Unit 153 Unit 153
Fish Creek Mountains desert country: a strong pronghorn unit with a rare desert bighorn sleeper tag and modest desert deer.
Central Nevada — Lander/Pershing County (Fish Creek Mountains) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
583
sq mi
Public land
89%
approx.
Elevation
4,100–8,649
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Unit 153 wraps the Fish Creek Mountains and their bordering valleys in central Nevada, southwest of Battle Mountain — roughly 89% public BLM sagebrush country with pockets of pivot-irrigated farm ground in the northeast and southeast that pull game. Its bread and butter is pronghorn, which draw well and post strong success in the low-70s percent. A small desert bighorn population makes the rare sheep tag a genuine once-in-a-lifetime prize, and mule deer are present in the higher, broken terrain but hunt tougher (mid-40s percent). Expect open, self-reliant high-desert glassing.
Terrain
Basin-and-range: broad sage valleys and benches rising into the rugged, rocky Fish Creek Mountains. It hunts as long-range glassing country across the flats and benches for antelope, with steep, boots-heavy foot-hunts into the range interior for deer and sheep.
Cover: Big sagebrush, greasewood and rabbitbrush across the valleys and lower slopes, grading into bitterbrush, scattered mahogany and rocky ground higher in the range; irrigated alfalfa/hay circles on the valley floors draw wildlife.
Landmarks: Fish Creek Mountains · Reese River Valley (east) · Buffalo Valley (west) · Pleasant Valley · pivot-irrigated fields in the NE and SE corners
Access
Predominantly BLM public land administered by the Battle Mountain District, laced with dirt and gravel ranch and mining roads. The main private inholdings are the irrigated valley-floor ranches and farm circles — respect fences and posted ground and glass/hunt the surrounding public land. Interior range country is foot-access off the two-tracks.
Managers: BLM
Access points: Reese River Valley roads off SR 305 corridor · Buffalo Valley Road · BLM two-tracks into the Fish Creek Mountains
Species notes
Pronghorn
common qualityThe unit's headline hunt — pronghorn draw comparatively well and success runs in the low-70s percent. Antelope work the sage flats, benches and the edges of the irrigated valley ground.
- →Glass the broad sage basins and bench country from high points at first and last light.
- →Key on water and the green edges of pivot-irrigated fields — antelope orbit both in this dry country.
- →Locate a shooter buck with optics, then use terrain folds and washes to close rather than covering open ground blind.
- →Cover miles with the truck between glassing points to inventory bucks early in the season.
Bighorn Sheep
limited trophyThe Fish Creek Mountains hold a small desert bighorn herd, and the very limited tag is essentially a once-in-a-lifetime prize with near-certain success once drawn (a handful of rams taken with near-100% success).
- →Concentrate on the steepest, most broken rock and canyon rims of the Fish Creek Mountains where rams feed and escape.
- →Invest pre-season days glassing from vantage points to locate and pattern individual rams.
- →Plan a physical, remote foot-hunt far from help and water — go fully self-sufficient.
Mule Deer
limited opportunityA modest desert deer hunt — success sits in the mid-40s percent. Deer hold to the higher, broken terrain and spring pockets of the Fish Creek Mountains and the timbered draws.
- →Hunt the higher elevations, mahogany pockets and reliable water in the range interior.
- →Glass canyon heads and shaded north slopes at first and last light where bucks bed.
- →Hike well off the roads into the steep country — the better bucks live away from the valley-edge two-tracks.
Pro tips
- →This is an antelope unit first — it draws relatively well and success is strong, so treat pronghorn as the primary opportunity.
- →If you draw the desert bighorn tag, treat the Fish Creek Mountains as a genuine once-in-a-lifetime ram hunt and scout hard.
- →Work the pivot-irrigated field edges in the NE and SE — the green ground concentrates game in the dry country.
- →For deer, get into the higher, rocky range interior and hunt water and mahogany pockets.
- →Go self-sufficient on fuel, water and communication — services and cell are far apart.
Watch out for
- !Irrigated valley-floor ranches and farm circles are private — know the boundaries and stay on public land.
- !Limited to no cell service — a breakdown or injury far from the highway is a serious situation.
- !Dirt and gravel roads get slick and rutted when wet; carry recovery gear.
- !Active mining and ranch traffic use some of the roads — expect gates and haul routes.
- !Water is scarce and far apart — carry more than you think you need.
Logistics
Battle Mountain to the northeast (on I-80) is the full-service hub for lodging, groceries, fuel and gear; Austin to the south offers limited services and fuel. Camp dispersed on BLM ground — there are no interior services. Cell coverage is limited to nonexistent across the unit; carry offline and paper maps, extra fuel and water, and recovery gear. Access is via long dirt and gravel roads that turn greasy when wet.
Nearest towns: Battle Mountain, Austin
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Nevada sources:
Research sources: GOHUNT — Nevada Unit 153 Unit Profile (Fish Creek Mountains and bordering valleys, elevation 4,100–8,649 ft, ~89.3% public BLM, mule deer/pronghorn/small desert bighorn, pivot-irrigated fields NE and SE, limited cell) · NDOW Hunt Information Sheets (unit descriptions, access, recommended areas)
FAQ
- How big is Unit 153 in Nevada?
- Unit 153 (Unit 153) covers about 583 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,100 to 8,649 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 153?
- Approximately 89% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 153?
- Pronghorn, Bighorn Sheep, 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 153 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.