Deer hunting in New Mexico Unit 12: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 3 deer hunt codes in Unit 12, 3 of them drawn with 145 licenses, from September 1 to November 11, 2026 (page 57). In the 2026 draw, 294 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 145 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 207 licenses sold, 172 hunters reporting, a 29% success rate, 51 bucks and 1 doe taken on the Unit 12 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 landNational Park ServiceTribal landUnit 12Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 12 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 3 (3 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 145 |
| Season span | September 1 to November 11, 2026 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 294 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 52 (51 bucks, 1 doe) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 29% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 38.8% (642,998 acres) |
Which deer hunts are in Unit 12 for 2026-27?
Every deer hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 12, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DER-2-178 | bow | Sep 1-24 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 20 | Any applicant | 20 sold, 24% success, 4 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-3-179 | muzzleloader | Oct 31-Nov 4 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 40 | Any applicant | 40 sold, 29% success, 9 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-177 | any legal weapon | Nov 7-11 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 85 | Any applicant | 85 sold, 23% success, 17 bucks, 0 does |
Hunts: NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 57. Results: NMDGF 2025-26 deer harvest report. Success rate is NMDGF's own figure.
How many hunters applied for Unit 12 deer in 2026?
294 applicants put one of these 3 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 145 licenses; 85 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DER-2-178 | 20 | 34 | 13 | 38.2% |
| DER-3-179 | 40 | 27 | 18 | 66.7% |
| DER-1-177 | 85 | 233 | 54 | 23.2% |
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 deer are taken in Unit 12?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 12 deer hunts, season by season. The newest, 2025-26: 207 licenses sold, 172 hunters reporting, a 29% success rate, 51 bucks and 1 doe taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 207 | 172 | 29% | 51 | 1 |
| 2024-25 | 194 | 166 | 13% | 22 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 195 | 152 | 14% | 22 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 212 | 182 | 10% | 17 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 224 | 166 | 16% | 32 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 249 | 208 | 14% | 30 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 235 | 181 | 17% | 35 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 238 | 181 | 18% | 37 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 262 | 213 | 21% | 43 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 256 | 207 | 11% | 21 | 0 |
Source: NMDOW deer 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 12?
38.8% of Unit 12 is public land, 642,998 of 1,657,794 acres, most of it BLM (350,733 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 12.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer licenses are there in Unit 12?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 3 deer hunt codes for Unit 12 with 145 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 57).
What is the deer success rate in Unit 12?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 29% success rate for the Unit 12 deer hunts as a whole: 172 hunters reported and 52 deer were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 10% to 29%.
When is deer season in Unit 12 in 2026?
The Unit 12 deer hunts run from September 1, 2026 to November 11, 2026. Bow hunts start Sep 1, muzzleloader hunts start Oct 31 and any legal weapon hunts start Nov 7 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 57).
Can nonresidents hunt deer in Unit 12?
Yes, for 3 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).