Units 104, 108B, 121 Elk Hunting, Nevada
Nevada hunt units drawn together · 3,269 sq mi
Draw hunts — squared bonus points
Every hunt here is a draw hunt, named by its weapon, what may be taken and its dates. In Nevada's draw an application is given one random number plus extra random numbers equal to its bonus points squared, and tags go to the lowest numbers first, so more bonus points always improve a hunter's chance but never guarantee a tag. Residents and nonresidents have separate quotas. 2 hunts here have no nonresident tags; a nonresident cannot draw them.
What hunting Units 104, 108B, 121 is like
Units 104, 108B, 121 are gentle and rolling country overall, with the great majority of ground classed as gentle and only a sliver of steep or rugged terrain. Lower elevations run to shrub and brush with a little riparian and grass and meadow mixed in, mid elevations hold a blend of shrub and brush with conifer and pinyon-juniper and some grass and meadow, and the higher country shifts to mostly conifer and pinyon-juniper with shrub and brush and grass and meadow filling the rest. Elevation runs from about 5,700 feet up to about 10,500 feet. The hunts below cover Units 104, 108B, 121 together.
Public land dominates the region, with BLM managing almost all of the ground; a small remainder is other land that is neither public nor private. That ownership figure is not the same as open access — some BLM ground here can only be reached by crossing private land, so a hunter should plan routes rather than assume a straight line in. The Goshute Cave fire burned about 31,000 acres here in 2018, a small share of the total area; seasons running now fall five to eight years out from that burn, when the regrowth is thick brush and saplings five feet and taller with increasing deadfall, which hides animals easily.
The draw ties the seasons together: residents and nonresidents draw from separate quotas, and within each pool more bonus points improve a hunter's position without ever guaranteeing a tag. Nonresidents may apply for the archery, muzzleloader and any-legal-weapon hunts for antlered and antlerless elk, but neither spike elk hunt carries any nonresident tags at all.
Elk hunts in Units 104, 108B, 121 (2026-27)
Each row is a hunt, told apart by its weapon, what may be taken and its dates. Draw difficulty is in words from the 2025 draw results: good, fair, long or very long odds, read for a hunter with no bonus points and for one holding 5 bonus points, in each pool. A hunt that covers only part of a unit says so under its name.
| Hunt | Dates | Legal elk | Resident | Nonresident | Rut phase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | August 1 – August 24 | Antlerless elk (cows and calves) | No points: Very long odds 5 points: Fair odds | Nonresidents can apply No draw odds shown | Late Summer / Velvet, Pre-Rut Transition |
| Archery | August 25 – September 16 | Antlered elk (bulls) | No points: Very long odds 5 points: Long odds | No points: Very long odds 5 points: Very long odds | Pre-Rut Transition, Rut Onset, Primary Rut |
| Muzzleloader | September 17 – September 26 | Antlerless elk (cows and calves) | No points: Very long odds 5 points: Good odds | No points: Long odds 5 points: Good odds | Primary Rut |
| Any legal weapon | September 27 – October 4 | Antlerless elk (cows and calves) | No points: Very long odds 5 points: Long odds | No points: Very long odds 5 points: Long odds | Primary Rut, Late Rut / Early Post-Rut |
| Any legal weapon | September 27 – October 4 | Spike elk | No points: Very long odds 5 points: Long odds | No nonresident tags | Primary Rut, Late Rut / Early Post-Rut |
| Muzzleloader | October 22 – November 5 | Antlered elk (bulls) | No points: Very long odds 5 points: Long odds | No points: Very long odds 5 points: Very long odds | Post-Rut Recovery, Migration Transition |
| Any legal weapon | November 6 – November 20 | Antlered elk (bulls) | No points: Very long odds 5 points: Very long odds | No points: Very long odds 5 points: Very long odds | Migration Transition |
| Any legal weapon | November 21 – December 4 | Antlered elk (bulls) | No points: Very long odds 5 points: Long odds | No points: Very long odds 5 points: Very long odds | Migration Transition, Winter Range |
| Any legal weapon | December 5, 2026 – January 1, 2027 | Antlerless elk (cows and calves) | No points: Very long odds 5 points: Long odds | No points: Very long odds 5 points: Long odds | — |
| Any legal weapon | December 5, 2026 – January 1, 2027 | Spike elk | No points: Very long odds 5 points: Fair odds | No nonresident tags | — |
"No nonresident tags" means a nonresident cannot draw that hunt. "No draw odds shown" means that pool has tags for the hunt but too little draw history to put its odds in words. Odds are per application, never a promise, and a hunter with no bonus points can draw. A hunter needs no particular number of points for any hunt.
