Antelope Valley Wildlife Area

Recreational Opportunities

Activities: hiking, wildlife viewing, and seasonal camping, hunting, and trapping

Hunting: Deer, bear, rabbit, tree squirrel, wild turkey, quail, grouse, and dove may be present.

Type C: Antelope Valley Wildlife Area does not require the purchase of a hunting pass for entry. Entry permits and/or passes or special drawing may be required for hunting on some Type C wildlife areas.

Facilities: None

Area History

The Antelope Valley Wildlife Area (AVWA) is located in Sierra County, southwest of Loyalton and consists of approximately 5,700 acres of Great Basin montane habitat on the southern edge of the Sierra Valley. AVWA includes the main Antelope Valley Unit, which is located in the Antelope Valley Creek Watershed, and the Merry-Go-Round Unit. Antelope Valley has historically been used for livestock grazing (private cattle/sheep operation as well as public allotments) and small-scale logging with the earliest documented use in 1922. The land was purchased by the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) on behalf of the department in 1980 with the intent to preserve winter range and migration habitat, critical to the Loyalton-Truckee deer herd. At the time of the purchase, the land was under consideration for development. The land surrounding AVWA is predominately owned by the Tahoe National Forest, managed by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) with the exception of private land parcels located along the northern border.

It was designated as a wildlife area by the Fish and Game Commission in 1980.