Unit 194 Unit 194
The North Carson Range above Reno-Carson City: a strong western-Nevada deer unit and one of the state's better black bear units.
Western Nevada — Carson City / Washoe County (NDOW North Carson Range, Units 194,196) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
368
sq mi
Public land
52%
approx.
Elevation
4,700–9,200
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Unit 194 makes up NDOW's North Carson Range, running along the eastern flank of the Carson Range from Peavine Mountain above Reno south past Carson City to Snow Valley Peak, on the Nevada side of the California line. It's a wildland-urban-interface unit — Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest and the Mount Rose Wilderness on the heights, private suburbs (Reno, Verdi, Caughlin Ranch, Carson City) filling the valleys and lower benches. Mule deer here are part of the interstate Loyalton-Truckee herd and post strong success (~75% five-year), and the unit is one of the better black bear units in Nevada (~34% success). The Pine Nut Mountains rise across the valley to the east.
Terrain
The steep, timbered eastern escarpment of the Carson Range rising abruptly above the Truckee Meadows and Carson/Washoe valleys, topping out on peaks like Snow Valley Peak (~9,200 ft) in the south and Peavine Mountain (~8,266 ft) in the north. It hunts as high meadows and riparian heads early, then mid-elevation mahogany benches (6,000-7,000 ft) as the season progresses.
Cover: Sagebrush and bitterbrush on the lower slopes, extensive mountain mahogany used by deer as thermal cover, Jeffrey pine and mixed conifer, aspen and riparian meadows in the drainages, and subalpine forest near the crest. Berry-bearing and mast shrubs plus riparian corridors support the strong bear numbers.
Landmarks: Carson Range (eastern escarpment) · Peavine Mountain (north end) · Snow Valley Peak (south end) · Mount Rose Wilderness · Bull Ranch Creek drainage (Peavine) · Hunter Creek / Hunter Canyon · Ash, Kings and Hobart canyons (above Carson City) · Mount Rose Highway (State Route 431)
Access
Roughly half public — Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest and the Mount Rose Wilderness on the heights, with the valleys and lower benches heavily private and suburban. Peavine Mountain is reached via Peavine Road off US-395 in Stead, plus roads in the Somersett area, Bull Creek Ranch Road in Verdi and Dog Valley Road out of Bordertown — but ongoing development is steadily erasing some of these. Unit 194's eastern flank is accessed via Hunter Creek Road out of Caughlin Ranch and Garson Road off the Boomtown/Verdi I-80 exit; the Ash, Kings and Hobart canyon roads climb in west of Carson City. Snow Valley Peak is reached via the non-motorized North Canyon Road out of Spooner Lake. Numerous developed hiking trails and walk-in access exist off SR-431. The Lake Tahoe Basin is closed to hunting, and shooting is prohibited within set distances of occupied buildings — a real constraint given the suburban interface.
Managers: USFS Humboldt-Toiyabe NF (Carson Ranger District), BLM, Private (Reno, Verdi, Carson City, Incline Village suburbs and ranches)
Access points: Peavine Road off US-395 (Stead) · Hunter Creek Road / Hunter Creek Trail (Caughlin Ranch) · Garson Road (Boomtown/Verdi I-80 exit) toward Mount Rose Wilderness · Ash, Kings and Hobart canyon roads (west of Carson City) · North Canyon Road from Spooner Lake (non-motorized) to Snow Valley Peak · Mount Rose Highway (SR-431) walk-in access and trailheads
Species notes
Mule Deer
abundant qualityA strong western-Nevada deer unit with roughly 75% five-year success. These deer are part of the interstate Loyalton-Truckee herd, cooperatively managed with California; California-summering deer filter onto Nevada winter range from mid-November, with the bulk arriving by mid-December, so late-season timing and the rut make a big difference.
- →Early archery/muzzleloader: hunt high-elevation meadows and riparian heads, especially Bull Ranch Creek on Peavine and the north Carson Range up to 8,000 ft.
