Nevada Mule Deer

Unit 79 (Pancake Range)

Nevada Hunting Guide — Mule Deer

Unit 79 covers the Pancake Range and adjacent terrain in White Pine/Nye County — a low-profile but expansive Great Basin range at the southern end of the central Nevada 071-079 unit group. The Pancake Range tops out around 7,400 ft and spans an enormous geographic area of BLM land with PJ foothills and desert scrub habitat. Mule deer numbers are lower than the high northern Toiyabe units but public land access is unparalleled and hunting pressure is minimal.

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Mule Deer Hunting in Unit 79

Where to Find Mule Deer in Unit 79

The Pancake Range is a sprawling, lower-elevation range system with vast BLM land and widely-distributed deer populations. The key is covering ground to find concentrations in a large, open landscape.

PJ Ridgelines and Canyon Heads

Mule deer concentrate in the denser PJ woodland on north-facing ridgelines and canyon heads within the Pancake Range. These timber pockets provide bedding cover in otherwise open terrain — glass systematically from elevated points to locate deer in these islands of cover.

Sagebrush Flats and Benches

The broad sagebrush flats in and around the Pancake Range hold deer during low-light movement periods. The flatness of the landscape — compared to the canyon-dominated northern units — makes dawn and dusk glassing highly productive from vehicle height.

How to Hunt Mule Deer in Unit 79

Unit 79 is a cover-ground hunt — the Pancake Range's open terrain and extensive BLM road grid reward hunters who drive, glass, and cover miles to find concentrated deer.

Grid-Hunt the BLM Roads

The Pancake Range BLM road network allows systematic coverage of vast terrain. Drive slowly at dawn and dusk, glass every sagebrush flat and PJ ridgeline within range, and cover 50+ miles per day of BLM roads to find deer.

Mark Concentrations and Return

When deer are spotted, mark GPS coordinates and plan a next-morning stalk from a position that minimizes sky-lining and uses wind direction. The flat terrain can make direct approaches challenging without giving away your presence.

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Mule Deer Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— Mid Season	763	2,144	35.6%	0
Rifle— Mid Season	63	1,443	4.4%	1
Rifle— Mid Season	50	1,077	4.6%	0
Rifle— Limited Entry	260	451	57.6%	0
Rifle— Limited Entry	360	623	57.8%	0
Rifle— Mid Season	230	340	67.6%	0
Archery— Early Season	330	363	90.9%	1
Archery— Late Season	25	105	23.8%	0
Muzzleloader— Early Season	142	205	69.3%	0
Muzzleloader— Early Season	160	30	100.0%	0

Data from 2025 draw results. Resident odds shown.

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Unit 79 is part of NDOW's 071-079, 091 mule deer unit group. See the live Draw Odds chart for current statistics.

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Planning Notes

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Camp Sites

Dispersed BLM camping throughout — no fee sites.

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Road Conditions

US-50 paved north of the Pancake Range. BLM roads are gravel/dirt 2-track — high clearance required throughout.

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Terrain Difficulty

Easy to moderate. The Pancake Range is comparatively low and flat — terrain is accessible but featureless.

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Hunting Pressure

Extremely light. The Pancake Range sees almost no hunting pressure — it is geographically isolated and lacks the fame of the northern Nevada ranges.

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Weather

Fall temperatures 35–70°F. Lower elevation range — warmer and drier than northern units. Snow is possible but less common than the high Toiyabe.

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Cell Service

No service in the range. Available in Ely and Eureka.

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Nearest Town

Ely (~50 mi northeast) — full services. Eureka (~50 mi northwest on US-50) — fuel, limited services.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it called the Pancake Range?

The Pancake Range gets its name from its flat, table-like profile compared to the dramatic sky-island ranges of central Nevada. While it lacks the rugged peaks of the Toiyabe or Toquima, it offers vast, uninterrupted BLM land and a genuinely wild Nevada experience.

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Sources & Verification

Every fact on this page is tied to a primary source below. Last fact-checked 2026-04-18.

NDOW Big Game Hunting — Nevada Department of Wildlife · supports: Unit boundaries, Species and season info · accessed 2026-04-18
NDOW Draw System — Nevada Department of Wildlife · supports: Draw odds, Application deadlines · accessed 2026-04-18