The southern tip of this largely public unit is at Gerlach, which is about 85 miles northeast of Reno. The northern boundary is about 40 miles to the north. Hunters going after antelope, California bighorn sheep or mule deer have good road access in most places.

This is a good area to hunt California bighorn sheep.

Most steep areas are associated with the Granite Mountains, while the rest of the unit is broken to mild terrain. Elevations range from 4,000 feet in the Black Rock and Smoke Creek deserts to 8,900 feet near Granite Peak. Natural and artificial water sources are common in most of the Granite Range in the south, while water is scattered in the north.

Public road access is good, but access is limited in some places and not just because of private property. Nearly the entire unit can be reached by foot if not by motor vehicle. State Route 447 is the western boundary, while County Road 34 is the eastern boundary. The Lost Creek-Grass Valley is the northern border. Several dirt roads branching from those roads provide good interior access.

Sagebrush and scattered stands of bitterbrush dominate in the north and east. In the rest of the unit, primarily in the Granite Range, vegetation shows more variety, not just brush but also stands of pinyons, junipers, aspens and mahoganies.

Gerlach in the south has limited lodging during hunting seasons, but food and supplies are always available. Squaw Reservoir in the southwest offers good campsites and level terrain for parking travel trailers.