Nevada mule deer hunting in unit 121
Unit 121 is a single unit in White Pine and Elko counties: 806,695 acres, 91.5% public land, mostly BLM (737,987 acres), measured from BLM's surface management map. In 2025, NDOW issued 121 antlered mule deer tags here across 10 hunts; 114 hunters went afield and 70 were successful (61% of those who hunted, worked out from NDOW's two figures). NDOW's draw rate for the resident any-legal-weapon hunt (Oct 5 - Oct 20) was 15%: 55 tags for a demand of 364.
Data updated October 2026. Tags and harvest: NDOW hunt statistics, 2022 to 2025. Seasons: NDOW's 2026-2027 regulation with its January 2026 amendment. Land: BLM.
BLMNational forestNational wildlife refugeState landTribal landUnit 121Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Units | 121 |
|---|---|
| County | White Pine and Elko |
| NDOW region | Eastern Region |
| Size | 806,695 acres (1,260 square miles) |
| Public land | 91.5% (737,987 acres) |
| Antlered mule deer tags, 2025 | 121 issued, quota 121 |
| Successful hunters, 2025 | 70 of 114 afield |
| Resident any-legal-weapon draw rate, 2025 (NDOW) | 15% (55 tags, demand 364) |
| Nonresident any-legal-weapon draw rate, 2025 (NDOW) | 5% (4 tags, demand 73) |
| Resident antlered mule deer season, any legal weapon, 2026 | October 5 to 20 (early); October 21 to November 5 (late) |
| Towns in and near it | Ely |
How many mule deer tags does NDOW issue in unit 121?
NDOW issued 121 antlered mule deer tags for unit 121 in 2025, against a quota of 121. Every 2025 hunt in the group, as NDOW reports it:
| Hunt | Residency | Weapon | Season | Quota | Tags issued | Demand | NDOW draw rate | Hunters afield | Successful | Hunter success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mule Deer Antlered | Resident | Any legal weapon | Oct 5 - Oct 20 | 55 | 55 | 364 | 15% | 53 | 39 | 74% |
| Mule Deer Antlered | Resident | Any legal weapon | Oct 21 - Nov 5 | 8 | 8 | 172 | 5% | 8 | 6 | 75% |
| Mule Deer Antlered | Resident | Archery | Aug 10 - Sep 9 | 25 | 25 | 41 | 61% | 22 | 5 | 23% |
| Mule Deer Antlered | Resident | Archery | Nov 10 - Nov 20 | 7 | 7 | 26 | 27% | 7 | 4 | 57% |
| Mule Deer Antlered | Resident | Muzzleloader | Sep 10 - Oct 4 | 15 | 15 | 37 | 41% | 13 | 8 | 62% |
| Mule Deer Antlered | Nonresident | Any legal weapon | Oct 5 - Oct 20 | 4 | 4 | 73 | 5% | 4 | 4 | 100% |
| Mule Deer Antlered | Nonresident | Any legal weapon | Oct 21 - Nov 5 | 1 | 1 | 61 | 2% | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| Mule Deer Antlered | Nonresident | Archery | Aug 10 - Sep 9 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 25% | 3 | 2 | 67% |
| Mule Deer Antlered | Nonresident | Archery | Nov 10 - Nov 20 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 9% | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Mule Deer Antlered | Nonresident | Muzzleloader | Sep 10 - Oct 4 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 18% | 2 | 1 | 50% |
Source: NDOW Big Game Hunt Statistics (2022 to 2025; 2025 from NDOW's 2025 hunt data workbook). Demand is NDOW's count of tags awarded plus unsuccessful first-choice applicants. NDOW's draw rate is its quota divided by that demand; NDOW says it does not account for bonus points. Hunter success is successful hunters out of hunters afield.
What is hunter success for mule deer in unit 121?
70 of 114 hunters afield were successful in 2025, 61% across the group's hunts. For the resident any legal weapon hunt (Oct 5 - Oct 20), NDOW reports 28% of the harvest were bucks with 4 or more points. The group year by year:
| Year | Hunts | Quota | Tags issued | Hunters afield | Successful hunters | Success, all hunts | Labels NDOW used for the group |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10 | 121 | 121 | 114 | 70 | 61% | 121 |
| 2024 | 10 | 99 | 99 | 90 | 59 | 66% | 121 |
| 2023 | 10 | 73 | 74 | 62 | 41 | 66% | 121 |
| 2022 | 10 | 64 | 64 | 58 | 32 | 55% | 121 |
Source: NDOW Big Game Hunt Statistics (2022 to 2025; 2025 from NDOW's 2025 hunt data workbook). Totals are NDOW's hunt rows added together; the success share is worked out from NDOW's own two figures. A year is shown only where NDOW published the group's hunts; NDOW sometimes splits a unit with a letter (108B, 144A) or a portion, and those labels are listed.
What other mule deer hunts cover these units?
NDOW's other 2025 mule deer hunts with exactly this unit group:
| Hunt | Residency | Weapon | Season | Quota | Tags issued | Demand | NDOW draw rate | Hunters afield | Successful | Hunter success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mule Deer Guided Antlered | Nonresident | Any legal weapon | Oct 21 - Nov 5 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 13% | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| Mule Deer Junior | Resident | Special weapon restriction | Aug 10 - Nov 2 | 40 | 40 | 84 | 48% | 34 | 30 | 88% |
Source: NDOW Big Game Hunt Statistics (2022 to 2025; 2025 from NDOW's 2025 hunt data workbook).
