Nevada Bighorn Sheep Mule Deer Pronghorn

Unit 035

Nevada Hunting Guide — Bighorn Sheep, Mule Deer, Pronghorn

Unit 035 is a northwestern Nevada bighorn sheep unit drawn through NDOW's weighted bonus-point draw. Tag quotas are small — expect a high-point-required tier hunt.

View Draw Odds Nevada Hunting Guide

Bighorn Sheep Hunting in Unit 035

Unit 035 is a northwestern Nevada bighorn sheep unit drawn through NDOW's weighted bonus-point draw. Tag quotas are small — expect a high-point-required tier hunt.

Where to Find Bighorn Sheep in Unit 035

NDOW's hunt information sheet describes likely concentration areas and access for sheep in Unit 035.

How to Hunt Bighorn Sheep in Unit 035

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Bighorn Sheep Success Rates

Rifle65%

Draw-odds chart reflects NDOW's most recent published data.

Bighorn Sheep Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— Early Season	6	1,391	0.4%	0

Data from 2023 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Unit 035 sheep tags are drawn through NDOW's weighted bonus-point draw.

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit 035

Unit 035 covers the Santa Rosa Range in northern Humboldt County — an 85-mile north-south range anchored by the 31,000-acre Santa Rosa-Paradise Peak Wilderness. Peaks rise to 9,700 ft at Santa Rosa Peak and Granite Peak, with aspen, fir, and mahogany cover on the upper benches and PJ / mountain brush on the flanks. Paradise Valley and Winnemucca on I-80 are the services towns. Unit 035 mule deer is one of Humboldt County's more-applied deer hunts due to accessible tag numbers and established road access off US-95.

Where to Find Mule Deer in Unit 035

Santa Rosa mule deer use the full elevation gradient from sage foothills to aspen-fir benches. Most bucks hold in the mid-slope mountain brush and aspen stringers where cover and forage intersect.

Santa Rosa-Paradise Peak Wilderness

The 31,000-acre wilderness core of the Santa Rosas holds the least-pressured bucks. Aspen benches, Granite Peak and Santa Rosa Peak ridge systems, and the North and South Fork Little Humboldt drainages are anchor spots. Foot access only inside the wilderness boundary.

Hinkey Summit and Paradise Peak

Hinkey Summit (SR-290) is the main paved crossing of the range and gives access to higher benches on both sides. Paradise Peak (~9,600 ft) sits south of the summit and holds consistent buck populations in the surrounding canyon heads.

Mid-Slope Brush (6,500-8,500 ft)

Below the wilderness and above the sage basins, the mountain brush, mahogany, and scattered aspen hold the highest deer density. Focus on north-facing slopes and the heads of major drainages.

How to Hunt Mule Deer in Unit 035

The Santa Rosas reward hunters who combine ridge-top glassing with targeted backpack hunts into the wilderness core.

Hinkey Summit as a Base

SR-290 over Hinkey Summit is the fastest way into productive country. Park at the summit or drop onto BLM roads on either side, then glass the surrounding ridgelines from morning through mid-day. The paved approach saves hunt time for actual hunting.

Backpack the Wilderness

A 2-3 day spike camp in the Santa Rosa-Paradise Peak Wilderness puts you beyond most hunters. Aim for the aspen benches around Santa Rosa Peak or Granite Peak. Expect cold nights and multi-mile approaches from wilderness trailheads.

North Fork / South Fork Little Humboldt

The Little Humboldt drainages are the classic Santa Rosa deer country. Hike up the drainages from BLM road ends and glass the side canyons. Big bucks hold in the rimrock pockets above the creek bottoms.

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Mule Deer Success Rates

Rifle30%

Archery18%

Muzzleloader22%

NDOW's draw statistics for Unit 035 show three-year totals of roughly 639 mule deer applicants against 156 tags — reliable tag numbers relative to most Humboldt County units. Use the live Draw Odds chart on this page for current-year success percentages and tag allocations.

Mule Deer Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— Mid Season	30	137	21.9%	0
Rifle— Limited Entry	15	25	60.0%	0
Rifle— Limited Entry	25	32	78.1%	0
Rifle— Early Season	7	11	63.6%	1
Archery— Early Season	15	17	88.2%	0
Muzzleloader— Early Season	9	10	90.0%	1

Data from 2025 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Unit 035 mule deer tags draw under Nevada's weighted bonus-point system — straight count, max held per species, no weighted multiplier. Tag numbers are solid for the applicant pool, so residents without bonus points have realistic odds in lower-demand season choices. The live Draw Odds chart shows current-year ratios and max points held.

