Unit 161 Unit 161
The Toquima Range and Mount Jefferson high country
Central Nevada — Nye County · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
1,450
sq mi
Public land
97%
approx.
Elevation
5,800–11,941
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Unit 161 covers the Toquima Range in northern Nye County, crowned by 11,941-foot Mount Jefferson and the Alta Toquima Wilderness, between Big Smoky Valley on the west and Monitor Valley on the east. It is one of central Nevada's better mule deer units — Area 16 holds the region's largest herds and highest deer harvest — and it also carries a coveted once-in-a-lifetime desert bighorn tag, scattered antelope in the valleys, and a few elk. Bordered by US-50 to the north and US-6 to the south, this is remote, high, physical country where success rewards backcountry-capable hunters willing to glass hard away from the roads.
Terrain
A steep, tall range core — the Toquimas and Mount Jefferson's broad alpine plateau — dropping through pinyon-juniper foothills to the open sage floors of Big Smoky, Monitor, and Ralston valleys. Deer live in the high mountain-brush and meadow country above the pinyon belt; bighorns hold the rugged high terrain; antelope work the valley bottoms.
Cover: Big sagebrush and low sage steppe on the valley floors and benches, a dense pinyon-juniper belt on the mid-slopes, and a high mosaic of mountain brush, meadows, aspen and pine pockets, and mountain mahogany above roughly 8,000 feet, with alpine tundra on the Mount Jefferson plateau.
Landmarks: Toquima Range · Mount Jefferson (Alta Toquima Wilderness) · Monitor Valley · Big Smoky Valley · Ralston Valley · Pine Creek · Pasco Canyon · Moores Creek · US Highway 50 · US Highway 6
Access
Almost entirely public — Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest across the range and BLM in the valleys, with limited private parcels in the desert valley bottoms. US-50 borders the north and US-6 the south, and major graded roads parallel the mountains north-to-south. Off-road travel is restricted or prohibited in the Alta Toquima (Mount Jefferson) Wilderness, where motorized and mechanized transport — including wheeled game carriers — is not allowed. Hiking trails into the Mount Jefferson high country leave from near the south summit, Pine Creek, Pasco Canyon, and Moores Creek.
Managers: USFS Humboldt-Toiyabe NF, BLM
Access points: US Highway 50 · US Highway 6 · Monitor Valley road · Big Smoky Valley road · Pine Creek trailhead · Pasco Canyon · Moores Creek
Species notes
Mule Deer
common qualityOne of Area 16's core deer units, with some of the region's largest herds and highest harvest — though hunter numbers run higher here too. The best hunting is in the high country above the dense pinyon-juniper belt, roughly 8,000 to 10,000 feet, around Mount Jefferson.
- →Get above the pinyon belt and glass the open mountain brush, meadows, and aspen/mahogany pockets — the deer live in that 8,000-10,000-foot band.
- →Be patient behind glass: it's common for one hunter to see many deer and another in the same basin to see none. Move less, glass more.
- →Hunt away from the roads — significantly more and better bucks are found where vehicles can't go.
- →Early season, work the higher elevations near water; once measurable snow hits, many deer begin migrating out toward unit 163.
Bighorn Sheep
limited trophyA premium, once-in-a-lifetime desert bighorn tag — a very small number of permits with historically high success. Sheep hold the rugged high terrain of the Toquima Range.
- →If you draw, scout extensively and glass the steepest, most broken high country the range offers.
- →Plan a physical, multi-day backcountry effort and hunt with quality long-range optics.
- →Coordinate with the NDOW area biologist for recent ram locations and water sources before the season.
Pronghorn
limited opportunityAntelope occur in small, scattered groups in the valleys, mainly Ralston and Monitor valleys and the fringes of Big Smoky Valley. Recent draw success has been strong (around 71%) on a small quota.
- →Concentrate on the valley bottoms and toe-slopes — Ralston and Monitor valleys are the primary antelope ground.
- →In August, key on water sources; antelope tie closely to springs and developments, more so in drought years.
- →The east side of Big Smoky Valley holds animals but has more private land — check ownership before hunting there.
Rocky Mountain Elk
limited opportunityElk are present but at low density in unit 161 — the bulk of Area 16's elk live over in the Monitor Range in unit 162. Expect a few animals and difficult glassing.
- →Look for bulls in the higher Shoshone Mountain/Spanish Peak area of the Toquima Range and the Six Mile to Fandango country at certain times of year.
- →Lone bulls and bachelor groups tuck into canyons and can be hard to locate — scout ahead and be mobile.
- →During the rut, hunt toward cow-calf groups; after the rut, bulls pull back into rugged terrain away from roads.
Pro tips
- →This is a get-above-the-pinyon, glass-hard deer unit — the bucks live in the 8,000-10,000-foot brush and meadow band, not the roads.
- →Patience behind glass is the whole game here; plan to sit and pick apart basins rather than cover miles by truck.
- →If you drew the bighorn tag, treat it as the trip of a lifetime — scout early and hunt the steepest country.
- →Watch the weather: a hard snow can pull deer out of the unit toward 163 mid-season.
- →The Alta Toquima Wilderness is foot/horse only — plan pack-out logistics before you shoot something deep.
Watch out for
- !Alta Toquima (Mount Jefferson) Wilderness prohibits motorized and mechanized transport, including wheeled game carriers — plan a foot or horse pack-out.
- !Remote, high terrain with unreliable cell service — a mechanical or medical issue is serious without a satellite communicator.
- !Deer migrate out toward unit 163 after early snow — a late hunt can find the mountain emptied out.
- !Scattered private parcels in the desert valleys, especially the east side of Big Smoky Valley — verify ownership.
- !Early snow and storms can close upper roads and trailheads with little warning.
Logistics
Central Nevada is very remote — hunt areas can be many miles from services. Full services (gas, food, lodging) are only in Austin, Carvers/Round Mountain, and Tonopah. Expect primitive dispersed camping with few developed campsites and some developed trailhead facilities. Cell service is unreliable to absent; carry a satellite messenger, extra fuel and water, and recovery gear. The Alta Toquima Wilderness requires foot or horse travel and real backcountry experience.
Nearest towns: Austin, NV, Carvers, NV, Round Mountain, NV, Tonopah, 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 161-164 · NDOW Elk Hunt Info Sheet — Units 161-164, 171-173 · NDOW Antelope Hunt Info Sheet — Units 161-162 · GoHunt Nevada Unit 161 Profile (secondary cross-check)
FAQ
- How big is Unit 161 in Nevada?
- Unit 161 (Unit 161) covers about 1,450 square miles, ranging from roughly 5,800 to 11,941 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 161?
- Approximately 97% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Humboldt-Toiyabe NF, BLM. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 161?
- Mule Deer, Bighorn Sheep, Pronghorn, 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 161 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.