Nevada Unit 173 Elk Hunting Guide

Nevada Unit 173 is a big, rugged, elk-rich landscape spanning nearly a million acres of mostly public ground, making it one of the more intriguing draw options for hunters chasing elk in the state. With 998,902 total acres and public land covering 99% of the unit, access is about as good as it gets in the West — there's essentially no private-land bottleneck to worry about here. Elevations range from 4,870 feet up to 11,740 feet, giving hunters everything from low sagebrush benches to high alpine basins to work with, and 12% of the unit falls within designated wilderness for hunters looking to get well away from roads and pressure.

This is a unit built for hunters who want room to roam and are willing to put in scouting time to find elk scattered across a huge amount of country. Nevada's elk hunting overall is known for solid bull quality relative to hunter density, and Unit 173 fits that mold — moderate pressure, big country, and a management structure that spreads a modest number of tags across several distinct hunt types.

Herd Health & Population Trends

Recent harvest data shows a unit that's trending in a positive direction for elk hunters. In 2025, 78 hunters harvested 36 elk for a 46% success rate — up from 41% in 2024 (83 hunters, 34 harvested) and 36% in 2023 (69 hunters, 25 harvested). That's a meaningful three-year climb in success, even as hunter numbers have stayed relatively flat in the high-70s to low-80s range. A rising success rate on a stable number of hunters is a good sign — it suggests either improving elk density, better distribution, or both, rather than success being driven simply by more tags flooding the field.

On the tag-quota side, the picture is mixed but informative. The ALW-Elk Antlered Early hunt held steady at 30 tags in both 2024 and 2025. The ALW-Elk Antlered Late hunt saw a cut from 36 tags in 2024 down to 30 in 2025, a 17% reduction. Meanwhile, the AR-Elk Antlered hunt type jumped from 7 tags to 12, a 71% increase, and the M-Elk Antlered hunt dropped from 9 to 7 tags, a 22% cut. These are independent hunt types and shouldn't be read as one trend — but the overall picture is a management approach making relatively small, targeted adjustments rather than wholesale shifts, which typically points to a herd being managed conservatively rather than one in decline.

Trophy Quality

Trophy data for the counties overlapping Unit 173 shows a moderate history of trophy-class elk production. This isn't a unit with a heavy, decades-deep record of exceptional bulls, but it has produced trophy-class animals historically and remains a legitimate option for hunters hoping to tag a mature bull. Given the shared nature of county-level trophy record data, these records are also associated with neighboring units in the same counties — the animals recorded may have come from anywhere across that broader area, not necessarily from within Unit 173's exact boundaries.

Hunters should treat this as a unit with real trophy potential, not a guaranteed giant-bull factory, but one where a patient, well-scouted hunter focused on the wilderness pockets and less-pressured high country has a realistic shot at a mature bull.

Access & Terrain

Unit 173 is about as accessible as a public-land unit gets, with 99% of the acreage open to public hunting. That eliminates the private-land access headaches that plague hunters in many other western units — there's virtually no need to negotiate landowner permission or worry about being locked out of good country. The tradeoff is that easy access also means other hunters can get to much of the unit just as easily, so pressure on roaded areas can be significant.

The elevation range of 4,870 to 11,740 feet is substantial, giving elk plenty of vertical habitat to work with throughout the year — from lower sagebrush and pinyon-juniper benches to high alpine terrain above treeline. With 12% of the unit designated wilderness, there's a meaningful chunk of country where mechanized access is restricted, which tends to hold elk longer into the hunt as pressure builds on the roaded fringes. Nevada doesn't impose Wyoming-style outfitter requirements for nonresidents hunting wilderness, so DIY hunters are free to hunt the wilderness portion of Unit 173 without needing to hire a guide.

Given the size of this unit — nearly a million acres — and the fact that nearly all of it is public, the single biggest variable for hunters isn't access, it's scouting. Hunters who put boots on the ground well before their season, glass extensively, and are willing to hike beyond the first ridge from any trailhead or two-track will find far less competition and better elk encounters than those who stay close to the road system.

Harvest Success Rates

The three-year harvest trend in Unit 173 is worth dwelling on because it's one of the clearer data points available for this unit. Success climbed from 36% in 2023, to 41% in 2024, to 46% in 2025 — a 10-percentage-point improvement over three seasons. Hunter numbers over that span were 69, 83, and 78, respectively, meaning the improvement in success wasn't simply a function of fewer hunters in the field; 2025's hunter count was actually higher than 2023's, yet success was substantially better.

