Unit 162 Wilderness (Unit 162 Wilderness (Foot-Access Only))

Nevada Hunting Guide — Elk

Unit 162 Wilderness is NDOW's wilderness-only elk hunt inside the larger Unit 162 footprint. We treat it as a dedicated backpack elk opportunity — no motorized access, smaller applicant pool than the general unit, and a premium on multi-day scouting inside the wilderness boundary.

View Draw Odds Nevada Hunting Guide

Elk Hunting in Unit 162 Wilderness

Where to Find Elk in Unit 162 Wilderness

We focus on three zones inside the wilderness boundary.

North-Facing Dark Timber

Bulls daybed deep in north-facing mature timber. We glass timber edges at first light from opposite drainages rather than still-hunting blind into the bedding cover.

Aspen Benches

Aspen pockets at mid-elevation hold transition bulls moving between feed and bed. Cows pull into the aspens for morning feed, and herd bulls shadow them during the rut.

Ridge-Top Wallows

High saddle wallows become rut-central in September. We mark wallow GPS points pre-season and sit wind-favorable glassing knobs over them during morning and evening activity.

How to Hunt Elk in Unit 162 Wilderness

Unit 162 Wilderness is a multi-day backpack hunt — we treat it that way from the drawing.

Pack-In Camp

We pack 4-7 miles inside the boundary to a water-adjacent camp and hunt outward from there. That strategy avoids daily trailhead-to-bedding pressure loops and lets us glass multiple drainages without long commutes.

Wind-First Movement

Inside the wilderness we move only on favorable thermals — morning upslope glassing, evening downslope stalks — and never cross a rub line or wallow upwind.

Realistic Pack-Out Math

A bull down 5 miles inside the wilderness is a 4-6 trip pack-out for a two-person team. Before we squeeze the trigger we confirm the bull is in a location we can reach, bone, and extract within meat-care limits.

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Elk Success Rates

Rifle35%

Elk Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— Mid Season	2	79	2.5%	0

Data from 2022 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Unit 162 Wilderness averages roughly 2 tags against about 79 three-year-window applicants — a point-intensive wilderness elk draw despite the smaller pool.

Nevada uses a weighted bonus-point system: one additional entry per bonus point held, straight count. Max-point applicants absorb most of the 162 Wilderness tags in any given year — build points here while hunting a more accessible second-choice unit.

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Planning Notes

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Water

Seasonal creeks and springs inside the wilderness — filter everything and plan for dry-year contingencies.

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Road Conditions

Paved state routes to the trailhead road network; final approaches are USFS dirt that demands high-clearance in wet weather. NO motorized travel inside the wilderness boundary.

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Terrain Difficulty

Steep timber and alpine benches with sustained vertical. Expect hard pack-in days to reach productive country.

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Weather

Early snow possible at elevation by late September. Pack an alpine shelter and a dry change of camp clothing.

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Cell Service

None inside the wilderness. Satellite messenger mandatory for safety and meat coordination.

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Nearest Town

Eureka and Ely are the primary service hubs for Unit 162 Wilderness access — fuel, groceries, and lodging within 60-100 miles of the wilderness trailheads.

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Permit Notes

Motorized and mechanized use is prohibited inside the wilderness boundary; stock use permitted per USFS rules. Confirm fire restrictions before each hunt.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many elk tags does Unit 162 Wilderness issue?

Unit 162 Wilderness has averaged roughly 2 tags per year against approximately 79 applicants across the most recent three-year NDOW window.

How does Nevada's bonus-point system work for wilderness elk?

Nevada uses a weighted bonus-point system — one additional entry per bonus point held, a straight count. Points are not stacked by any additional multiplier.

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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 — Unit Boundaries and Wilderness Hunts — Nevada Department of Wildlife · supports: Unit 162 Wilderness foot-access-only designation, Separate allocation from general Unit 162 · accessed 2026-04-17
Rocky Mountain Elk — Species Profile — Nevada Department of Wildlife · supports: Central Nevada elk herd structure, Rut timing and high-country use · accessed 2026-04-17
NDOW Draw System Overview — Nevada Department of Wildlife · supports: Weighted bonus-point system, One extra entry per bonus point · accessed 2026-04-17
NDOW Hunt Information Sheets — Nevada Department of Wildlife · supports: Unit 162 wilderness-hunt logistics, Regional office contact · accessed 2026-04-17