When is mule deer season in unit 121 in 2026?
The 2026-2027 seasons NDOW's regulation sets for this unit group:
| Hunt number | Hunt | Weapon | Unit group as NDOW prints it | 2026-2027 season | 2025-2026 season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1331 | Resident Mule Deer - Antlered | Any Legal Weapon | 121 Early | Oct 5 - Oct 20 | Oct 5 - Oct 20 |
| 1331 | Resident Mule Deer - Antlered | Any Legal Weapon | 121 Late | Oct 21 - Nov 5 | Oct 21 - Nov 5 |
| 1332 | Nonresident Mule Deer - Antlered | Any Legal Weapon | 121 Early | Oct 5 - Oct 20 | Oct 5 - Oct 20 |
| 1332 | Nonresident Mule Deer - Antlered | Any Legal Weapon | 121 Late | Oct 21 - Nov 5 | Oct 21 - Nov 5 |
| 1371 | Resident Mule Deer - Antlered | Muzzleloader | 121 | Sep 10 - Oct 4 | Sep 10 - Oct 4 |
| 1372 | Nonresident Mule Deer - Antlered | Muzzleloader | 121 | Sep 10 - Oct 4 | Sep 10 - Oct 4 |
| 1341 | Resident Mule Deer - Antlered | Archery | 121 Early | Aug 10 - Sep 9 | Aug 10 - Sep 9 |
| 1341 | Resident Mule Deer - Antlered | Archery | 121 Late | Nov 10 - Nov 20 | Nov 10 - Nov 20 |
| 1342 | Nonresident Mule Deer - Antlered | Archery | 121 Early | Aug 10 - Sep 9 | Aug 10 - Sep 9 |
| 1342 | Nonresident Mule Deer - Antlered | Archery | 121 Late | Nov 10 - Nov 20 | Nov 10 - Nov 20 |
Source: NDOW Commission Regulation 25-07, 2026-2027 big game seasons, with Amendment #2 (January 2026). * Changed or added by Amendment #2. NDOW can change a season during the year; check NDOW before you go.
How much public land is in unit 121?
91.5% of unit 121 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 737,987 of 806,695 acres. The largest share is BLM, 737,987 acres or 91.5%.
| Manager | Acres | Share |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 737,987 | 91.5% |
| Tribal land | 2,365 | 0.3% |
Measured by FilledTag inside NDOW's unit boundaries from BLM Surface Management Agency map (national, limited scale), a generalized national map; the rest is private or not mapped. Military, Energy Department and tribal land are not counted as open to hunting (they are closed to the public or need the owner's permission).
Other species NDOW groups with unit 121: Pronghorn antelope (078, 105 - 107, 121), Elk (104, 108, 121).
How do you get to unit 121?
Highways through it: NV 489 (about 19 miles inside). Along its boundary: US 93, US 50 and NV 13. Towns and places inside: Ely.
Which units border unit 121?
6 hunt units touch unit 121. Their public land and their own mule deer group:
| Unit | Public land | Mule deer page | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 104 | 99.3% | 101 - 109 | White Pine, Elko |
| Unit 105 | 88.8% | 101 - 109 | Elko |
| Unit 106 | 95.6% | 101 - 109 | Elko |
| Unit 109 | 98.9% | 101 - 109 | Elko |
| Unit 111 | 90.5% | 111 - 113 | White Pine |
| Unit 131 | 97% | 131 - 134 | White Pine, Nye |
Questions hunters ask
How many mule deer tags are there in unit 121?
NDOW set a quota of 121 antlered mule deer tags for unit 121 in 2025 and issued 121, across 10 hunts by residency, weapon and season. In 2024 it issued 99.
What is hunter success for mule deer in unit 121?
In 2025, 70 of the 114 hunters NDOW counted afield took an antlered mule deer here, 61% across every hunt in the group. For the resident any legal weapon hunt (Oct 5 - Oct 20), NDOW reports 28% of the harvest were bucks with 4 or more points.
How hard is it to draw a mule deer tag in unit 121?
NDOW's draw rate for the 2025 resident any-legal-weapon hunt here was 15%: a quota of 55 against a demand of 364. For nonresidents it was 5% (4 tags, demand 73). NDOW describes the draw rate as quota divided by demand; it does not account for bonus points.
When is mule deer season in unit 121 in 2026?
For antlered mule deer, NDOW's 2026-2027 regulation sets: resident archery, August 10 to September 9 (early); resident muzzleloader, September 10 to October 4; resident any legal weapon, October 5 to 20 (early); resident any legal weapon, October 21 to November 5 (late); resident archery, November 10 to 20 (late); nonresident archery, August 10 to September 9 (early).
How much public land is in unit 121?
91.5% of the 806,695 acres, measured from BLM's surface management map; the largest share is BLM, 737,987 acres.
What is the closest town to unit 121?
Ely is inside the unit.
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Where these numbers come from
- Tags, quota, demand, draw rate, hunters and success: NDOW Big Game Hunt Statistics (2022 to 2025; 2025 from NDOW's 2025 hunt data workbook).
- Seasons: NDOW Commission Regulation 25-07, 2026-2027 big game seasons, with Amendment #2 (January 2026).
- Public land: BLM Surface Management Agency map (national, limited scale). Unit boundaries: NDOW hunt units.
- Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 primary and secondary roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer, places.
FilledTag is not part of the Nevada Department of Wildlife. Numbers are copied from NDOW or measured from public maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.