Unit 172 Unit 172
Quiet Shoshone Range deer country with high-percentage pronghorn and a toehold elk herd — the low-crowd alternative to neighboring 173.
Central Nevada — Nye/Lander County (Shoshone Mountains / Ione Valley) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
599
sq mi
Public land
97%
approx.
Elevation
6,000–10,000
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Unit 172 straddles the Nye–Lander county line in central Nevada, built around the Shoshone Mountains and the sagebrush basins of Ione, Smith Creek and Reese River valleys. It's almost entirely public — Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest on the peaks and BLM across the flats — with private ranch ground only on the valley floors. Mule deer are the main draw (roughly 34% five-year success, honest mid-elevation hunting), pronghorn tags are few but cash a very high success rate (~91%) out on the open flats, and a small but growing elk herd spills over from Unit 173. Hunters come here to dodge the crowds that stack up in 173.
Terrain
Large sagebrush valleys climb into pinyon-juniper foothills and then into open sage basins and mahogany-lined ridges of the Shoshone Range. It hunts as classic Great Basin glassing-and-hiking country: cover ground with optics from the benches, then push into the aspen pockets and rock outcrops up high where bucks bed.
Cover: Big sagebrush and grass across the valley floors, a thick pinyon-juniper belt from roughly 6,000–7,500 feet, then open sage basins with aspen pockets along springs and drainages below ridges lined with mountain mahogany and rock outcroppings.
Landmarks: Shoshone Mountains · Ione Valley · Smith Creek Valley · Reese River Valley · Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park / Berlin · Cloverdale Summit · East Gate / Ione–East Gate Road
Access
Overwhelmingly public land — Forest Service on the Shoshone Range, BLM across the surrounding valleys — with scattered private ranch parcels on the valley floors that you should map and respect. Access is by graded dirt and gravel: the Ione Valley, Reese River Valley and East Gate roads ring the unit, with rough forest two-tracks climbing into the range. A high-clearance 4x4 (and an ATV/side-by-side for the spur roads) is the standard rig, and killing a deer up high means substantial foot travel.
Managers: BLM, USFS Humboldt-Toiyabe NF
Access points: Ione–East Gate / Cloverdale Ranch–Berlin Road · Reese River Valley–Indian Valley–Cloverdale Summit Road (east side) · Smith Creek–Ione Valley Road to Peterson Station (north) · US Highway 50 via Middlegate Station
Species notes
Mule Deer
common opportunityThe headline hunt. Mule deer success runs around 34% on a five-year basis — honest, mid-elevation Great Basin deer hunting on the Shoshone Range. Unit 172 supports good numbers and sees fewer hunters than neighboring 173, so it rewards effort and boot leather.
- →Glass the open sage basins and mahogany ridges above the pinyon-juniper belt at first and last light where bucks feed and bed.
- →Work the east side of the Shoshone Range — a good mix of mountain brush, meadows and aspen pockets holds the better deer.
- →Hunt the springs and aspen stringers up high; deer orbit water and shade in the dry early season.
- →Get off the two-tracks on foot — the older bucks live away from road disturbance in the broken high country.
Pronghorn
common qualityAntelope tags are few but the hunting is excellent when you draw — roughly 91% five-year success on the open flats of Ione, Smith Creek and Reese River valleys. A limited-draw opportunity that pays off for those who scout.
- →Glass the big sagebrush flats and low benches from high points morning and evening — pronghorn live by their eyes in this open country.
- →Key on water and green during warm early seasons; springs and stock tanks concentrate bucks.
- →Use swales, draws and terrain folds to close the distance rather than chasing across open ground.
- →Pre-season glassing to locate and pattern a buck is worth days in country this open.
Rocky Mountain Elk
limited opportunityA small but growing elk herd occupies the unit, spilling over from the stronger population in adjacent Unit 173. Tags are scarce and harvest is incidental, but numbers are trending up.
- →Focus on the higher timbered and aspen pockets of the Shoshone Range and the transition zones toward Unit 173.
- →Glass meadow edges and water sources at dawn and dusk, and listen for bugles in the early season.
- →Cover ground and be mobile — elk here are thin and localized, so finding sign is half the hunt.
Pro tips
- →This is the low-crowd play — hunters cluster in 173, so 172 offers more elbow room for similar country.
- →Hunt the east side of the Shoshone Range for the best mix of cover and deer.
- →Water is the master key in the dry early season — map springs, tanks and aspen seeps.
- →Draw a pronghorn tag and treat it seriously: ~91% success means the deer are the harder hunt here.
- →Respect the valley-floor private ranch parcels — confirm boundaries with a GPS land-status layer before you cross.
Watch out for
- !Scattered private ranch inholdings on the valley floors — know where public ends before you hunt.
- !No cell service across the interior; a breakdown far from a graded road is a serious problem — go self-sufficient.
- !Unmaintained dirt and forest roads become impassable after rain or early snow.
- !Fuel and water are far apart — carry more of both than you expect to need.
- !Pronghorn and elk tags are few — treat any draw as a rare opportunity.
Logistics
Austin (north) and Tonopah (south) are the nearest real towns for lodging, fuel, groceries and gear, with limited services at Round Mountain/Carvers to the east and Middlegate Station on US Highway 50. There are no services inside the unit — camp dispersed on BLM or Forest Service ground. Cell coverage is essentially nonexistent across the interior, so download offline maps, carry a paper map and a satellite communicator, and pack extra fuel, water and recovery gear.
Nearest towns: Austin, Tonopah, Round Mountain / Carvers, Middlegate Station
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Nevada sources:
Research sources: NDOW Mule Deer Hunt Information Sheet, Units 171-173 (Shoshone/Toiyabe ranges, unit boundaries, habitat, access, services in Austin/Tonopah/Middlegate) · GOHUNT — Nevada Unit 172 Unit Profile (~96.9% public, elevation 6,000–10,000 ft, Shoshone Mountains, USFS Humboldt-Toiyabe, growing elk, low-crowd vs 173)
FAQ
- How big is Unit 172 in Nevada?
- Unit 172 (Unit 172) covers about 599 square miles, ranging from roughly 6,000 to 10,000 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 172?
- Approximately 97% 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 172?
- Mule Deer, 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 172 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.