Unit 284 Unit 284
The heart of the Sheep Range — Hayford Peak and a once-in-a-lifetime desert bighorn tag
Southern Nevada — Clark County · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
364
sq mi
Public land
98%
approx.
Elevation
4,000–9,912
feet
Motorized
limited
access
Overview
Unit 284 covers the core of the Sheep Range in north-central Clark County, a dramatic desert sky island that climbs from creosote flats to 9,912' Hayford Peak. It lies entirely within the USFWS Desert National Wildlife Refuge, the largest refuge in the lower 48. This is a premium, draw-only desert bighorn sheep unit — a tag is effectively once-in-a-lifetime, ram quality is high, and recent harvest ran 100% success on a very small number of tags. Access is fair at best and the hunting is physically brutal.
Terrain
One of the most vertically dramatic desert ranges in Nevada: jagged peaks, precipitous outcroppings and very steep canyons rising nearly 6,000 feet from the valley floor to Hayford Peak. Sheep hold the broken cliff bands and canyon rims; hunting is a matter of glassing from vantage points then committing to long, steep stalks.
Cover: Exceptional habitat diversity for a desert range — creosote-bush scrub and blackbrush scrub low, grading up through pinyon-juniper woodland into fir-pine forest, bristlecone pine and a pseudo-alpine zone on the highest ground.
Landmarks: Hayford Peak (9,912') · Sheep Pass · Peek-a-boo Canyon · Lamb Spring · Woody Guzzler · Mormon Well Road · Alamo Road
Access
The entire unit lies within the USFWS Desert National Wildlife Refuge (DNWR). Hunter access is fair at best due to refuge restrictions on vehicles and camping — you must learn and follow DNWR rules before hunting. Primary vehicle corridors are the Mormon Well Road up the east side and the Alamo Road along the west; travel is limited to designated routes. Contact the DNWR office (702-646-3401 / 702-375-4006) for current conditions.
Managers: USFWS Desert National Wildlife Refuge, BLM
Access points: Mormon Well Road (east side of Sheep Range) · Alamo Road (west side) · Corn Creek Field Station area / US 95 approaches · Sheep Pass and Peek-a-boo Canyon routes
Species notes
Bighorn Sheep
common trophyDesert bighorn are the premier draw-only species and the reason to draw this tag. The Sheep Range holds a healthy resident herd on its cliff bands and canyon systems; recent five-year success ran 100% on a very small number of ram tags. Expect a mature, fully-legal ram — but only after hard glassing and harder climbing.
- →Glass from high vantage points into Peek-a-boo Canyon, Sheep Pass and the cliff bands near Lamb Spring at first and last light
- →Water sources like Lamb Spring and the Woody Guzzler concentrate sheep — build glassing plans around them
- →Use the Mormon Well and Alamo roads to reach trailheads, then hunt on foot into the steep interior
- →Plan for multi-day, self-supported pushes into extremely steep, rocky terrain far from the road
Mule Deer
limited opportunityA small resident mule deer population uses the fir-pine and bristlecone forest on the highest reaches of the Sheep Range, but the unit is managed and drawn primarily as a desert bighorn unit and deer are incidental.
- →Focus the highest north-facing timbered basins near Hayford Peak if pursuing deer
- →Expect very low densities — this is opportunity hunting, not a deer destination
Pro tips
- →Call the DNWR office before scouting — refuge road status and camping limits shape your entire plan
- →The Mormon Well Road is the workhorse east-side access; know which spurs are open
- →Springs and guzzlers (Lamb Spring, Woody Guzzler) are the single best places to locate sheep
- →This is a top-tier fitness hunt — the range is steep, rocky and waterless; condition hard
- →The high country holds a pseudo-alpine zone; be ready for a huge elevation and weather swing in one hunt
Watch out for
- !Entire unit is inside the Desert National Wildlife Refuge — strict vehicle and camping restrictions, no off-route travel
- !Terrain is genuinely dangerous: precipitous outcroppings, loose rock and long waterless approaches far from help
- !Water is scarce; carry what you need and don't count on interior springs flowing
- !Weather can swing from desert heat to snow between the valley floor and Hayford Peak
Logistics
Full services are in Las Vegas to the south; limited fuel and supplies are available in Alamo to the north. Primitive camping is the rule inside the refuge, subject to DNWR restrictions. Cell coverage is unreliable in the interior canyons. Reach the range via US 95 and the Corn Creek/Mormon Well road system or the Alamo Road.
Nearest towns: Las Vegas, Alamo
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Nevada sources:
Research sources: NDOW Desert Bighorn Sheep Hunt Information Sheet — Units 283 & 284 · NDOW Hunt Information Sheets · USFWS Desert National Wildlife Refuge
FAQ
- How big is Unit 284 in Nevada?
- Unit 284 (Unit 284) covers about 364 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,000 to 9,912 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 284?
- Approximately 98% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFWS Desert National Wildlife Refuge, BLM. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 284?
- Bighorn Sheep, Mule Deer. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Nevada agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
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