Quick Tips
- Cell phone service in most of unit 21 but limited in spots
- Shooting bullets prohibited within 5,000 feet of an occupied building
- Washoe County map of no-shooting areas
- With several cities in the unit, public outdoor recreation is popular
| species | general Size | trophy potential |
|---|---|---|
| Mule Deer | 140"-160" | 170"+ |
| Antelope | 70"-80" | 80"+ |
On The Ground
Mix of public and private land below 7,800 feet in elevation. Fair road access to public areas, some parts open only to hikers, mostly desert brush with scattered stands of pinyon and juniper and higher aspen stands.
All mule deer seasons (archery, muzzleloader and rifle) are in December. Migration and winter range hunt for muleys are present. Califonia bighorn sheep have a small population in this unit.
Terrain
Unit 21 encompasses Dogskin Mountain, Petersen Mountain, Fort Sage Mountains and Seven Lakes Mountain. Large valleys include Hungry, Antelope, Bedell and Red Rock. Terrain varies from rolling hills to steep canyons and from saltbrush flats to plateaus and peaks. Natural and artificial year-round water sources are scattered throughout the unit with more water at higher elevations.
Roughly 437 square miles
62.1% public land
Elevations from 4,500-7,800 feet
Vegetation
Range fires over the past 20 years or so have resulted in a great deal of cheatgrass at lower elevations. Saltbrush covers other low areas. Upper elevations also have been burned but are recovering with natural vegetation favored by wildlife, mostly sagebrush with a mix of bitterbrush, fourwing saltbush, ephedra and juniper with aspen and mahogany stands in the upper elevations on Petersen, Dogskin and Fort Sage mountains.
Access
Private land limits public road access to several areas. Hunting is prohibited in North Reno, Sparks and Spanish Springs and Bureau of Indian Affairs land (Hungry Valley reservation) though roads on the reservation are open to the public. The best north-south road is Pyramid Highway (State Route 445). US Route 395 from California accesses parts.
Camping and Lodging
Lodging, supplies and fuel are available in Reno/Sparks. Fuel and supplies are also available in Spanish Springs, Border Town/Cold Springs, Hallelujah Junction and Doyle as well as Herlong, California. There are no maintained camp sites, but hunters may camp or park trailers anywhere along roads on public land.
Historical Temperatures
High
Low
Moon Phases
April 2025
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
2
3