108B is NDOW's name for the part of Unit 108 north of the Falcon-to-Gonder powerline; the hunts below cover only that part of 108.
Some hunts take in these units together with other units, so they have their own guides. Check them too:
Archery · Antlerless elk (cows and calves) · August 1 – August 24
This stretch runs through the Late Summer / Velvet phase into the Pre-Rut Transition phase, outside the rut. A resident hunter faces very long odds at zero bonus points but fair odds with 5 bonus points on this tag.
Archery · Antlered elk (bulls) · August 25 – September 16
Archery hunters here work through the Pre-Rut Transition phase into Rut Onset and on into the Primary Rut, a stretch when bulls are shedding velvet early on and still holding close to summer ground. Sitting water sources or glassing for a spot-and-stalk can be effective in the first week or two. Residents face very long odds at zero bonus points and long odds with 5 bonus points, while nonresidents face very long odds at both zero and 5 bonus points.
Muzzleloader · Antlerless elk (cows and calves) · September 17 – September 26
Falling squarely in the Primary Rut phase, this short muzzleloader antlerless season falls in the rut. Residents see very long odds at zero bonus points but good odds with 5 bonus points, and nonresidents see long odds at zero bonus points improving to good odds with 5 bonus points.
Any legal weapon · Antlerless elk (cows and calves) · September 27 – October 4
Running from the tail of the Primary Rut into the Late Rut / Early Post-Rut phase, this any-legal-weapon antlerless hunt falls in the rut. Residents face very long odds at zero bonus points and long odds with 5 bonus points, and nonresidents see the same spread, very long odds at zero bonus points and long odds with 5 bonus points.
Any legal weapon · Spike elk · September 27 – October 4
Covering the same Primary Rut and Late Rut / Early Post-Rut window, this spike elk season is a resident-only hunt. Residents face very long odds at zero bonus points and long odds with 5 bonus points, and there are no nonresident tags on this hunt at all.
Muzzleloader · Antlered elk (bulls) · October 22 – November 5
Spanning the Post-Rut Recovery phase into the Migration Transition phase, this muzzleloader bull season rewards patience: bulls recovering from the rut may settle into secluded areas, which can make hunting them similar to hunting mule deer, so glassing feeding openings at the edges of the day and walking for fresh tracks and droppings through the slow hours pays off. Later in this window bulls may regroup into bachelor bands, and as elk start shifting toward wintering ground, large cow groups may become less concentrated. November averages about 4.2 inches of snowfall with lows near 23°F. Residents face very long odds at zero bonus points and long odds with 5 bonus points, while nonresidents face very long odds at both zero and 5 bonus points.
Any legal weapon · Antlered elk (bulls) · November 6 – November 20
This any-legal-weapon bull hunt falls in the Migration Transition phase, when bachelor groups may reform and elk begin moving toward wintering country, while large cow groups may become less concentrated. Fresh sign along that transition matters more than old sign, since historical use doesn't confirm elk are there now. November averages about 4.2 inches of snowfall with lows near 23°F. Both pools face very long odds at zero bonus points and at 5 bonus points on this hunt.
Any legal weapon · Antlered elk (bulls) · November 21 – December 4
Running from the Migration Transition phase into the Winter Range phase, this late bull season has bulls that may be grouped with other bulls, and wintering areas may show repeated use across years; historical sign can narrow the search, but fresh tracks, droppings, or sightings are what confirm elk are actually there. November averages about 4.2 inches of snowfall with lows near 23°F, and December about 6.8 inches with lows near 16°F. Residents face very long odds at zero bonus points and long odds with 5 bonus points, while nonresidents face very long odds at both zero and 5 bonus points.
Any legal weapon · Antlerless elk (cows and calves) · December 5, 2026 – January 1, 2027
This closing antlerless hunt runs December 5 to January 1, with December averaging about 6.8 inches of snowfall and lows near 16°F and January about 8 inches with lows near 17°F, so snow depth is worth checking. Residents face very long odds at zero bonus points and long odds with 5 bonus points, and nonresidents see the same spread, very long odds at zero bonus points and long odds with 5 bonus points.
Any legal weapon · Spike elk · December 5, 2026 – January 1, 2027
This closing spike elk hunt runs December 5 to January 1, with December averaging about 6.8 inches of snowfall and lows near 16°F and January about 8 inches with lows near 17°F, so snow depth is worth checking. It is a resident-only hunt, and residents face very long odds at zero bonus points but fair odds with 5 bonus points; there are no nonresident tags on this hunt.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 5,700–10,500 ft, typically around 6,500 ft
- Slope breakdown
- 74% gentle · 22% moderate · 4% steep · 0% rugged
- Public land by ownership
- ~3,203 sq mi
Habitat & cover
What grows here, by elevation. Each band adds to 100% on its own — these are shares of that band, not of the region.