Pronghorn Hunting in Unit 035

Unit 035 sits in northern Humboldt County between US-95 and the Oregon line, anchored by the Montana Mountains and the sage basins of Kings River Valley and the Quinn River drainage. NDOW biologists describe this as productive antelope country with consistent tag numbers and good public-land access — the three-year average is 44 tags against 634 applicants, which makes it one of the more drawable Nevada pronghorn units.

Where to Find Pronghorn in Unit 035

The core of Unit 035 is the Kings River Valley and the sage benches rising into the Montana Mountains. We find antelope concentrated in three landscape types across the unit.

Kings River Valley sage flats

The broad valley bottom carries the highest summer-fall densities. Large herds work between feed and BLM-improved water. We glass from the low benches on either side to spot herds pushing a mile or more across the open.

Montana Mountains benches

The mid-elevation sage benches climbing from the valley into the Montanas hold smaller bachelor groups. Rutting bucks defend these benches in early fall, which sets up well for archery stalks.

Quinn River drainage

Northwest of the Montanas, the Quinn River corridor holds antelope tied to the river and its associated springs. This is where we focus late-season rifle hunts.

How to Hunt Pronghorn in Unit 035

Unit 035 rewards mobile hunters who cover ground with their optics rather than their tires. The flat-to-rolling terrain makes it easy to cover miles of basin from a single good glassing knob.

First-light glassing

We park on a bench above the Kings River Valley at sunrise with tripod-mounted 15s and work the valley floor for feeding herds. Antelope are up and feeding before sunrise and will bed by 9:30-10 a.m. — pick the buck before the herd beds.

Stalking bedded bucks

Once a buck beds, we use the valley's rolling breaks, washes, and sage to close. A 50 to 150-yard archery stalk is realistic here; for rifle, a 400-yard setup on a bedded buck is a high-percentage play.

Water-based hunting

By mid-September natural water is scarce. BLM guzzlers and ranch tanks pull every antelope in the neighborhood. Rifle hunters can pre-scout water and sit the morning sessions; we avoid midday water sits because heat and wind push antelope off.

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Pronghorn Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %
Rifle— Early Season	30	199	15.1%
Rifle— Early Season	15	171	8.8%
Rifle— Early Season	15	270	5.6%
Archery— Early Season	3	5	60.0%
Muzzleloader— Early Season	2	5	40.0%

Data from 2025 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Unit 035 is one of the more drawable pronghorn hunts in Nevada. Three-year averages show 44 tags against 634 applicants, producing mid-single-digit to low-double-digit odds depending on the specific hunt number (archery, muzzleloader, rifle, and late-season hunts all draw separately).

Nevada NDOW runs a weighted bonus-point system — one extra entry per point held, straight count. The live draw-odds chart above breaks down applicants, tags, and odds by hunt number.

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Elevation

4,200–8,400 ft

Public land

90%

Elevation Profile

Min 4,200 ft Max 8,400 ft

Planning Notes

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Road Conditions

US-95 is paved and bisects the eastern edge of the unit. Kings River Valley Road is maintained gravel; interior two-tracks off it range from graded to rough and benefit from high-clearance. Plan for dust and washboard.

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Terrain Difficulty

Easy to moderate. Rolling sage basins and low benches with no serious vertical. Most hunters can cover every productive area of the unit from the truck plus a short hike.

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Weather

September highs routinely 80-90°F with near-freezing nights at higher elevation. Wind kicks up mid-morning across the open basins. October rifle hunts can see the first snow of the season.

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Cell Service

Limited. Sporadic coverage along US-95; none off the highway. Satellite communicator recommended.

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Nearest Town

Winnemucca (~60 mi south via US-95) is the full-service base — fuel, groceries, lodging, sporting goods. Orovada on US-95 offers fuel and a small store.

Note: Unit 035 is a strong choice for a first Nevada pronghorn hunt — high public land percentage, good tag numbers relative to applicants, and friendly terrain for a mobile camp.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How are Unit 035 sheep tags drawn?

