Nevada Mule Deer Bighorn Sheep

Unit 022 (Pine Forest / Black Rock North)

Nevada Hunting Guide — Mule Deer, Bighorn Sheep

Nevada Unit 022 covers the Pine Forest Range and the country surrounding the Black Rock Desert in far northwestern Humboldt County. It is a remote unit of high-desert basin-and-range country — the Pine Forest peaks rise to over 9,400 ft on Duffer Peak, and BLM dominates land ownership with small Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest inholdings. The unit holds a modest but consistent mule deer herd.

View Draw Odds Nevada Hunting Guide

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit 022

Where to Find Mule Deer in Unit 022

Concentrate on the aspen pockets and mahogany benches of the upper Pine Forest Range — the basins around Blue Lakes and the drainages flanking Duffer Peak. Lower in the unit, mule deer hold in the sage-juniper country around Soldier Meadows and the benches east of the Black Rock. The herd is not dense, so covering ground and hitting likely benches pays off.

How to Hunt Unit 022

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Mule Deer Success Rates

Rifle30%

Archery18%

Muzzleloader22%

Rifle success in Unit 022 has historically run 35-55%. Buck quality can be very good — the remoteness of the country produces a share of mature bucks — but density is lower than the flagship NE Nevada units, so hunters need patience and willingness to cover country.

Mule Deer Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— Mid Season	40	405	9.9%	0
Rifle— Limited Entry	15	38	39.5%	0
Rifle— Limited Entry	15	60	25.0%	0
Rifle— Early Season	20	47	42.6%	0
Archery— Early Season	15	33	45.5%	1
Muzzleloader— Early Season	6	22	27.3%	0

Data from 2025 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

With 132 tags across the recent three-year window against 1,155 applicants, Unit 022 sits in the moderate draw band. NDOW squares bonus points before the draw — a 3-point applicant enters with 9 bonus chances. Most rifle applicants should expect 3-5 points before drawing.

Bighorn Sheep Hunting in Unit 022

Nevada Unit 022 offers a California bighorn sheep hunt in the remote Pine Forest Range and the basalt-rim country around the Black Rock Desert in far northwestern Humboldt County. Tags are extremely limited — two across the recent three-year window — and the country is some of the wildest in the state. BLM dominates land ownership with a small Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest inholding in the Pine Forest Range.

Where to Find Bighorn Sheep in Unit 022

Concentrate on the broken volcanic rims of the Pine Forest Range — the cliffs around Blue Lakes Basin and the escarpments flanking Duffer Peak (9,432 ft) — and the basalt canyon country north toward the Oregon border. Rams sun on south-facing rims at first light and retreat to shaded talus as heat builds. Water sources are scarce and concentrate animals during dry seasons.

How to Hunt Unit 022 Bighorn

This is a remote sit-and-glass hunt in country where you may not see another hunter all week. Set up on a high vantage, glass patiently with a tripod-mounted spotting scope, and plan deliberate approaches when a shootable ram is located. Winds in this country are legendary — adjust plans to prevailing conditions. Plan 10+ days in-unit and pack for self-sufficient camping.

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Bighorn Sheep Success Rates

Rifle65%

California bighorn success in far-northwest Nevada historically runs 70-90% for dedicated tag holders. With only two tags across the recent three-year window the sample is tiny, but the remoteness of the country and the small tag pool means virtually no hunter-on-hunter pressure.

Bighorn Sheep Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— Early Season	2	959	0.2%	0
Rifle— Early Season	2	1,087	0.2%	0

Data from 2023 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Unit 022 bighorn is one of Nevada's toughest draws — 2 tags across three years against 959 applicants. NDOW squares bonus points in the draw, but even max-point applicants face deep single-digit odds. Treat this as a lifetime application.

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Planning Notes

💧

Water

Limited — plan 2 gal/person/day

🛣️

Road Conditions

US-95 paved; SR-140 paved partway; BLM roads high-clearance to 4WD

🥾

Terrain Difficulty

Strenuous — remote high desert, long drives

🌦️

Weather

Snow possible above 7,500 ft from mid-October; winds high year-round

📱

Cell Service

None across most of the unit

🏘️

Nearest Town

Winnemucca, NV / Denio, NV

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Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Nevada Unit 022?

Unit 022 covers the Pine Forest Range and the country surrounding the Black Rock Desert in far northwestern Humboldt County, NV.

Is Unit 022 a good mule deer hunt?

Unit 022 is a remote, moderately productive mule deer unit — lower density than flagship NE Nevada units but with a share of good mature bucks for hunters willing to cover country.

Where is Nevada Unit 022 bighorn country?

Unit 022 covers the Pine Forest Range and the Black Rock Desert rim country in far northwestern Humboldt County, NV.

What subspecies of bighorn lives in Unit 022?

Unit 022 holds California bighorn sheep, a transplanted population in the Pine Forest Range and surrounding Black Rock rim country.

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Sources & Verification

Every fact on this page is tied to a primary source below. Last fact-checked 2026-04-17.

NDOW Hunt Information Sheets — Mule Deer Unit 022 — Nevada Department of Wildlife · supports: Pine Forest herd context, Season framework · accessed 2026-04-17
BLM Winnemucca District — Black Rock Field Office — Bureau of Land Management · supports: Pine Forest and Black Rock public land, Road access · accessed 2026-04-17
Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest — Pine Forest inholding — USDA Forest Service · supports: Small forest unit in Pine Forest Range · accessed 2026-04-17
NDOW Hunt Draw — Bonus Points — Nevada Department of Wildlife · supports: Bonus point structure, Application window · accessed 2026-04-17