Unit 164 Unit 164
Isolated Pancake Range desert on the edge of Railroad Valley — low-pressure and wide open
Central-Eastern Nevada — Nye / White Pine County (Management Area 16) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
1,214
sq mi
Public land
98%
approx.
Elevation
4,600–8,800
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Unit 164 sits on the eastern flank of Management Area 16, built around the Pancake Range and the Duckwater Hills between Railroad and Duckwater valleys in remote Nye and southern White Pine counties. It is described by hunters and biologists as an extremely isolated, nearly all-public desert unit with modest deer densities and small draw tags. Expect solitude, big country and a genuine do-it-yourself hunt rather than a numbers game.
Terrain
Broad sagebrush basins (Railroad Valley to the south, Duckwater Valley to the northeast) rising into the low, rolling Pancake Range and Duckwater Hills. Relief is gentler than the tall central ranges; the best deer sit above the pinyon-juniper belt where the country opens up.
Cover: Predominantly desert brush and big sagebrush on the flats, with pockets of dense pinyon and juniper on the slopes and scattered mountain mahogany and mountain brush at the higher elevations.
Landmarks: Pancake Range · Duckwater Hills · Railroad Valley · Duckwater Valley · Little Smoky Valley
Access
Almost entirely public BLM. US Highway 6 runs along the south and US Highway 50 to the north, with graded valley and BLM roads reaching the range. The larger private tracts are the irrigated ranch and tribal ground in Duckwater and Railroad valleys; hunters can generally get through or around them, and most other inholdings are minor. No wilderness in the unit.
Managers: BLM Battle Mountain / Tonopah, USFS Humboldt-Toiyabe NF (fringe)
Access points: US Highway 6 (south) · US Highway 50 (north) · Railroad Valley roads · Currant / Duckwater area roads
Species notes
Mule Deer
common opportunityModerate deer densities spread thin across a lot of country; success runs in the high-30s percent. Not a trophy destination, but low pressure and a legitimate chance at a mature buck for the hunter willing to walk.
- →Get above the pinyon-juniper belt and glass the open mahogany and mountain-brush stringers of the Pancake Range
- →Hunt water in the early, dry hunts — deer tie to the few reliable springs
- →Cover ground and move slowly; deer are scattered, so glassing volume matters
- →Work the range edges away from valley roads where pressure concentrates
Pronghorn
limited qualityA small, coveted antelope tag with high success (~80%) in the open Railroad and Duckwater valley country. Few permits, good buck quality.
- →Glass the sage flats and low benches at first and last light
- →Use subtle terrain to close distance on located bucks
- →Focus on water and green feed in dry years
Bighorn Sheep
limited trophyA premium once-in-a-lifetime desert bighorn tag with only a permit or two — historically high success given how few animals and hunters are involved. Sheep hold in the rougher rimrock of the range.
- →Spend days behind good optics glassing cliff bands and canyon rims
- →Pre-season scouting is essential in this featureless-looking but rugged country
- →Coordinate with the NDOW biologist on recent ram locations
Pro tips
- →Treat water as the key to the whole hunt in early seasons — inventory the springs before opening day
- →This is a glassing unit in gentle terrain; miles of optics work beat still-hunting the brush
- →Push away from the Railroad and Duckwater valley roads to find undisturbed deer
- →Respect the private ranch and tribal ground around Duckwater — know your boundaries and access routes
- →Fuel and food are far apart; stage out of Eureka, Ely or Tonopah and top off everything
Watch out for
- !Extreme isolation — self-rescue may not be possible; carry a satellite messenger and leave an itinerary
- !Private irrigated ranchland and Duckwater tribal lands in the valleys — confirm boundaries and don't trespass
- !Very limited water; dry years can leave large areas of the unit essentially deerless
- !Long dirt roads become impassable mud after rain or snow
Logistics
One of the more isolated units in the state — plan to be self-sufficient. There are essentially no services inside the unit; fuel and supplies come from Eureka, Ely, Tonopah or the small stop at Currant, all a long drive off. Camping is primitive and dispersed with few or no developed sites, cell service is effectively nonexistent, and roads are dirt. Bring extra fuel, water, tires and recovery gear.
Nearest towns: Currant, Duckwater, Eureka, Ely, Tonopah
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 161, 162, 163, 164 Hunt Information Sheet · NDOW 2023 Big Game Hunt Unit Map · GoHunt Nevada Unit 164 profile (Pancake Range, 98.7% public, 4,600-8,800 ft cross-check)
FAQ
- How big is Unit 164 in Nevada?
- Unit 164 (Unit 164) covers about 1,214 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,600 to 8,800 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 164?
- Approximately 98% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM Battle Mountain / Tonopah, USFS Humboldt-Toiyabe NF (fringe). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 164?
- Mule Deer, Pronghorn, Bighorn Sheep. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Nevada agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 164 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.