Unit 203 Unit 203
The Walker River farm-valley unit: irrigated Mason and Smith valleys, a strong antelope draw, and migratory foothill deer.
Western Nevada — Lyon County (Mason & Smith Valleys) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
943
sq mi
Public land
62%
approx.
Elevation
4,000–7,300
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
Unit 203 is a large (~943-square-mile) western Nevada unit centered on the agricultural Mason and Smith valleys around Yerington, where the West Walker and East Walker rivers converge and irrigated hay ground, meadows and river corridors thread between low foothills. It is the most private-heavy unit of the western Sierra-front group at roughly 62% public — much of the valley floor is working farmland — with public opportunity concentrated on surrounding BLM foothills, the Mason Valley Wildlife Management Area and Lahontan State Recreation Area. Antelope are the standout with a very high five-year success (~83%) on a limited draw; mule deer run about 48% success on migratory foothill numbers, and the unit falls within western Nevada's limited black bear range.
Terrain
Broad, irrigated valley floors near 4,000 ft — Mason and Smith valleys along the Walker River system — rimmed by low, dry foothills and desert ranges rising to about 7,300 ft. It hunts as classic glassing country: open sage benches and ag edges for antelope, with deer using the foothill fringes and river corridors. Terrain is far gentler than the neighboring Sierra-front units.
Cover: Irrigated hay fields, alfalfa, meadows and cottonwood/willow river bottoms along the Walker River, transitioning to greasewood and sagebrush flats and pinyon-juniper on the low surrounding foothills. Green ag ground and riparian corridors are the game magnets in this dry basin.
Landmarks: Mason Valley · Smith Valley · West Walker River · East Walker River (confluence) · Mason Valley Wildlife Management Area · Lahontan State Recreation Area · Singatse Range / Desert Mountains (low foothills)
Access
At about 62% public, this is a checkerboard where private irrigated farmland covers much of the valley floor and public opportunity sits on surrounding BLM foothills plus the Mason Valley WMA and Lahontan SRA. A map distinguishing private and restricted-use ground is essential — knock on doors for permission on ag land, and note the WMA carries its own access restrictions. Road access is good on the valley grid and BLM foothill roads.
Managers: BLM, Private (Mason/Smith Valley irrigated farmland), NDOW (Mason Valley WMA), Nevada State Parks (Lahontan SRA)
Access points: US 95A / SR 208 / SR 339 (Yerington, Smith, Wellington) · Mason Valley WMA access (with restrictions) · Lahontan State Recreation Area · BLM foothill roads off the valley grid
Species notes
Pronghorn
common qualityAntelope are the unit's headline, posting a very high ~83% five-year success on a limited draw. The open sage benches, ag edges and broad valley basins are prime pronghorn country, and a drawn tag here is a strong opportunity.
- →Glass the wide sage flats, benches and ag/rangeland edges from high points morning and evening.
- →Key on the green line — antelope use the margins between irrigated ground and native sage in the dry season.
- →Secure private-land permission early where the best bucks live near farmland, or work adjacent BLM foothills.
- →Use terrain swales and folds to close on a located buck across the open basins.
Mule Deer
common opportunityMule deer run about 48% five-year success on largely migratory foothill numbers — deer use the low ranges, river corridors and ag fringes, moving with weather and food rather than holding as a big high-country herd.
- →Hunt the foothill fringes, river bottoms and ag edges where deer feed and bed, especially at first and last light.
- →Follow the food and cover — the Walker River corridors and green ground concentrate deer in dry country.
- →Glass the low sage-and-pinyon foothills of the surrounding ranges; deer here relate to the valley/mountain transition.
- →Line up private-land permission where deer hold on farmland, and lean on the WMA and BLM foothills otherwise.
Black Bear
transient opportunityUnit 203 lies within western Nevada's limited, expanding black bear range, but bears reach these Walker River valleys only thinly and transiently. The tag/season is managed across the western Nevada bear zone (~34% area-wide success).
- →Focus scarce bear effort on the river-corridor cottonwood/willow bottoms and any timbered foothill draws.
- →Work natural and agricultural food sources at first and last light.
- →Keep expectations realistic — bears this far into the valleys are opportunistic, not resident.
Pro tips
- →This is an antelope-first unit — a drawn tag with ~83% success is a real opportunity; glass the open basins and ag edges hard.
- →Land status is everything here: at ~62% public, carry a map that clearly separates private farmland, WMA and BLM.
- →Line up private-land permission early — much of the best valley-floor ground is working farms.
- →Use the Mason Valley WMA and Lahontan SRA as public anchors, but check WMA access restrictions first.
- →For deer, hunt the foothill/river-corridor fringes and follow the green ground and weather-driven movement.
- →Base out of Yerington for full services and quick access to both Mason and Smith valleys.
Watch out for
- !Heavy private farmland across the valley floors (~62% public) — trespass risk is real; get permission and know boundaries.
- !Mason Valley WMA carries its own access rules and restricted-use areas — read them before hunting.
- !Respect irrigated crops, hay fields and ranch operations; livestock and equipment share the ground.
- !BLM foothill roads can turn muddy after rain — plan for it though the main grid stays open.
- !Sort out where public ends and private begins ahead of time; the checkerboard is easy to misread on the ground.
Logistics
Yerington is the local hub with fuel, groceries, lodging and services; Smith and Wellington cover the south end, and Silver Springs/Fernley to the north offer additional supply on the way in from I-80 or US 50. Camping is available at Lahontan State Recreation Area and dispersed on surrounding BLM ground; most of the valley floor is private farmland, not open camping. Cell service is decent around Yerington and the valleys but fades in the foothills. Roads are largely good — paved highways and a valley grid — with rougher BLM two-tracks into the hills.
Nearest towns: Yerington, Smith, Wellington, Silver Springs, Fernley
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Nevada sources:
Research sources: NDOW — Big Game Status Book and Hunt Information Sheets (Mason/Smith Valley antelope and migratory mule deer, Walker River corridor, western Nevada bear management) · GOHUNT — Nevada Unit 203 Unit Profile (Smith Valley, Mason Valley, Lahontan State Recreation Area, West + East Walker River confluence, ~942 sq mi, elevation ~4,000–7,300 ft, ~62.3% public, irrigated ag ground, Mason Valley Wildlife Refuge/WMA access, mule deer + antelope)
FAQ
- How big is Unit 203 in Nevada?
- Unit 203 (Unit 203) covers about 943 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,000 to 7,300 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 203?
- Approximately 62% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM, Private (Mason/Smith Valley irrigated farmland), NDOW (Mason Valley WMA), Nevada State Parks (Lahontan SRA). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 203?
- Pronghorn, 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 203 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.