Nevada Unit 173 Pronghorn Antelope Hunting Guide

Nevada Unit 173 sits in the high desert country of the state's central region, offering pronghorn hunters nearly a million acres of terrain to chase antelope across open sage flats, rolling basins, and elevated benches. With 998,902 total acres and elevations ranging from 4,870 to 11,740 feet, this unit gives hunters a wide vertical range to work with — a factor that matters more than most first-timers realize when trying to locate pronghorn bands during the heat of summer.

For hunters researching Nevada Unit 173 pronghorn hunting, the standout feature is public land access: 99% of the unit sits on public ground, making this about as DIY-friendly as it gets in the Silver State. There's essentially no need to negotiate private land access or lease arrangements here — hunters can plan a trip knowing nearly the entire unit is fair game for scouting and hunting. A modest 12% wilderness designation exists within the unit, but that has no bearing on pronghorn hunters since Nevada carries no guide-mandate law tied to wilderness access (unlike Wyoming). Hunters can go it alone regardless of where they end up glassing.

This is a limited-quota, draw-only unit — there is no general season here for any pronghorn hunt type. Every opportunity to hunt Unit 173 pronghorn comes through Nevada's draw system, split across a handful of distinct hunt types tied to horn length classifications.

HuntPilot Analysis: Is Unit 173 Worth Applying For?

The harvest numbers out of Unit 173 make a strong case for this unit being worth an application. Recent seasons show:

• 2025: 40 hunters, 36 harvested — 90% success
• 2024: 24 hunters, 22 harvested — 92% success
• 2023: 24 hunters, 17 harvested — 71% success
• 2022: 21 hunters, 20 harvested — 95% success

Three of the last four seasons have produced success rates at or above 90%, and even the "weak" year in 2023 still cleared 70%. For a species notorious for being tough to close the deal on in open country, these numbers are excellent. Pronghorn hunting success generally hinges on preseason scouting and shot opportunity in open terrain, and Unit 173's consistency suggests hunters who draw a tag here and put in the legwork have a real shot at filling their tag.

Tag numbers have also trended upward. The ALW (Antelope Horns Longer Than Ears) hunt type grew from 15 tags in 2024 to 20 in 2025 — a 33% increase. The AR and M hunt types each grew from 5 to 7 tags, a 40% increase in both categories. That's a meaningful expansion of opportunity in a single year, though hunters should treat this as a snapshot rather than a guaranteed trend — quotas can shift again in either direction depending on herd health assessments Nevada Department of Wildlife conducts annually.

On the trophy side, the counties overlapping Unit 173 carry a strong history of producing trophy-class pronghorn. This doesn't guarantee any individual hunter tags a record-caliber buck, but it does indicate that the genetics and habitat in this broader region have consistently supported animals that reach exceptional maturity. Combined with the high success rates and expanding tag allocations, Unit 173 stacks up as one of the more attractive draw options for pronghorn hunters willing to invest points in a Nevada application.

The one caveat: this is bonus-squared draw territory in Nevada, and pronghorn tags statewide are competitive. Hunters shouldn't assume a handful of points puts them in easy range — check current draw data before building an application strategy around this unit specifically.

Terrain & Access Considerations

With elevations spanning nearly 7,000 vertical feet (4,870 to 11,740 feet), Unit 173 offers everything from low desert basins to high country. Pronghorn will typically be found in the lower-to-mid elevation sage and grassland flats rather than the unit's highest terrain, but the range gives hunters flexibility to glass from elevated vantage points down into the flats where animals concentrate near water and feed. The 99% public land figure means hunters can scout broadly with confidence — nearly the entire landscape is open to access, a rarity in units where private ranches fragment pronghorn range. Hunters using HuntPilot's mapping tools can overlay public land boundaries and identify water sources, drainages, and glassing points to build a scouting plan before ever setting boots on the ground.

Given the vast acreage, hunters should expect long-range glassing and driving between areas to be part of the game. Pronghorn move consistently across open country in search of feed and water, especially during the hotter stretches of summer when hunts typically occur, so mobility and patience — posting up near reliable water in the morning and evening — tend to pay off more than covering ground on foot.

