Unit 079 Unit 079
Toano Range high desert between Wells and Wendover — quiet mule deer, elk, and a few pronghorn
Northeastern Nevada — Elko County · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
234
sq mi
Public land
56.7%
approx.
Elevation
4,600–8,037
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Unit 079 sits in the eastern half of the Area 7 unit group, the dry Toano Range and its flanking sage basins between Wells and West Wendover near the Utah line. It carries modest but genuine populations of mule deer, elk, and pronghorn under low hunting pressure. Expect scattered, water-limited country where covering ground and glassing pays off — the late fall migration is when mature bucks show up.
Terrain
Rolling sagebrush flats and benches climbing to the steep, dry spine of the Toano Range. It hunts as a glassing unit — pick apart basins and finger ridges from vantage points, then close on bedded animals. Water is scarce and mostly concentrated at higher elevations, so both game and hunters key on it.
Cover: Sagebrush-steppe and greasewood on the flats, piñon-juniper on the mid-slopes, with mountain mahogany and small aspen pockets near the crest.
Landmarks: Toano Range · Goshute Valley · Silver Zone Pass · Pequop Summit (I-80 corridor) · Utah state line
Access
Mostly BLM ground, but the historic Central Pacific railroad land grant left a checkerboard of private (odd-numbered) sections along the I-80 and Goshute Valley corridor — confirm section ownership before crossing. Access is by graded and two-track roads off I-80 exits; interior water and services are effectively nonexistent.
Managers: BLM Elko District, Private (Central Pacific railroad checkerboard)
Access points: I-80 (Oasis, Shafter, Silver Zone Pass exits) · Toano Range two-tracks · US-93 corridor to the west
Species notes
Pronghorn
common qualityA small tag allocation with strong success (roughly 74% over five years). Antelope hold in the open sage basins flanking the Toano Range.
- →Glass the low sage flats of Goshute Valley at first light for bachelor bucks
- →Use a spotting scope to judge horn mass from a distance before committing to a stalk
- →Set up near the few reliable water sources during warm early seasons
Mule Deer
common opportunityA fair resident herd that swells with migrating deer in late fall. Success has run around 53%. Chances at a mature buck improve markedly on the late seasons.
- →Hunt the late rifle/archery window when deer push down and concentrate
- →Work the piñon-juniper edges and mahogany benches of the Toano Range
- →Focus on north-facing slopes and drainage heads holding residual water and cover
Rocky Mountain Elk
limited opportunityScattered elk use the Toano Range benches; success has averaged near 61% on a modest tag number. Not a numbers unit, but a real bull opportunity for the patient hunter.
- →Locate bulls by glassing high benches and burns at dawn and dusk
- →Check for tracks and sign at the limited high-elevation water
- →Be ready to hike well off the roads — pressure is light but so are elk densities
Pro tips
- →Treat 079 as an eastern extension of the Area 7 elk range — the Toano Range is the one true mountain, so time spent glassing it beats road-hunting the flats
- →Water dictates everything early season; find the few springs and stock tanks and hunt them
- →Save your best effort for the late migration when both bucks and elk drop out of the high country
- →Download offline maps and pre-mark private checkerboard sections — ownership flips section to section near the railroad corridor
- →Judge from a distance: open country means animals see you first, so glass long and stalk deliberately
Watch out for
- !Checkerboard private inholdings along the I-80/railroad corridor — trespass risk if you cross sections blind
- !Very limited water; plan hydration and know your sources
- !Interior roads become impassable when wet — snow and mud can strand a truck far from help
- !No cell service off the interstate; carry a satellite communicator
Logistics
No services inside the unit — fuel, lodging, and groceries in West Wendover or Wells, both on I-80. Camping is dispersed on BLM land; bring all your water. Cell coverage is spotty to nonexistent off the interstate. Access is straightforward from I-80, but interior roads turn greasy after rain or snow — carry recovery gear.
Nearest towns: West Wendover, Wells, Oasis, Montello
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Nevada sources:
Research sources: NDOW Hunt Unit Boundaries · NDOW Elk Unit Group 076/077/079/081 boundary map · GoHunt Nevada Unit 079 Profile (secondary cross-check)
FAQ
- How big is Unit 079 in Nevada?
- Unit 079 (Unit 079) covers about 234 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,600 to 8,037 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 079?
- Approximately 56.7% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM Elko District, Private (Central Pacific railroad checkerboard). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 079?
- Pronghorn, Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Nevada agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 079 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.