Unit 133, Nevada

Unit 133 spans the central basin-and-range ecoregion transitioning into the Mojave ecoregion at its southern end. Valley floors (Garden Valley, Coal Valley, Hot Creek Valley, portions of White River and Railroad Valleys) sit at approximately 4,700–5,500 ft elevation. Mountain ridgelines in the Golden Gate Range reach roughly 8,166 ft; the Mount Irish Range and Worthington Mountains reach similar elevations near 8,000–9,000 ft; the Seaman Range to the east adds additional broken terrain. The unit lacks the high-alpine terrain of adjacent Units 131–132 (Currant Mountain peaks at 11,457 ft). Topography is characterized by narrow, rocky canyon drainages, open bajada fans, and mesa-like terrain, with numerous petroglyph sites and lava rock formations in the monument. Roads are predominantly unpaved, requiring high-clearance 4WD vehicles.

Unit 133 is nearly entirely public land, managed primarily by the BLM Caliente Field Office. The Basin and Range National Monument encompasses most of Unit 133, totaling 704,000 acres across portions of Units 132 and 133 combined. The unit contains 3 designated wilderness areas. Primary highway access: US-93 runs along the eastern side through Lincoln County; State Route 318 branches northwest from near Alamo and provides the main north-south corridor through the monument's eastern margin, with access to White River Narrows and Mount Irish Archaeological Districts; State Route 375 (the 'Extraterrestrial Highway') traverses the western side toward Rachel, providing access to the Worthington Mountains Wilderness. Interior monument roads (Shadow Road from SR-375, Adaven Road from SR-318, Timber Mountain Pass Road, Seaman Wash Road, Mail Summit Road) are all unpaved and require high-clearance 4WD. No paved roads exist within the monument. Nearest towns with services are Alamo (south, US-93) and Ely (north, US-93/US-50). Camping is permitted on all public ground. Motorized access is prohibited in designated wilderness zones. Cell service is unreliable or nonexistent throughout much of the unit.

Low-elevation basins and valley floors (4,700–5,500 ft) support sagebrush scrub and saltbush-greasewood communities with Great Basin desert shrub. On mountain footslopes and mid-elevations, pinyon pine and Utah juniper woodland dominate, with mountain mahogany in draws. Higher ridges carry scattered ponderosa pine and shrub transitioning to open rocky ground. The southernmost portions of Unit 133 transition into Mojave Desert habitat with desert shrub and cactus. Riparian and spring-fed areas support willows and cottonwoods at seeps and canyon streams. Four year-round streams and multiple springs provide water in the higher ranges.

Mule deer are the primary big game species; NDOW's December 2023 aerial survey observed no deer in Unit 133, with animals concentrated in adjacent Unit 131 (White Pine Range, Currant Hills area). Unit 133 deer are primarily migratory animals passing through or wintering in the lower basins. Pronghorn antelope use the broad sagebrush valleys (Garden Valley, Coal Valley, White River Valley, Hot Creek Valley, Railroad Valley corridors); a September 2023 ground survey classified 346 antelope in unit group 132–134, 245, with ratios of 22 bucks:100 does:37 fawns. Population has experienced multi-year drought-related declines but showed improved fawn recruitment in 2023. Desert bighorn sheep (Nelson/desert subspecies) occupy the Pahranagat Range within unit group 245, 133; the last aerial survey (September 2022) classified 85 bighorn with ratios of 24 rams:100 ewes:20 lambs; a 2020 survey classified 113 sheep. Disease monitoring (Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae) was conducted in 2012 and 2015 with negative active infection results. Elk are not established in Unit 133. Mountain lion are present throughout the unit. Feral horses above Appropriate Management Levels compete with wildlife for forage and water. Chukar partridge, sage grouse, and Gambel's quail occur in appropriate habitat.

All harvest and quota data are reported at the unit group level: unit group 131-134 for deer; unit group 132-134, 245 for pronghorn; unit group 245, 133 for desert bighorn sheep. The December 2023 NDOW aerial survey explicitly reported no deer observed in Unit 133; unit-133-specific deer density is very low. Pronghorn archery season is Aug 1-Aug 14 (not Aug 1-Aug 21). No aerial bighorn survey was conducted in 2023; last survey was September 2022. Elk are not documented in Unit 133.