For context, a unit-wide success rate in the mid-40s is a strong number for elk hunting anywhere in the West, and it suggests hunters who draw a tag here have a genuinely good chance of connecting if they put in the effort. This data represents the unit total across hunt types, so individual hunt types (antlered early, antlered late, and others) may vary from that blended average, but the overall trajectory is encouraging for anyone considering applying.

HuntPilot Analysis

Is Unit 173 worth applying for? Based on the data available through HuntPilot, this unit checks several important boxes. Success rates have trended upward three years running and now sit at a healthy 46%, public land access is essentially unrestricted at 99%, and the unit offers real vertical and habitat diversity across nearly a million acres. The moderate trophy history in the surrounding counties means hunters shouldn't expect to fill a wall with record-book bulls every year, but the potential for a mature, respectable bull is real, especially for hunters willing to get into the wilderness portion of the unit or otherwise away from easy access points.

The tag quota trends also suggest a unit being actively managed rather than left on autopilot — modest cuts to some hunt types and a notable increase to the AR-Elk Antlered quota show Nevada Department of Wildlife is making adjustments based on herd data, which is generally a positive sign for long-term sustainability. The scale of the unit (nearly 1 million acres) does mean hunters without time to scout may struggle to find elk efficiently despite the unit's overall quality — this is not a unit where you can show up cold and expect to stumble into elk without a plan.

For hunters weighing whether to spend points or apply fresh, Unit 173 represents a solid combination of huntability (nearly all public land, no guide requirement), improving success trends, and moderate trophy potential. It's not a unit chasing headline record-book bulls, but it's a legitimate, well-rounded elk hunting option for hunters who value opportunity and are willing to work for it. For current draw odds specific to point levels and hunt types, check the HuntPilot Nevada state page for the most up-to-date figures.

How to Apply

This timeline applies to both resident and nonresident applicants.

Note that the license fee is mandatory to apply — nonresidents and residents alike must hold a qualifying license before submitting an elk application, in addition to the application and point fees. Hunters should budget for the full cost stack (license + application + point fee, plus tag fee only if drawn) when planning their Nevada elk application strategy. Alternatively, check HuntPilot's Nevada state page (/states/nv) for the latest application calendar and unit-specific information.

Application dates and fees change every draw cycle. For the current deadlines, fees, and draw odds, see HuntPilot's Nevada page at /states/nv.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the terrain like in Unit 173? Unit 173 covers nearly a million acres with an elevation range from 4,870 feet up to 11,740 feet, offering everything from lower sagebrush and pinyon-juniper country to high alpine terrain. With 99% public land and 12% of the unit in designated wilderness, hunters have almost unlimited access to explore the full range of habitat types, though the wilderness portion requires more physical effort to reach and is typically less pressured.

What is harvest success like in Unit 173? Success rates have improved for three consecutive years: 36% in 2023, 41% in 2024, and 46% in 2025. Hunter numbers stayed in a similar range across those years (69 to 83 hunters), meaning the improved success reflects a genuinely better hunting situation rather than simply fewer people in the field.

How big are the elk in Unit 173? The counties overlapping Unit 173 show a moderate history of trophy-class elk production, meaning mature bulls are present and trophy-class animals have come from the broader area, though this isn't a unit with a heavy, exceptional trophy pedigree. Hunters focused on the wilderness and less-accessible portions of the unit generally have the best odds at a mature, quality bull.

Is Unit 173 worth applying for? Based on available data, yes — the unit combines nearly unrestricted public access (99% public land), a rising three-year success trend now at 46%, and moderate trophy potential. The tradeoff is the sheer size of the unit, which rewards hunters who can scout ahead of time and penalizes those hoping to walk in cold. Check HuntPilot's Nevada state page for current draw odds before deciding where to apply your points.

Do nonresidents need a guide to hunt the wilderness portion of Unit 173? No. Nevada does not impose a guide requirement for nonresidents hunting wilderness areas, unlike some other western states. Nonresident hunters are free to DIY hunt the 12% wilderness portion of Unit 173 without hiring an outfitter.