Unit 107, Nevada

The unit centers on the Wood Hills range, rising from the floor of Independence Valley in the south to Little Cedar Mountain at approximately 8,199 feet at the high point of the range. Terrain transitions from steep slopes and drainages on and around Little Cedar Mountain to rolling hills, gentle benches, and broad valley floors elsewhere. The unit is bounded by Great Basin valleys and is arid in character throughout.

Primary highway access is via Interstate 80 to the north (Wells exit) and US 93 / US 93 Alternate (Lages Junction to West Wendover). US 50 out of Ely provides southern access to the broader unit group. Within the unit, a network of BLM and county two-track roads provides general vehicle access, though the historic railroad-grant checkerboard pattern of alternating public and private land sections makes access to interior public parcels extremely difficult — the NDOW elk information sheet states that the checkerboard 'can make for nearly impossible access without permission to cross private lands.' Private lands and mining activity also limit access off I-80 on the unit's periphery. No designated wilderness areas exist within Unit 107 itself; wilderness areas in the region are in Units 101 and 102 (East Humboldt and Ruby Mountain Wilderness). The BLM Wells Field Office (Elko District) administers public land within the unit. Dispersed camping is available on federal lands throughout the unit. Nearest services are in Wells and Wendover.

Sagebrush (big and black sagebrush communities) dominates the mid-elevation slopes and flats. Dense stands of pinyon pine and Utah juniper cover much of the middle and upper elevations of the Wood Hills, forming the most extensive canopy cover in the unit. Lower-elevation bajadas and valley margins support winterfat and saltbrush shrub communities. Riparian vegetation is extremely limited due to scarce surface water; natural water sources are sparse and scattered throughout the unit. Wild horses have caused ongoing overutilization of vegetation across significant portions of the unit.

Mule deer maintain a small resident herd year-round; Units 104-109 (including 107) function primarily as transition and winter range for deer moving out of the more productive Ruby Mountain and East Humboldt ranges to the west. Elk are present seasonally with moderate densities at times, but the complicated land ownership has historically resulted in very little elk harvest; elk in the unit group move between Spruce Mountain (Unit 105), Valley Mountain (Unit 109), and the Wood Hills. Pronghorn antelope occupy valleys and gentle slopes, with Steptoe Valley a regional stronghold. Wild horses occupy much of the unit and compete with wildlife for water and forage. Mountain lion are present as predators following deer herds. Sage-grouse and chukar partridge inhabit appropriate habitat in the unit.