Unit 208, Nevada

Broken, steep, and rocky mountain terrain rising from broad sagebrush valleys and alkali/salt flat basins at roughly 4,000 ft elevation to the summit of Miller Mountain at 8,736 ft in the Candelaria Hills (Wikipedia: Candelaria Hills); adjacent Excelsior Mountains reach Moho Mountain at 8,805 ft (Wikipedia: Excelsior Mountains). Talus slopes, rocky ridges, and canyon drainages dominate the mid to upper elevations, with expansive open flats at lower elevations.

Nearly all land is BLM public land under the Battle Mountain District / Tonopah Field Office (1553 S Main St, Tonopah, NV; 775-482-7800). The Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest borders the western end of the Excelsior Mountains. Primary highway access: US Highway 95 provides the main north-south corridor along the north and east sides of the unit; State Route 360 (branching west from US 95 near Luning) accesses the west side of the Candelaria Hills and Miller Mountain. US Highway 6 runs along the south edge of the broader area near Tonopah. Roads: A large network of 2-track and unimproved dirt roads fans out from SR 360 and US 95 into both the Excelsior Mountains and Candelaria Hills. Many roads are passable by high-clearance 2WD in dry conditions; 4WD is recommended (often required) for the more remote and high-elevation spurs. Roads can become impassable after rain or snow. No designated Wilderness areas within unit 208. Primitive camping is available throughout on BLM land; no developed campgrounds or trailheads.

Desert shrubs (shadscale, greasewood, winterfat) and low sagebrush on valley floors and alluvial fans below roughly 5,500 ft; scattered single-leaf pinyon pine and Utah juniper woodlands on mid-elevation slopes; limited grass and forb understory. Greater Sage-grouse Bi-State habitat is present on sagebrush flats. Perennial water is scarce; NDOW and BLM maintain guzzlers and developed water sources throughout the unit. No alpine zone; no major aspen or riparian forest.

Mule Deer: Unit 208 is winter range for the Walker-Mono Interstate Herd (MA 20), a large herd shared with California's Zone X-12. Deer migrate down from California's Sierra Nevada following early-season snowstorms, though in mild winters many animals remain on the California side. A resident deer component is also present. Buck ratios are low across the unit group; NDOW and CDFW cooperatively manage this herd (per NDOW Hunt Information Sheet). Desert Bighorn Sheep: Two distinct herds occupy the unit — the Candelaria Hills/Garfield Hills herd and the Excelsior Mountains herd. The 2024 aerial survey of units 206 and 208 classified 182 sheep (45 rams, 93 ewes, 44 lambs; 48 lambs:100 ewes). The Candelaria and Garfield herds are growing; the Excelsior herd is under pressure from feral burro competition, conifer encroachment, and mountain lion predation. Pronghorn Antelope: A resident herd ranges across the Candelaria Hills, Garfield Flat, Stewart Valley, Whiskey Flat, Teels Marsh, and surrounding flats. Animals are mobile and broadly dispersed; habitat is considered marginal and the herd is not large (per NDOW biologist notes). The herd was re-established by transplant in the late 1980s–early 1990s. Mountain Lion: Present and documented predating bighorn sheep; predator management has been conducted in the unit. Upland Birds: Chukar partridge are present in rocky hillside habitat across the unit group (confirmed by NDOW biologist notes). Greater Sage-grouse of the Bi-State population use sagebrush flats.

1. Harvest and quota data for mule deer and pronghorn is reported at the unit GROUP level (202, 205-208 for deer; 205-208 for pronghorn; 206, 208 for bighorn sheep) — unit-208-specific breakdowns are not published separately by NDOW. 2. Mule deer muzzleloader season is Dec 1-Dec 15 (verified from CR 25-07); the draft incorrectly listed Sept 10-Oct 4. 3. The 2025 quota document recommended 40 resident ALW deer tags; 45 were issued per harvest statistics. 4. Pronghorn population estimate for the unit is not published separately by NDOW; the herd is described as 'not large' and habitat as 'marginal' per NDOW biologist notes. 5. The Walker-Mono Interstate Deer Herd migration is jointly managed with California CDFW (Zone X-12); mild winters in recent years have reduced deer reaching Nevada. 6. No elk, mountain goat, or moose are present in unit 208. 7. Season dates are 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 (same dates per CR 25-07). 8. Public land percentage (99%) sourced from GoHunt unit profile; independently consistent with BLM Tonopah Field Office jurisdiction.