Unit 046, Nevada

The unit spans the north-south-trending Sonoma Range, with valley floors at approximately 4,600 ft and the high country reaching Sonoma Peak at 9,396 ft — the highest point in the range and the 28th most prominent peak in Nevada. Grass Valley, a roughly 30-mile-long basin, lies to the southwest of the range. The Edna Mountains occupy the southern portion of the unit. High country is moderately rough to steep in the main canyons; lowlands and valley flanks are relatively flat. Pumpernickel Valley lies to the west along the range's north flank, providing access to the northern Sonoma Range from the Golconda exit on I-80. This is classic Great Basin basin-and-range topography.

Unit 046 lies entirely east of Interstate 80, which runs along the northern boundary near Winnemucca and Golconda. Public land constitutes approximately 73% of the unit, all managed by the BLM Winnemucca District (5100 E. Winnemucca Blvd., Winnemucca, NV 89445; 775-623-1500). Camping on BLM land is unrestricted. Primary vehicle access routes: (1) Nevada State Route 294 (Grass Valley Road) south from Winnemucca — paved for approximately 5 miles into Grass Valley, then unimproved for roughly 25 more miles along the western foot of the Sonoma Range; (2) Pumpernickel Valley Road from the Golconda exit on I-80, providing access to the northern Sonoma Range; (3) Sheep Ranch Canyon and Smelser Pass roads in the southern portion. Key hunting areas within the Sonoma Range include Kluncy Canyon, Harmony Canyon, Water Canyon, Thomas Canyon, Sonoma Canyon, Elbow Canyon, the area around Sonoma Peak and Sonoma Lake, and the Pole Creek drainage. Four-wheel drive is necessary for canyon and ridgeline access; hiking is required for upper basins and peaks. Cell service is limited in the southern half of the unit. No designated wilderness areas or USFS lands are present. Hospitals and motels are available in Lovelock and Winnemucca; fuel and food at the Rye Patch Reservoir exit (I-80), Mill City/Unionville exit (I-80), Lovelock, and Winnemucca.

Sagebrush-steppe dominates the valley floors and mid-elevation slopes throughout the unit. Cheatgrass has spread extensively in areas altered by wildfire. A 2018 burn in the Edna Mountains was treated and re-seeded, with work completed in early 2024. Pinyon-juniper woodland appears intermittently at middle elevations. Aspen stands occur on some high-elevation terrain. Riparian zones along Clear Creek and smaller drainages (Kluncy Canyon, Water Canyon, Sonoma Canyon, Pole Creek) support willows and grasses. High-quality mule deer summer range persists in the upper elevations of the Sonoma Range, while lower elevations remain in marginal to poor condition for deer due to fire-driven cheatgrass invasion. Habitat conditions are rated favorable for pronghorn antelope population growth.

Mule deer: the unit group 043-046 population is estimated at approximately 1,000 animals (2025 NDOW estimate); unit 046 holds the highest densities within the group. Deer occupy high-elevation summer range in the Sonoma Range canyons in summer and move to lower sagebrush slopes and valley edges in winter. Overall population trend is declining, driven by cheatgrass habitat loss and predation pressure; however, 2024 harvest metrics showed improvement across all weapon classes. Pronghorn antelope: a pioneering herd within unit group 043-046 has grown at an average rate of approximately 12% per year since 2009 (when the population was estimated at roughly 140 animals), reaching a 2025 population estimate of approximately 3,000 animals — the highest recorded. A 2025 ground survey of the unit group documented a sex-age ratio of 37 bucks per 100 does per 39 fawns. Antelope are distributed across open lower valley and basin habitats year-round. Chukar partridge: documented in the unit, particularly along rocky canyon slopes. Mountain lion: unit 046 is open under Nevada's statewide OTC mountain lion season (March 1 – February 28, up to 2 tags per hunter per year, statewide harvest limit of 247). No established bighorn sheep populations are documented within unit 046 per 2024-2025 NDOW quota documents.