Unit 115

Windy Peak and Pilot Knob Ridge provide high-elevation glassing vantage points across the basins. Osceola Arch offers a distinctive landmark for orientation. The Sinks of Baker form a notable depression in the landscape.

Multiple canyons—Red Canon, Peacock Canyon, Arch Canyon, Serpent Gulch—create natural travel corridors and hunting access routes. The Cedars near Baker mark a timber concentration. Shingle Creek, Willard Creek, and Sage Creek provide both water and drainage routes.

Shoshone Ponds adds another water reference point. These features are scattered enough that route-finding and map skills are essential.

Elevations span from around 5,100 feet in the lower valleys to over 11,400 feet on the highest ridges, creating a significant elevation gradient. Lower basins are predominantly open sagebrush and grassland with scattered juniper and pinyon. Middle elevations transition to ponderosa and mixed conifer forest interspersed with meadows and aspen.

Upper slopes feature dense timber and alpine meadows. This vertical relief supports the full range of species present, from pronghorn in the basins to bighorn sheep and mountain goats on steep, rocky terrain. The complexity comes from navigating between these zones across broken country.

Over 530 miles of roads traverse the unit, but road density is relatively low across the vast acreage, creating a mixed-access situation. Most roads are rough two-track or unimproved, requiring high-clearance or four-wheel drive vehicles. Main access follows old mining roads and ranch roads, with Highway 50 and 93 as primary approaches.

The unit's size and complexity mean that pressure concentrates on accessible lower valleys and near water sources, while remote ridges and upper canyons see fewer hunters. Navigating to the best country requires willingness to work harder than adjacent units. Early season and shoulder months may see more pressure near reliable water.

Unit 115 occupies a vast swath of White Pine and Lincoln Counties in central Nevada, bounded by Highway 50 to the north and Highway 93 to the west, with the Atlanta Mine Road marking the western edge from Lake Valley Summit south to the Lincoln County line. The unit encompasses multiple distinct valleys and mountain ranges, including the Egan Range and surrounding basins. Shoshone and Baker serve as reference points within or near the unit, though much of the territory is remote and sparsely populated.

The surrounding landscape is typical Great Basin—vast, exposed, and with limited development.

Water availability is the critical limiting factor in Unit 115. Springs are the primary water source, with notable locations including Sacramento Springs, Cedar Cabin Spring, Mud Spring, Jacks Spring, South Fox Spring, and several others. Reliability varies seasonally and by location. Shingle Creek, Willard Creek, Sage Creek, and Grace Creek provide perennial or semi-perennial flow but are often several miles apart.

Baker Reservoir offers reliable water but may not be accessible from all hunting areas. Hunters must scout spring conditions and understand water locations before hunting, as dry camps are common. Early-season hunting may be complicated by available water.

Unit 115 supports elk, mule deer, pronghorn, moose, and mountain lion at lower to mid elevations, with bighorn sheep, mountain goats, and black bear in higher, steeper terrain. Elk concentrate in forested ridges and canyon bottoms, migrating to higher elevations as temperatures rise. Mule deer use the transition zones between sagebrush and timber.

Pronghorn favor open basins but must access water regularly. Bighorn sheep utilize cliff country on the steeper ridges and peaks, rarely far from rocky terrain. The hunting approach depends heavily on elevation and target species.

Early season rewards higher-elevation hunting; as season progresses, water sources become critical focal points. The complex topography means glassing opportunities exist from prominent ridges, but stalking success requires understanding canyon systems and travel routes.