How big is Unit 075 in Nevada?

Unit 075 (Unit 075) covers about 846 square miles, ranging from roughly 5,700 to 8,760 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.

What species does the catalog list for Unit 075?

Mule Deer, Pronghorn, Rocky Mountain Elk, Moose. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Nevada agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.

Unit 075 Unit 075

The Snake Mountains: the deer engine of this cluster — good numbers, good roads, but a private-land puzzle.

Northeastern Nevada — Elko County · Last reviewed 2026-07-12

Mule deer buck trotting across open prairie at dusk

Area

846

sq mi

Public land

58%

approx.

Elevation

5,700–8,760

feet

Motorized

extensive

access

Overview

Unit 075 covers the Snake Mountains northeast of Elko, an ~846-square-mile range that is the standout mule deer unit of this group (about 53% five-year success and by far the most deer harvested of the neighboring units). Road access on public land is excellent, but this unit carries the most private ground of the cluster — roughly half the Snake Mountains is privately held — so access, not terrain, is the main challenge. Antelope hold on the open benches (~72% success) and a small but productive elk segment (~73% success) rounds out the mix, with the occasional stray Shiras moose. Sort out the land ownership and this is a genuinely good, accessible deer hunt.

Terrain

The Snake Mountains rise as a moderate, sagebrush-clad range with rolling foothills, brushy slopes and higher timbered and aspen pockets near the crest (~8,760 ft). It hunts as a mix of glassable open slopes low down and pockets of cover up high where mature deer hold.

Cover: Big sagebrush and bitterbrush dominate the slopes and foothills, grading into mountain mahogany, aspen stands and scattered conifer near the higher ridges, with willow and grass in the creek bottoms. The brush-and-aspen mosaic is classic mule deer habitat.

Landmarks: Snake Mountains (main range) · Marys River / Bishop Creek drainages · Higher timbered crest of the Snake Mountains · Open benches on the flanks

Access

About 58% public — the lowest of this cluster — with roughly half the Snake Mountains in private hands. Road access is excellent on the public ground, but the checkerboard of private parcels is the real hurdle: map ownership carefully and confirm legal routes to public land before you go. BLM and Forest ground carry a good network of dirt and gravel roads once you're on it.

Managers: BLM, Private (roughly half the Snake Mountains), USFS Humboldt-Toiyabe NF (higher ground)

Access points: BLM/Forest dirt-road network on public portions of the Snake Mountains · Marys River-area access roads · Two-tracks off the main range roads (verify they don't cross private)

Species notes

Mule Deer

common quality

Mule deer are the headline here — the Snake Mountains produce far more harvested deer than the neighboring units (about 53% five-year success), thanks to prime sagebrush-and-aspen habitat. Good numbers of bucks and real quality potential for hunters who solve the access.

→Glass the brushy slopes, aspen edges and mahogany pockets morning and evening from the range's flanks.
→Push into the higher timbered and aspen crest where mature bucks hold security cover.
→Hunt later in the season if you hold that tag — cooler weather and the pre-rut move the biggest bucks.
→Focus effort on public pockets with legal access; the best deer ground can be a private-land maze.

Pronghorn

common quality

Antelope hold on the open benches and flats around the range (about 72% five-year success), with good buck quality on the productive sagebrush ground.

→Glass the open benches and flats from high points at first and last light.
→Key on water and green forb pockets during warm early seasons.
→Use terrain folds to close the distance rather than pushing across open ground.
→Verify you're on public or accessible ground before setting up a stalk near ranch parcels.

Rocky Mountain Elk

limited quality

Elk are a small but productive segment here, with about 73% five-year success — the best elk success of this cluster, though on few tags. Bulls use the higher timber and aspen; a tag is a real opportunity.

→Hunt the higher aspen stands and timbered crest where bulls hold and bugle during the rut.
→Locate bugling bulls at dawn and dusk, then slip in on wind through the aspen.
→Work water and wallows in the high country during warm early archery seasons.
→Get away from road corridors once pressure builds — bulls push into the quietest heads of the drainages.

Moose

transient low

Nevada's small, expanding Shiras moose herd occasionally turns up in this corner of Elko County; a rare tag has produced a bull. It's an incidental novelty, not a target species.

→Check willow-choked creek bottoms and riparian pockets where a stray bull might feed.
→Don't build a trip around moose — hunt the deer, antelope and elk.

Pro tips

→This is the deer unit of the cluster — the Snake Mountains out-produce the neighbors, so prioritize a mule deer tag here.
→Solve access first: half the range is private, so map ownership and confirm legal routes before the hunt.
→For big bucks, hunt the higher timbered/aspen crest and go late-season when the rut pulls them into the open.
→The small elk segment has the best success of this cluster — a tag here is worth serious effort in the high aspen.
→Base out of Elko or Wells on I-80 and day-hunt the accessible public pockets.
→Watch cell coverage in the southern half — carry offline maps and a paper backup.

Watch out for

!Roughly half the Snake Mountains is private — access, not terrain, is the primary challenge; verify ownership and legal routes.
!Checkerboard private parcels can block routes to otherwise-open public ground.
!Cell coverage is limited in the southern half of the unit; navigate with offline maps.
!Dirt/gravel roads turn slick after rain or early snow.
!Elk tags are few — treat the strong success rate as opportunity on a limited draw, not a guarantee.

Logistics

Elko (southwest, on I-80) and Wells (southeast, on I-80) bracket the unit and provide fuel, lodging, groceries and gear, with Elko the full-service hub and regional airport. Dispersed camping is easy on the public BLM and Forest ground. Cell service is decent near the I-80 towns but drops off in the southern half of the unit — download offline maps and carry a paper backup. Roads are good dirt and gravel on public land; carry recovery gear for wet weather.

Nearest towns: Elko, Wells, Deeth, Halleck

Nearby units

Unit 107 · Unit 107 Unit 101 · Unit 101 Unit 072 · Unit 072 Unit 074 · Unit 074

Seasons & regulations

This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Nevada sources:

Research sources: GOHUNT — Nevada Unit 075 Unit Profile (~845 sq mi, elevation 5,700–8,760 ft, 57.8% public, Snake Mountains, ~half private, excellent public-land road access, limited cell in southern half) · NDOW Hunt Unit Boundaries and Big Game Season Structure (unit 075 Snake Mountains, Elko County; antelope unit group 072/074/075) · NDOW Hunt Information Sheets (unit descriptions, access, recommended areas)

FAQ

How big is Unit 075 in Nevada?: Unit 075 (Unit 075) covers about 846 square miles, ranging from roughly 5,700 to 8,760 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
How much public land is in Unit 075?: Approximately 58% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM, Private (roughly half the Snake Mountains), USFS Humboldt-Toiyabe NF (higher ground). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
What species does the catalog list for Unit 075?: Mule Deer, Pronghorn, Rocky Mountain Elk, Moose. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Nevada agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.

Put Unit 075 on your map.

Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.

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