Harvest Success Rates

Unit 173's harvest data shows some of the more reliable success rates a pronghorn hunter will find in Nevada. Over the four most recently reported seasons, success rates have run 90%, 92%, 71%, and 95%. Averaging those years puts the unit comfortably in strong territory for tag holders, and the trend line suggests 2023's dip to 71% was likely tied to weather, herd distribution, or hunter effort in that specific season rather than a structural decline in the herd. The following year rebounded to 92%, reinforcing that the unit's overall trajectory remains solid.

For context, hunter numbers have stayed relatively low and stable — ranging from 21 to 40 hunters per season across the last four years — meaning this isn't a crowded unit even with expanding tag quotas. Fewer hunters spread across nearly a million acres of public land translates to more room to work independently without competing for the same pronghorn bands.

Trophy Quality

Trophy data for the counties overlapping Unit 173 points to a strong history of producing trophy-class pronghorn. It's important to understand that record-book entries are logged at the county level, not the unit level, meaning the trophy pedigree associated with this area is shared across neighboring units whose boundaries fall within the same counties. That said, a consistent record of quality bucks coming out of this broader region is a meaningful signal for hunters evaluating where to spend their points.

Hunters chasing a trophy-class buck in Unit 173 should focus scouting efforts on mature bucks holding territory near reliable water sources and quality feed, since Nevada's high desert pronghorn habitat tends to concentrate the best genetics in areas with consistent forage access through the dry summer months. Given the unit's strong success rates alongside its trophy history, hunters have a reasonable expectation of both filling a tag and finding a quality animal if they put in the scouting time.

How to Apply

Nevada pronghorn tags in Unit 173 are available exclusively through the state's draw system — there is no over-the-counter or general season option here. Hunters must apply through the Nevada Department of Wildlife's draw application process, and the unit offers multiple hunt types differentiated by horn-length classification (ALW, AR, and M), each with independent tag quotas and application pools.

Nevada uses a bonus-squared points system for its big game draws, meaning point holders receive entries equal to their point total squared, plus one, weighted against a random draw. Unlike Colorado's true preference system, no point level guarantees a Nevada tag — even hunters with double-digit points face a competitive, weighted lottery rather than a certainty. Nevada also does not separate resident and nonresident applicants into different odds structures in the same way some other states do, but nonresidents should expect the draw to be highly competitive regardless of point total.

Because Nevada's application windows, fees, and point requirements change from year to year, hunters should not rely on secondhand dates. For the current application deadlines, fees, and draw odds for Unit 173's specific hunt types, see HuntPilot's Nevada state page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the terrain like in Nevada Unit 173? Unit 173 spans a dramatic elevation range from 4,870 feet up to 11,740 feet across nearly a million acres. Pronghorn hunters will spend most of their time in the lower-to-mid elevation sage flats, open basins, and grassland benches where antelope concentrate near water and feed, while the unit's higher terrain offers elevated glassing positions to survey the surrounding country. With 99% public land, hunters have virtually unrestricted access to explore and scout across the unit.

What is harvest success like in Unit 173? Success rates have been strong in recent seasons, running 90% in 2025, 92% in 2024, 71% in 2023, and 95% in 2022. This puts Unit 173 among the more consistently productive pronghorn units for hunters who draw a tag, particularly given the relatively low number of hunters afield each year (21 to 40 hunters depending on the season).

How big are the pronghorn in Unit 173? The counties overlapping Unit 173 have a strong history of producing trophy-class pronghorn, based on record-book entries tied to this broader region. Because those records are attributed at the county level and shared with neighboring units, no single unit can claim exclusive credit — but the regional trophy pedigree is a positive indicator for hunters hoping to find a mature buck.

Is Unit 173 worth applying for? Based on the available data, yes. The combination of consistently high harvest success (90%+ in three of the last four seasons), expanding tag quotas across all three hunt types, near-total public land access, and a strong regional trophy history makes this one of the more well-rounded pronghorn options in Nevada's draw system. The main hurdle is simply drawing the tag, since Nevada's bonus-squared system keeps competition stiff regardless of point total.

Do I need a guide to hunt pronghorn in Unit 173? No. Nevada does not impose a guide requirement for nonresident hunters, even in wilderness areas (unlike Wyoming). Although 12% of Unit 173 falls within designated wilderness, hunters are free to hunt the entire unit — wilderness and non-wilderness alike — without hiring an outfitter. With 99% public land, this is a genuinely DIY-friendly unit for hunters willing to do their own scouting and legwork.