bottoms — much of the best forage is fenced ranch land
Mule Deer
limited opportunityA modest resident deer herd holds in the higher bitterbrush and mahogany of the East Range and Granite Mountain. Success runs around 56% but tag numbers and deer density are lower than the marquee elk/deer units to the east — treat it as an opportunity hunt.
- →Hunt the timbered mid-slopes and canyon heads of the East Range at dawn
- →Glass mahogany pockets and bitterbrush benches above the sage line
- →Focus on north-facing draws holding cover and moisture
- →Be prepared to hike well off the roads for mature bucks
Bighorn Sheep
limited trophyA small desert bighorn herd inhabits the steep East Range and Granite Mountain escarpments. This is a once-in-a-lifetime-caliber premium tag with only a handful drawn and taken each year, but success on those tags is high (~71%).
- →Glass the roughest rimrock and bluffs on Granite Mountain and the East Range
- →Locate rams from long distance before committing to a stalk
- →Hunt near reliable water in early season
- →Plan for steep, technical foot access with quality optics
Pro tips
- →Treat 044 as a pronghorn-first unit — the valleys, not the peaks, produce the reliable success
- →Pin every stock tank and spring before the season; water dictates animal location in the dry early hunts
- →The north-end valleys are a private/BLM checkerboard — carry an ownership layer and glass from confirmed public before crossing
- →For deer and any sheep, plan for real vertical hiking on the East Range and Granite Mountain
- →Fuel and finalize supplies in Winnemucca; the south end has no services and poor cell coverage
Watch out for
- !Extensive private ranch and ag ground in Buena Vista and Grass valleys — do not assume valley access
- !Checkerboard BLM/private ownership makes boundaries genuinely confusing without GPS
- !No cell service and no water in the southern half; be self-sufficient
- !Early-storm mud and snow can strand vehicles on unimproved mountain roads
- !Only 64% public — lower than most rural NV units, so access planning matters here
Logistics
Winnemucca (I-80) is the hub for fuel, lodging, groceries and sporting goods, roughly seven miles northwest of the range. Imlay and Mill City offer basic fuel/services at the north end. Camping is dispersed on BLM throughout the south half. Cell service is limited to nonexistent in the southern basins and mountains — carry paper maps, extra water, food and at least one spare tire.
Nearest towns: Winnemucca, Imlay, Mill City, Lovelock
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Nevada sources:
Research sources: NDOW Hunt Unit Boundaries (unit 044 legal description) · NDOW 2023 Big Game Hunt Unit Map Insert · GoHunt Nevada Unit 044 Profile (terrain/ownership cross-check)
FAQ
- How big is Unit 044 in Nevada?
- Unit 044 (Unit 044) covers about 995 square miles, ranging from roughly 5,000 to 7,500 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 044?
- Approximately 64% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM Winnemucca District, Private ranchland. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 044?
- 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 044 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.