Through NDOW's weighted bonus-point draw. Quotas are small.

Where is NDOW's hunt sheet?

On NDOW's Hunt Information Sheets page.

What's the main access route into Unit 035?

SR-290 over Hinkey Summit is the paved crossing of the Santa Rosa Range. It gives access to both east and west flanks and connects Paradise Valley with the Kings River Valley. Secondary BLM and Forest Service roads spur off the highway into the range's drainages.

How do Nevada bonus points work for Unit 035 mule deer?

Nevada uses a weighted bonus-point system — each accumulated point adds one additional entry to the random draw (straight count, max held per species). There is no weighted-bonus multiplier. Max points held are preserved across years until drawn.

Is the Santa Rosa-Paradise Peak Wilderness worth backpacking?

Yes. The 31,000-acre wilderness holds the least-pressured bucks in Unit 035, with aspen benches and canyon drainages that see far fewer hunters than the SR-290 corridor. Two to three day backpack hunts from wilderness trailheads consistently produce shots on undisturbed deer.

How tough is the Nevada Unit 035 antelope draw?

Moderate. Three-year averages show roughly 44 tags against 634 applicants — one of the more drawable pronghorn units in the state. NDOW uses a weighted bonus-point system where one point earns one extra entry per point held, straight count. First-time applicants can realistically draw a rifle tag in this unit.

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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 Big Game Hunting — Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) · supports: NDOW manages Nevada's big game species and publishes season structure by unit group., Tags are allocated through a weighted bonus-point draw. · accessed 2026-04-17
NDOW Hunt Information Sheets — Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) · supports: NDOW publishes per-unit-group hunt information sheets with access, terrain, and strategy notes. · accessed 2026-04-17
NDOW Hunt Draw — Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) · supports: NDOW runs a single-choice weighted bonus-point draw; applicants accumulate points toward future draws. · accessed 2026-04-17
NDOW Hunt Information Sheets — Mule Deer (Unit 035) — Nevada Department of Wildlife · supports: Unit 035 covers the Santa Rosa Range in northern Humboldt County, The range runs ~85 miles north-south and peaks at Santa Rosa Peak and Granite Peak (~9,700 ft), Paradise Valley and Winnemucca are the services towns · accessed 2026-04-17
2026 Nevada Big Game Seasons & Applications Booklet — Nevada Department of Wildlife · supports: Unit 035 is a standalone mule deer draw unit for 2026, Nevada's weighted bonus-point system applies — straight count, max held per species, Nonresident allocation is statutorily capped · accessed 2026-04-17
Santa Rosa Ranger District — Santa Rosa-Paradise Peak Wilderness — USDA Forest Service — Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest · supports: Santa Rosa-Paradise Peak Wilderness covers approximately 31,000 acres, The wilderness is non-motorized and accessed via Humboldt-Toiyabe trailheads off SR-290 and BLM roads, Aspen, fir, and mahogany dominate the upper benches · accessed 2026-04-17
BLM Winnemucca District — Kings River and Montana Mountains — Bureau of Land Management — Winnemucca District · supports: BLM land administration in Unit 035, Access routes and dispersed camping · accessed 2026-04-17
Montana Mountains — Humboldt County, Nevada — Wikipedia (USGS GNIS) · supports: Range location and elevation, Sage-steppe habitat description · accessed 2026-04-17

Unit 035

Bighorn Sheep Hunting in Unit 035

Where to Find Bighorn Sheep in Unit 035

How to Hunt Bighorn Sheep in Unit 035

Bighorn Sheep Success Rates

Bighorn Sheep Draw Odds

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit 035

Where to Find Mule Deer in Unit 035

Santa Rosa-Paradise Peak Wilderness

Hinkey Summit and Paradise Peak

Mid-Slope Brush (6,500-8,500 ft)

How to Hunt Mule Deer in Unit 035

Mule Deer Success Rates

Mule Deer Draw Odds

Pronghorn Hunting in Unit 035

Where to Find Pronghorn in Unit 035

Kings River Valley sage flats

Montana Mountains benches

Quinn River drainage

How to Hunt Pronghorn in Unit 035

Pronghorn Draw Odds

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Explore Related Units

Unit 035 — Santa Rosa Pronghorn

Unit 031 — Trout Creek Mule Deer

Frequently Asked Questions

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Sources & Verification