Barbary sheep hunting in New Mexico Unit 28: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 6 Barbary sheep hunt codes in Unit 28, 6 of them drawn with 170 licenses, from December 12 to January 3, 2027 (page 111). In the 2026 draw, 2,881 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 170 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 170 licenses sold, 156 hunters reporting, a 50% success rate, 22 rams and 28 ewes taken on the Unit 28 hunts.
Data updated October 2026. Hunts: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 drawing report. Harvest: NMDGF reports to 2025-26.
National forestBLMState trust landMilitary landUnit 28Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 28 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 6 (6 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 170 |
| Season span | December 12 to January 3, 2027 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 2,881 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 50 (22 rams, 28 ewes) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 50% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 89.4% (607,187 acres) |
Which Barbary sheep hunts are in Unit 28 for 2026-27?
Every Barbary sheep hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 28 (all of them McGregor Range Portion of Ft. Bliss), with the code's own 2025-26 result where NMDGF reported one under the same code and units.
| Hunt code | Weapon | Dates, 2026-27 | Bag limit | Licenses | Who may apply | 2025-26 result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BBY-1-116 | any legal weapon | Dec 12-16 | Either sex (any one Barbary sheep) | 10 | Any applicant | 10 sold, 89% success, 6 rams, 2 ewes |
| BBY-1-117 | any legal weapon | Dec 12-16 | Either sex (any one Barbary sheep) | 10 | Military Only | 10 sold, 88% success, 7 rams, 0 ewes |
| BBY-1-118 | any legal weapon | Dec 26-27 | Any female Barbary sheep, or a male Barbary sheep with horns less than 18 inches long | 65 | Any applicant | 65 sold, 40% success, 4 rams, 9 ewes |
| BBY-1-119 | any legal weapon | Dec 26-27 | Any female Barbary sheep, or a male Barbary sheep with horns less than 18 inches long | 10 | Military Only | 10 sold, 0% success, 0 rams, 0 ewes |
| BBY-1-120 | any legal weapon | Jan 2-3 | Any female Barbary sheep, or a male Barbary sheep with horns less than 18 inches long | 65 | Any applicant | 65 sold, 43% success, 3 rams, 14 ewes |
| BBY-1-121 | any legal weapon | Jan 2-3 | Any female Barbary sheep, or a male Barbary sheep with horns less than 18 inches long | 10 | Military Only | 10 sold, 60% success, 0 rams, 4 ewes |
Hunts: NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 111. Results: NMDGF 2025-26 Barbary sheep harvest report. Success rate is NMDGF's own figure.
How many hunters applied for Unit 28 Barbary sheep in 2026?
2,881 applicants put one of these 6 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 170 licenses; 64 of them drew on that first choice. The share is NMDOW's 2026 result, not a forecast for another year.
| Hunt code | Licenses | First-choice applicants | Drawn on first choice | Share of first-choice applicants who drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BBY-1-116 | 10 | 2,583 | 10 | 0.4% |
| BBY-1-117 | 10 | 113 | 9 | 8% |
| BBY-1-118 | 65 | 80 | 21 | 26.3% |
| BBY-1-119 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 50% |
| BBY-1-120 | 65 | 97 | 20 | 20.6% |
| BBY-1-121 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 50% |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report. Applicants and licenses drawn on second and third choices are on each hunt code's page.
How many Barbary sheep are taken in Unit 28?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 28 Barbary sheep hunts, season by season. The newest, 2025-26: 170 licenses sold, 156 hunters reporting, a 50% success rate, 22 rams and 28 ewes taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Rams | Ewes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 170 | 156 | 50% | 22 | 28 |
| 2024-25 | 170 | 158 | 43% | 20 | 27 |
| 2023-24 | 177 | 155 | 42% | 12 | 24 |
| 2022-23 | 44 | 36 | 50% | 18 | 1 |
Source: NMDOW Barbary sheep harvest reports, the printed area totals (public-land hunt codes and, where NMDGF counts them in the total, private-land licenses).
How much public land is in Unit 28?
89.4% of Unit 28 is public land, 607,187 of 678,817 acres, most of it BLM (607,120 acres), measured from the BLM New Mexico surface management agency map (read 2026-10). The unit page has the map, highways, towns and neighbors: Unit 28.
Questions hunters ask
How many Barbary sheep licenses are there in Unit 28?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 6 Barbary sheep hunt codes for Unit 28 with 170 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 111).
What is the Barbary sheep success rate in Unit 28?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 50% success rate for the Unit 28 Barbary sheep hunts as a whole: 156 hunters reported and 50 Barbary sheep were taken. Across the 4 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 42% to 50%.
When is Barbary sheep season in Unit 28 in 2026?
The Unit 28 Barbary sheep hunts run from December 12, 2026 to January 3, 2027. Any legal weapon hunts start Dec 12, Dec 26 and Jan 2 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 111).
Can nonresidents hunt Barbary sheep in Unit 28?
Yes, for 6 of the drawn codes. Statewide, at least 84% of draw licenses go to residents, 10% to applicants with a registered outfitter and 6% to nonresidents without one, and antlerless elk and WMA-only hunts are for residents (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 18).