- →By late muzzleloader and rifle, drop to the 6,000-7,000 ft contour along the eastern flank above the Truckee Meadows.
- →Glass the mountain-mahogany shadows relentlessly — deer use mahogany for thermal cover even late.
- →Hit Snow Valley Peak in the early seasons (via non-motorized North Canyon Road) for high-elevation opportunity; by November work the slopes above Carson City between Ash and Kings canyons.
- →Consider a mountain bike where vehicles are barred but roads remain — a tactic local hunters use here.
Black Bear
common qualityUnit 194 is one of the better units in Nevada for black bear density — the Carson Range is core range for the state's limited-entry bear hunt (~34% five-year success). Bears work the timber, riparian corridors and mast/berry shrubs of the range.
- →Glass canyon riparian corridors and mast/berry-shrub pockets at dawn and dusk where bears feed.
- →Find fresh sign on a food source, then sit patient watches rather than covering ground in the thick cover.
- →Work the timbered eastern-flank canyons (Hunter, Ash, Kings) that hold both cover and feed.
- →Mind the Lake Tahoe Basin closure and building-distance shooting restrictions — bears range right up to the suburban edge here.
Pro tips
- →Time it right: early seasons hunt high (Peavine/Bull Ranch Creek, Snow Valley Peak); late seasons work the 6,000-7,000 ft mahogany benches and the Ash/Kings canyon slopes above Carson City.
- →The rut and the mid-November influx of California deer make later timing pay — this is a migration-driven herd.
- →One of Nevada's better bear units — glass riparian and berry-shrub pockets and sit fresh sign patiently.
- →Use a mountain bike to reach roads closed to vehicles (e.g., North Canyon to Snow Valley Peak) — a proven local tactic.
- →Know the Lake Tahoe Basin closure and building-distance shooting rules cold; this is a suburban-interface unit.
- →Confirm access before you go — ongoing Reno/Verdi development is erasing some Peavine and valley-edge roads.
Watch out for
- !The Lake Tahoe Basin is closed to hunting, and USFS Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit ground carries special boundary/regulation restrictions — verify before you go.
- !Shooting is prohibited within set distances of occupied buildings; the suburban interface makes safe backstops a constant concern.
- !Much of the valley and lower-bench ground is private and developed — public access is only about half the unit.
- !Ongoing development around Peavine and Verdi is closing off historic access roads that may no longer exist.
- !Some prime ground (e.g., North Canyon to Snow Valley Peak) is non-motorized only.
- !Early Sierra-front snow can close upper trailheads quickly.
Logistics
This is an urban-interface unit, so services are abundant — Carson City, Reno, Verdi and Incline Village all offer full lodging, groceries, fuel and gear, and cell coverage is good across most of the unit. The only public campground is the USFS Mount Rose Summit campground off SR-431. Because the valleys are private and developed, plan to base out of town and day-hunt up the canyons rather than car-camp on the mountain. Access roads range from paved highway to rough, development-threatened two-tracks; some good ground is walk-in or non-motorized only.
Nearest towns: Carson City, Reno, Verdi, Incline Village
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 194,196 North Carson Range Hunt Information Sheet (access roads, Peavine/Snow Valley Peak, Mount Rose Wilderness, Loyalton-Truckee interstate herd, elevation bands, tactics, Tahoe Basin closure) · GOHUNT — Nevada Unit 194 Unit Profile (367 sq mi, 4,668–8,801 ft, ~51.7% public, Carson Range, good bear density, good road access/cell service, Tahoe Basin closed)
FAQ
- How big is Unit 194 in Nevada?
- Unit 194 (Unit 194) covers about 368 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,700 to 9,200 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 194?
- Approximately 52% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Humboldt-Toiyabe NF (Carson Ranger District), BLM, Private (Reno, Verdi, Carson City, Incline Village suburbs and ranches). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 194?
- Mule Deer, Black Bear. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Nevada agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 194 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.