Lower elevations
- Shrub and brush89%
- Riparian5%
- Other cover5%
- Grass and meadow1%
Mid elevations
- Shrub and brush69%
- Conifer and pinyon-juniper27%
- Grass and meadow4%
Higher elevations
- Conifer and pinyon-juniper64%
- Shrub and brush30%
- Grass and meadow6%
Across the unit
- Shrub and brush77%
- Conifer and pinyon-juniper19%
- Grass and meadow2%
- Riparian2%
Cover classes from the USGS National Land Cover Database. “Other cover” is the remainder — bare ground, water, agriculture and developed land.
Recent fires
Wildfires in the last several seasons that burned a meaningful share of Units 104, 108B, 121. Fire perimeters show how much of the region burned, not how hot — and closures change through the year, so check current fire closures and restrictions before you go.
- Goshute Cave fire, 2018 — about 31,000 acres in the region (1%).
Fire perimeters from the National Interagency Fire Center.
Land & access
About 98% of Units 104, 108B, 121 is public land by ownership — BLM. Ownership is not the same as legal access: public land can be reachable only across private ground, and some parcels are closed or restricted.
- BLM98%
- Other land2%
- Private<1%
Private land: permission is the hunter's to get.
Fall weather
- August — highs around 82°F, lows around 51°F
- September — highs around 73°F, lows around 43°F
- October — highs around 60°F, lows around 32°F, about 0.4 in of snowfall
- November — highs around 47°F, lows around 23°F, about 4.2 in of snowfall
- December — highs around 38°F, lows around 16°F, about 6.8 in of snowfall
Units 104, 108B, 121 elk hunting FAQ
Can a hunter get an elk tag in Units 104, 108B, 121?
A hunter applies through Nevada's draw for a specific weapon and legal animal combination within these units, since every elk hunt here is awarded through the draw rather than sold directly. There is no over-the-counter option; a hunter must be drawn for antlered, antlerless, or spike elk, each handled as its own category.
How hard are the hunts to draw, and does it differ for residents and nonresidents?
Yes, residents and nonresidents draw from separate quotas on every hunt where both pools exist, and the odds in each pool move from longer at zero bonus points toward better with 5 bonus points, though a tag is never guaranteed at either level. Some hunts favor one pool over the other, so a hunter should look at the odds for their own residency status rather than assume both pools behave the same way.
Can a nonresident hunt every season offered here?
No. Nonresidents may apply for the archery, muzzleloader, and any-legal-weapon antlered and antlerless elk hunts, but both spike elk seasons carry no nonresident tags at all and are closed to nonresidents entirely.
Does Nevada have bonus points, and how do they work?
Nevada uses bonus points rather than preference points, and a hunter earns one by applying unsuccessfully or by purchasing a point instead of applying, as long as they hold an active hunting or combination license at the time of the draw. Antlered, antlerless, and spike elk are tracked as three separate point categories, and a hunter who misses applying in a category for two years running loses the points built up in it. In Nevada's draw an application is given one random number plus extra random numbers equal to its bonus points squared, and tags go to the lowest numbers first, so more bonus points always improve a hunter's chance but never guarantee a tag.
Which seasons here fall during the rut, and how much of the region is public land?
The archery bull season, the muzzleloader antlerless season, and both the any-legal-weapon antlerless and spike seasons running September 27 through October 4 all fall within the rut window; the remaining seasons run outside it. Public land managed by BLM covers almost all of the region's roughly 3,269 square miles, with a small remainder classed as other land, though reaching public ground here can still require crossing private property in places.
Data sources & methodology
- Nevada Department of Wildlife — 2026 Big Game Application FAQ — how the draw works, how bonus points are earned, squared and lost, and how many hunt choices an application takes
- Nevada Department of Wildlife — 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 big game hunting seasons (Commission Regulation 25-07) — season dates, weapons and legal animals for each group of units
- Nevada Department of Wildlife — Bonus point and application choice trends — the draw results behind the draw-difficulty words
- USGS / MRLC — National Land Cover Database — habitat and cover classes by elevation band
- USGS PAD-US — Protected Areas Database of the United States — land ownership and access
- PRISM Climate Group — 1991–2020 normals — fall weather
- National Interagency Fire Center — wildfire perimeters — recent fires, their size and where they burned
Draw difficulty is a qualitative reading of the modelled chance from the 2025 draw results for each pool, not published odds. Rut phases are borrowed regional timing, not Nevada-specific dates. Land shares are separate, non-overlapping categories. Confirm every rule with the Nevada Department of Wildlife before you apply.