Unit 115, Nevada

The Snake Range runs roughly north-south through the unit, rising from valley floors at approximately 5,500 feet to Wheeler Peak at 13,063 feet — the tallest independent mountain in Nevada. Sacramento Pass (US 6/50, ~7,154 ft) bisects the range. Southern terrain is dominated by the steep, forested slopes of Great Basin National Park; the northern arm features Mount Moriah (12,050 ft) and a distinctive alpine tundra plateau called The Table at approximately 11,000 ft. Drainages radiate in all directions: Lincoln Canyon, Strawberry Creek, Lexington Canyon, Chokecherry Canyon, Murphy's Wash, and Johns Wash on the south and east; the west side offers foothill benches leading into Spring Valley and Lake Valley. Rock is primarily limestone, with metamorphic core complexes in the northern Snake Range.

The unit is approximately 93.9% public land (BLM Bristlecone Field Office and Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, with Great Basin National Park in the southern core). Key highway corridors: US 6/50 crosses Sacramento Pass on the north; US 93, Nevada State Route 894, Nevada Highway 487, and Utah Highway 21 provide paved access in and around the area. A network of two-track roads extends throughout the unit — high clearance vehicles and extra spare tires are recommended. Weather can close roads rapidly with early snowstorms. The Mount Moriah Wilderness (northern Snake Range) and the Highland Ridge Wilderness (southern Snake Range, adjacent to Great Basin National Park) prohibit mechanized equipment and wheeled game carriers. HUNTING IS NOT PERMITTED INSIDE GREAT BASIN NATIONAL PARK — hunters must know the park boundary precisely. Camping is available on BLM and National Forest lands; Echo Canyon and Spring Valley State Parks also offer campsites (Eastern Region Office: 775-728-8100). Some private land exists along agricultural corridors; permission is required before hunting or crossing private property.

Valley floors and lower foothill benches are covered in sagebrush, native grasses, and forbs — primary pronghorn and mule deer winter range. Mid-elevation slopes (roughly 6,500–9,000 ft) support pinyon pine and Utah juniper with scattered mountain mahogany. Riparian corridors along perennial creeks hold cottonwood and willow. Aspen parks appear in sheltered canyons and north-facing aspects between 8,000–10,000 ft. Upper slopes are dominated by limber pine, Engelmann spruce, and subalpine fir; Great Basin bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva) occurs at the highest elevations. Above approximately 11,500 ft, vegetation gives way to alpine tundra, talus, and shale. Pinyon-juniper encroachment into mid-elevation sagebrush communities has been noted across parts of this management area.

Mule deer are present throughout the unit at fair density. The west side from Lincoln Canyon north to Strawberry Creek has good deer numbers; on the south end Johns Wash, Murphy's Wash, Big Spring Wash, and Lexington Canyon are productive areas, especially late in the year. Great Basin National Park acts as a de facto refuge — snow pushes deer out of the park onto huntable BLM and National Forest land, though too much snow can restrict hunter access. Rocky Mountain elk concentrate from Lincoln Canyon to Strawberry Creek; during early season bulls use agricultural fields near Shoshone before moving onto benches during the day. Some elk summer at higher elevations near the park boundary. During the rut, bulls move off the national park to find cows. Later in the season, Lexington Canyon, Chokecherry Canyon, Murphy's Wash, and Johns Wash hold bull and cow elk. Pronghorn antelope occupy open shrub-steppe in Lake Valley, Hamlin Valley, and South Spring Valley — rarely using higher elevations. The population estimate for unit group 115, 231, and 242 was approximately 590 animals as of 2024, responding favorably to above-average precipitation. Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep occupy the steep, rocky upper slopes of the Snake Range outside the national park boundary; the population is small and stable, with low sheep density and rams difficult to locate due to extensive tree cover. Mountain lion are present statewide. Sage-grouse and chukar habitat exists in the sagebrush and rocky foothill zones.