Unit 067, Nevada

Elevation ranges from roughly 5,000 feet in the lower benches and valley floors to approximately 8,700 feet in the upper Tuscarora Mountains. Topography transitions from mild rolling hills, shallow and deep swales, and benchlands in the lower reaches to steep canyon country and ridge terrain in the upper elevations. Independence Valley along the eastern edge is flat and largely privately owned ranch land. The North Tuscarora Mountains form the spine of the unit, running roughly north-south.

Unit 067 is administered primarily by the BLM Elko District (3900 E. Idaho St., Elko, NV 89801, 775-753-0200), with portions managed by the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Mountain City Ranger District (Elko Office, 775-738-5171). The majority of the unit is open BLM land with dispersed and primitive camping throughout. Developed campgrounds are available at the Wildhorse Reservoir State Recreation Area on SR 225. Private land is concentrated in Independence Valley on the unit's eastern side, with the IL Ranch and Spanish Ranch blocking some access in the North Tuscaroras — alternate routes exist around these parcels. Mining operations in the adjacent South Tuscarora Range (Unit 068) block some roads in that unit. There are no wilderness areas within Unit 067. Primary access: State Route 225 north from Elko to Lone Mountain Station, then State Route 226 east (providing main access to the unit group 062/064/066/067/068 corridor); the Midas-Tuscarora Road, which forms the Unit 067/068 boundary between the towns of Midas and Tuscarora, is the chief staging road into the heart of the unit. Secondary primitive roads branch from SR 226 and the Midas-Tuscarora Road into the Tuscarora Mountains. Highway 35 north from Battle Mountain provides western access to the Izzenhood and Sheep Creek Ranges (primarily Unit 068). No gas stations exist north of Interstate 80 until Owyhee; hunters should carry extra fuel, water, and spare tires.

Sagebrush dominates the lower and mid-elevation terrain, with bitterbrush, mountain brush (serviceberry), and native perennial grasses on the benches and hillsides. Mountain brush and aspen communities occupy the mid-to-upper slopes, transitioning to subalpine fir, limber pine, and scattered mahogany near the summits. Pinyon-juniper woodlands occur on mid-elevation slopes. Burn areas at lower elevations are recovering largely in cheatgrass, while burned areas above 6,500 feet have reestablished in native grasses favorable to elk and deer. Riparian corridors along creek drainages support willows and cottonwood. Preferred antelope habitat is a mosaic of perennial grasses and low sagebrush mixed with tall sagebrush or bitterbrush near springs and riparian vegetation.

Mule deer use the upper North Tuscarora Mountains as summer range and migrate to lower transition habitats — the Izzenhood Range, Sheep Creek Range, and southern South Tuscaroras (in Unit 068) — as winter conditions arrive; timing depends on snow accumulation and temperatures. Pronghorn antelope are widespread across the unit group, with the highest densities around the Rossi Mine to Willow Creek area, the top of the Sheep Creek Range, the east side of the Izzenhood Range, lower elevations of the South Tuscaroras, and the entire North Tuscarora Range (Unit 067). Antelope live at 5,000 to 8,000 feet and tend to concentrate near water sources; old fire scars above 6,500 feet with new plant growth are favorable habitat. Rocky Mountain elk occur in small isolated groups in the North Tuscaroras (Unit 067); the higher-density elk areas in the unit group are in the southern Independence Range, North Independence, and the Bull Run Mountains. The broader Owyhee Desert sub-herd resides year-round in Nevada, while the YP Desert sub-herd migrates between Nevada and Idaho. California bighorn sheep occupy the Sheep Creek Range in Unit 068, not Unit 067. Mountain lions are present statewide and prey on deer and antelope. Moose have been documented in Elko County north of I-80 and are occasionally observed in the unit group. Sage-grouse, sharp-tailed grouse, ruffed grouse, blue grouse, chukar partridge, Hungarian partridge, quail, and cottontail and jackrabbit are also present.