Unit 156 Unit 156
Reese River Valley pronghorn country under the Shoshone Range
Central Nevada — Lander County · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
582
sq mi
Public land
94%
approx.
Elevation
5,200–10,300
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Unit 156 sits in the Reese River Valley of central Lander County, with the Shoshone Range rising along its eastern flank and NV-305 running the valley floor south from Battle Mountain toward US-50 and Austin. It is a pronghorn-first unit — antelope are the clear headline, with recent draw hunters filling roughly seven of ten tags across the valley flats and irrigated bottoms. Mule deer are on the tag list but genuinely thin: NDOW rates unit 156 as typically unproductive for deer because densities are extremely low, so treat a deer tag here as an opportunity hunt, not a numbers game.
Terrain
Broad, open Reese River Valley floor and toe-slopes climbing east into the sagebrush-and-mahogany benches of the Shoshone Range. Antelope live on the valley flats, alluvial fans, and around the irrigated agricultural fields; the few deer hold in the higher canyons and brush pockets of the range.
Cover: Wyoming big sagebrush and greasewood/shadscale on the valley floor, bitterbrush and low sage on the benches, pinyon-juniper woodland on the mid-slopes, with mountain mahogany, aspen pockets, and small meadows near springs up high. Irrigated hay and grain fields line the Reese River bottom.
Landmarks: Shoshone Range · Reese River Valley · North Shoshone Peak · NV-305 (Reese River Road) · US Highway 50 · agricultural fields along the 153/156 line
Access
Overwhelmingly public BLM and Forest Service ground reached by several well-maintained dirt roads off NV-305, NV-306, and US-50. Four-wheel drive helps when the dirt turns wet, and high-clearance/4WD is needed on the side roads climbing into the Shoshone Range. The catch on this unit is that most antelope congregate on the private irrigated agricultural fields in the valley bottom — it is the hunter's responsibility to determine ownership and get permission before hunting those fields.
Managers: BLM, USFS Humboldt-Toiyabe NF
Access points: NV-305 (Reese River Road from Battle Mountain) · US Highway 50 · NV-306 · Shoshone Range side roads
Species notes
Pronghorn
common qualityThe marquee species and a strong central-Nevada antelope unit — recent draw success has run around 72%. Pronghorn concentrate in the valley bottom, especially on and around the irrigated agricultural fields near the 153/156 junction, and on the open toe-slopes of the range.
- →Start by mapping water — springs, stock tanks, and the Reese River bottom; in dry early seasons antelope pattern tightly to reliable water.
- →Glass the open valley flats and alluvial fans at first and last light, then use swales and low rims to close on a bedded buck.
- →Locate the private ag fields ahead of time and secure permission — a lot of the animals live on them, and knowing the ownership map is half the hunt.
- →Judge bucks from long range on a tripod; mass and prong length matter more than raw height.
Mule Deer
limited opportunityDeer are present but at very low density — NDOW considers unit 156 typically unproductive for mule deer. Success is entirely a function of time spent glassing the higher Shoshone Range, not deer numbers.
- →If you carry a deer tag, hunt the upper canyons and mahogany benches of the Shoshone Range rather than the valley.
- →Grind glass over brush pockets and meadow edges at dawn; expect to see very few deer and be ready to sit and cover ground with optics.
- →Early season, key on the scarce high-country water; deer spread out onto the benches as fall cools.
Pro tips
- →This is an antelope unit first and last — build the trip around the pronghorn and treat a deer tag as a bonus.
- →Nail down land ownership on the Reese River ag fields before opening morning; permission unlocks the best antelope ground.
- →Scout water sources for an early hunt — antelope concentrate hard near reliable springs and tanks in dry years.
- →Set up long-range glassing on the valley toe-slopes at dawn and dusk and cover country with optics before moving.
- →Stage fuel, food, and water in Battle Mountain or Austin; there are no services once you leave pavement.
Watch out for
- !Most antelope hold on private irrigated fields — trespass is the single biggest pitfall here; verify ownership and get permission.
- !Mule deer density is genuinely very low; don't count on a deer tag producing.
- !Limited to no cell service across the valley — a breakdown far from pavement is serious without a satellite communicator.
- !Wet dirt roads get slick and early snow can close Shoshone Range side roads.
- !Confirm fire and dispersed-camping restrictions with the BLM Battle Mountain District before you go.
Logistics
Plan to be largely self-contained. Battle Mountain (north) and Austin (south on US-50) provide gas, food, and lodging, and Battle Mountain has a small hospital. The BLM runs a developed campground at Mill Creek about 20 miles south of Battle Mountain, and the USFS has a fee campground at Bob Scott Summit on US-50 about six miles east of Austin; dispersed camping is allowed throughout the public-land portions of the unit. Cell service is limited to absent across much of the valley — carry a satellite messenger and haul your own water.
Nearest towns: Battle Mountain, NV, Austin, NV, Kingston, NV
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Nevada sources:
Research sources: NDOW Mule Deer Hunt Info Sheet — Units 151-156 · NDOW Antelope Hunt Info Sheet — Units 141, 143, 151-156 · NDOW Hunt Information Sheets · GoHunt Nevada Unit 156 Profile (secondary cross-check)
FAQ
- How big is Unit 156 in Nevada?
- Unit 156 (Unit 156) covers about 582 square miles, ranging from roughly 5,200 to 10,300 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 156?
- Approximately 94% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM, USFS Humboldt-Toiyabe NF. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 156?
- Pronghorn, 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 156 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.