Unit 251 Unit 251
Wide-valley pronghorn country under the Kawich Range, hard against the Nellis range boundary
South-Central Nevada — Nye County · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
1,329
sq mi
Public land
99%
approx.
Elevation
5,000–9,500
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Unit 251 spreads across the Goldfield Hills and the Kawich and Reveille ranges, wrapping the broad Ralston, Reveille, and Stone Cabin valleys of central Nye County north of the Nellis Air Force Range. It is a pronghorn-first unit — antelope thrive across the open valley floors and foothills and draw hunters fill tags at a high rate — while mule deer, a resident-only desert bighorn tag on the Kawich, and a low-density depredation elk hunt round out the big game. Expect a big, dry, largely roadless landscape where water and map study drive success far more than sheer game numbers.
Terrain
Sweeping sagebrush and greasewood valleys separated by steep, isolated ranges. The Kawich Range is the high, rugged core, topping out near Kawich Peak with strenuous, roadless upper country; antelope hold on the open valley flats and foothill benches while deer and elk climb into the timbered heights.
Cover: Low sagebrush, shadscale, and greasewood on the valley floors grading into bitterbrush and pinyon-juniper on the slopes, with mahogany, aspen, and meadow pockets in the highest reaches of the Kawich Range around perennial springs and creeks.
Landmarks: Kawich Range · Kawich Peak · Reveille Range · Goldfield Hills · Ralston Valley · Reveille Valley · Stone Cabin Valley · Kawich Wilderness Study Area · Edan Creek · Cottonwood Creek · Haws Canyon · Bellehelen · US Highway 6
Access
Almost entirely public BLM land (Battle Mountain District, Tonopah Field Office) reached from US Highway 6 along the north end, with main access roads running out into Stone Cabin Valley and Reveille Valley. The Kawich Wilderness Study Area restricts motorized use in the range's core, so plan to hike or use ATV/side-by-side on legal routes. Critically, NO access is allowed south of the Nellis Air Force Range's northern and western boundary — that ground has been withdrawn from public use for decades and the closure is strongly and increasingly enforced. Scattered private parcels sit in the valleys.
Managers: BLM
Access points: US Highway 6 (Warm Springs / Tonopah) · Stone Cabin Valley road · Reveille Valley road · Kawich Range foothill roads
Species notes
Pronghorn
abundant qualityThe headline animal and the reason to draw this unit — a great many antelope live across the lower valleys and foothills, and recent draw hunters have posted very high success (well over 90%). Bucks are widely distributed on the open flats of Ralston, Reveille, and Stone Cabin valleys.
- →Glass the open valley flats and low benches at first and last light, then use swales, washes, and rims to close the distance on a bedded buck.
- →In hot, dry early seasons key on the limited water — springs and stock tanks concentrate antelope until fall storms let them spread.
- →Judge from long range with a tripod-mounted spotter; cover big country with optics before you move.
- →A decoy can pull curious bucks in the wide-open terrain during the rut.
Bighorn Sheep
limited trophyThe Kawich Range holds a small desert bighorn herd supporting a rare, resident-only tag — a once-in-a-lifetime draw where the very few permit holders have historically filled. Numbers are low but rams are quality.
- →Focus on the steep, rocky escarpments and canyon rims of the Kawich Range; sheep favor broken cliff country near reliable water.
- →Glass from high vantage points at dawn and dusk and be prepared for strenuous, roadless approaches on foot.
- →Scout guzzlers and perennial springs — desert sheep pattern tightly to water in this arid range.
Mule Deer
limited lowDeer occur at low density and success is thin (recent draw success in the low single digits). The best numbers are in the highest reaches of the Kawich Range, but reaching them is strenuous.
- →Hunt within a mile or two of perennial water early in the season, before late-fall precipitation lets deer disperse.
- →Grind glass over the upper Kawich Range mahogany and timber — that is where the resident bucks live.
- →Be physically prepared for long, steep hikes; this is a low-return deer unit that rewards effort over expectation.
Rocky Mountain Elk
limited lowElk occur at low density and the tags offered are depredation hunts intended to reduce numbers, not trophy hunts. The Kawich Range holds the best densities.
- →Start in the high Kawich near Edan Creek, Cottonwood Creek, Haws Canyon, Bellehelen, and Kawich Peak.
- →Thick pinyon-juniper makes glassing hard — listen for bugles during the mid-to-late September rut.
- →Cut for tracks in fresh snow to pinpoint where elk are currently living.
Pro tips
- →This is a pronghorn unit first — if you draw antelope, hunt the open valleys and treat everything else as a bonus.
- →Scout and mark every reliable water source before an early hunt; all four species concentrate near water until fall precipitation.
- →For deer or elk, commit to the strenuous high Kawich Range — the valleys hold few.
- →Know exactly where the Nellis range boundary is and stay north of it; enforcement is strict and getting stricter.
- →Respect the Kawich Wilderness Study Area motorized limits — plan foot access into the core.
Watch out for
- !The Nellis Air Force Range (Nevada Test and Training Range) boundary along the south and west is closed to all public access and strongly enforced — accidental entry means a very unpleasant encounter with range security.
- !Water is scarce across much of the unit; failing to scout it wastes the hunt.
- !No cell service and no facilities inside the unit — a breakdown or injury is serious without a satellite communicator.
- !Scattered private parcels sit in the valleys; verify boundaries before crossing.
- !Storms turn dirt and playa roads to gumbo and can drop early snow on the Kawich high country.
Logistics
Plan to be fully self-contained. Facilities and services — fuel, food, lodging, repairs — are in Tonopah; there is essentially nothing inside the unit. Camp tent- or trailer-style near valley-floor roads or perennial water and haul your own drinking water. Cell service is unreliable to nonexistent; carry a satellite messenger and leave an itinerary. Bring extra fuel, water, spare tires, and recovery gear, and confirm BLM fire restrictions before you go.
Nearest towns: Tonopah, NV, Warm Springs, NV, Goldfield, 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 251, 252, 253, 254 · NDOW Elk Hunt Info Sheet — Unit 251 · NDOW Hunt Information Sheets · GoHunt Nevada Unit 251 Profile (secondary cross-check)
FAQ
- How big is Unit 251 in Nevada?
- Unit 251 (Unit 251) covers about 1,329 square miles, ranging from roughly 5,000 to 9,500 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 251?
- Approximately 99% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 251?
- Pronghorn, Bighorn Sheep, Mule Deer, 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 251 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.