A mule deer unit that includes Peavine Mountain with good road and hiking access to public land.

Rutting deer often migrate to escape California snow during late archery and rifle seasons.

Except for its northeastern face, Peavine Mountain isn’t steep, featuring ridges, rolling hills, shallow and deep draws, and high flats and swales. Year-round natural water sources are scattered but are more common in upper elevations.

Range fires have burned much of the southern face of Peavine Mountain over the past 20 years, leaving much of the land dominated by cheatgrass, especially in the middle to lower elevations. Sagebrush, bitterbrush and ephedra are recovering and are often in mixed stands. Except for developed areas, the rest of the unit is mostly covered with sagebrush, bitterbrush, ephedra and conifers with stands of tobacco brush, mahogany and aspens in the higher elevations.

Reno and Sparks have lodging, supplies and fuel. Fuel and supplies are also available in Border Town and Verdi. There are no established campsites, but you may camp or park a trailer on any public land. RV/travel trailer parks provide power and water in Reno, Sparks and Verdi.

Public road access is limited in some areas, particularly where urbanized. Alternate routes are often available. Much of the southern to eastern parts of Unit 196 are urbanized.

The northeast is accessible from US Route 395 and North Virginia Street (these routes are parallel). The south side of Peavine Mountain is reached by public dirt roads that start from subdivisions in northwest Reno and Verdi. The northwestern parts of Peavine Mountain are accessed from dirt roads that branch from Long Valley Road near Border Town. The main route to the peak of Peavine Mountain is Peavine Road, which starts at North Virgina Street on the northeastern side of the unit.