Unit 108 Unit 108
Arid Newark Valley transition country: antelope on the flats, scattered deer, and a trickle of White Pine Range elk.
East-Central Nevada — southern Elko / western White Pine County (Newark Valley area) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
679
sq mi
Public land
92%
approx.
Elevation
5,900–10,000
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
Unit 108 wraps the broad, sagebrush-and-pinyon country around Newark Valley on the southern Elko / western White Pine County line, north of Eureka and west of Ely. It is one of the group's outlying units — primarily transition and winter range with small resident herds rather than a high-density mountain unit. Antelope are the standout on the open valley (about 73% five-year success on limited draw), deer hunting is a lower-density opportunity in the pinyon-juniper, and a few elk spill up from the White Pine Range herd into the unit's south end. Access is excellent, with extensive roads and very few private-land headaches.
Terrain
Classic Great Basin basin-and-range: the wide sagebrush floor of Newark Valley flanked by the eastern Diamond Mountains, the western Butte Mountains, and the northern White Pine/Egan Range front. Deer and elk hold to the timbered slopes and canyon heads while antelope work the open valley. As the season wears on, game drifts away from roads into the folds a canyon back from vehicle access.
Cover: Big sagebrush and greasewood on the valley floor grading into dense pinyon-juniper on the lower and mid slopes, with pockets of mountain mahogany, aspen and mixed conifer near the range crests. Heavier tree cover than the northern Ruby units — glass the openings and edges.
Landmarks: Newark Valley · Diamond Mountains (eastern flank) · Butte Mountains (western flank) · White Pine Range / Egan Range front (south) · Little Antelope Summit (US 50, south edge) · U.S. Highway 50 (Eureka–Ely corridor)
Access
NDOW rates access here as excellent, with an extensive road and jeep-trail network and very few private-land issues. The BLM Ely District administers the valleys and most of the unit; the Humboldt-Toiyabe (Ely Ranger District) covers the higher timbered ground. Off-road-capable and high-clearance vehicles help reach the two-track country, and 4WD is worth having when fall snow or mud hits. Water is limited across this arid unit — natural springs and wildlife water developments are key.
Managers: BLM, USFS Humboldt-Toiyabe NF (Ely Ranger District)
Access points: U.S. Highway 50 (Little Antelope Summit / Newark Valley access) · Newark Valley Road and BLM two-tracks off US 50 · Diamond Mountains and Butte Mountains foothill roads
Species notes
Pronghorn
common qualityAntelope are the unit's best bet, posting roughly 73% five-year success on the open sagebrush of Newark Valley. Tags are limited draw, so a located buck is usually worth the stalk.
- →Glass the open Newark Valley flats and benches from vantage points at first and last light.
- →Key on water — springs and wildlife guzzlers — during warm early seasons in this arid unit.
- →Use swales and terrain folds to close the distance across open country on a spotted buck.
- →Cover ground by vehicle to locate bands, then plan a foot stalk on the best buck.
Mule Deer
common opportunityUnit 108 is a transition/winter-range unit with a modest resident deer herd; five-year success (~35%) reflects lower densities and heavy tree cover more than a lack of country. It fills in and hunts best when weather pushes deer down out of the higher neighboring units.
- →Hunt the pinyon-juniper edges and openings on the Diamond and Butte Mountain slopes at dawn and dusk.
- →Get off the roads — bucks push to security cover a canyon back from vehicle access as pressure builds.
- →Watch the late seasons and early storms, which move migratory deer down onto the unit's winter range.
- →Glass the mahogany and timber shadows patiently; bedded bucks blend into the cover.
Rocky Mountain Elk
limited qualityElk are a limited but real opportunity concentrated in the unit's south end, where animals spill up from the productive White Pine Range (Unit 131) herd. Harvest is small but five-year success is solid (~59%) on the few tags.
- →Focus the south portion of the unit near the White Pine/Egan Range front and Little Antelope Summit.
- →Locate bulls in the higher timbered elevations during the September rut, then close with the wind.
- →After the rut, hunt thick mid-elevation tree cover where lone bulls hold, especially with snow.
- →Scout for the seasonal movement of elk out of Unit 131 into the unit's upper drainages.
Pro tips
- →Play the odds with antelope (~73%) on the open Newark Valley flats — it's the unit's strongest hunt.
- →Treat 108 as transition/winter range: it hunts best when weather pushes game down out of the higher units.
- →In an arid unit like this, water is everything early — pattern springs and wildlife developments.
- →For the few elk, work the south end near the White Pine Range front where the 131 herd overlaps.
- →Get out of sight of the roads; deer and elk fold back a canyon at the first pressure.
- →Wild-horse overuse hits some ranges hard — hunt the slopes that still hold good feed and cover.
Watch out for
- !Arid unit with limited water — plan your own supply and know where reliable sources sit.
- !Lower deer densities and heavy pinyon-juniper mean this is not a high-success deer unit; set expectations.
- !Fall snow and mud can make the two-track and foothill roads treacherous; carry 4WD and recovery gear.
- !Cell service is minimal away from US 50 — use offline navigation.
- !Verify the exact south boundary near the White Pine Range, as elk hunts are subunit-specific.
Logistics
Eureka (west, on US 50) and Ely (east) both offer fuel, groceries, lodging and RV parks; Elko to the north is the full-service regional hub. Dispersed camping is readily available across the BLM and Forest Service ground throughout the unit — there are no developed campgrounds inside 108 itself. Carry water; this is arid country with limited reliable sources. Cell coverage is spotty to nonexistent off the US 50 corridor, so bring offline and paper maps.
Nearest towns: Eureka, Ely, Elko
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Nevada sources:
Research sources: NDOW Mule Deer Unit Group 101-109 Hunt Information Sheet (Units 108-109 excellent access, transition/winter range, small resident herds, heavier tree cover, arid; towns of Eureka/Ely/Elko) · NDOW Elk Unit Group 131-132 / south portion of 108 Hunt Information Sheet (elk spill from White Pine Range herd, BLM Ely District valleys, Humboldt-Toiyabe Ely Ranger District, dispersed camping) · NDOW pronghorn / regional references — Newark Valley antelope habitat; Units 104/108/121 associated with Butte/Diamond/White Pine range front, southern Elko / western White Pine County
FAQ
- How big is Unit 108 in Nevada?
- Unit 108 (Unit 108) covers about 679 square miles, ranging from roughly 5,900 to 10,000 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 108?
- Approximately 92% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM, USFS Humboldt-Toiyabe NF (Ely Ranger District). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 108?
- 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 108 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.