Unit 291 (Clark / Gold Butte)
Nevada Hunting Guide — Mule Deer
Unit 291 anchors the Gold Butte National Monument and the desert ranges north of Lake Mead in Clark County. NDOW manages it as a standalone mule deer unit, and it is also one of Nevada's 10 authorized black bear units (though bear encounters are rare).
Mule Deer Hunting in Unit 291
Unit 291 anchors the Gold Butte National Monument and the desert ranges north of Lake Mead in Clark County. NDOW manages it as a standalone mule deer unit, and it is also one of Nevada's 10 authorized black bear units (though bear encounters are rare).
Where to Find Mule Deer in Unit 291
Mule deer in 291 concentrate around the juniper and pinyon country of the Virgin Mountains and the benches above the Virgin River. Water is the single most important pattern — deer stay within a mile or two of springs and guzzlers through the October rifle window. Gold Butte Road and the spur two-tracks off it are the primary access corridors.
How to Hunt Unit 291
Mule Deer Success Rates
Historical rifle success in Nevada's southern desert mule deer units runs 25–35% in an average year, with archery and muzzleloader tagging proportionally lower. Mild winters help 291's numbers; drought years thin the herd quickly.
Mule Deer Draw Odds
| Season | Tags | Applicants | Draw % | Pts Req |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle— Late Season | 50 | 763 | 6.6% | 0 |
| Rifle— Limited Entry | 25 | 96 | 26.0% | 0 |
| Rifle— Limited Entry | 25 | 100 | 25.0% | 1 |
| Rifle— Early Season | 20 | 70 | 28.6% | 0 |
| Archery— Early Season | 25 | 47 | 53.2% | 0 |
| Muzzleloader— Early Season | 8 | 16 | 50.0% | 1 |
Data from 2025 draw results. Resident odds shown.
Open in Draw Odds EngineNDOW reports roughly 211 tags across the recent three-year window against 2,041 applicants. That puts 291 mule deer in the mid-tier of Nevada deer draws — not trophy-unit long odds, but enough pressure that unit-specific bonus points help.
Unit Logistics & Expectations
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Unit 291 a good mule deer unit?
What town do most Unit 291 hunters use?
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Every fact on this page is tied to a primary source below. Last fact-checked 2026-04-17.
- NDOW Hunt Info Sheets — Mule Deer 291 — Nevada Department of Wildlife · supports: Unit 291 listed as standalone mule deer unit · accessed 2026-04-17
- NDOW Big Game — Nevada Department of Wildlife · supports: Season dates, Weapon frameworks · accessed 2026-04-17
- NDOW Hunt Draw — Nevada Department of Wildlife · supports: Draw timeline, Application fees · accessed 2026-04-17