Deer hunting in New Mexico Unit 13: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 6 deer hunt codes in Unit 13, 6 of them drawn with 750 licenses, from September 1 to January 15, 2027 (page 57). In the 2026 draw, 1,348 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 750 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 815 licenses sold, 710 hunters reporting, a 20% success rate, 140 bucks and 0 does taken on the Unit 13 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 landWildlife Commission landNational wildlife refugeNational Park ServiceTribal landUnit 13Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 13 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 6 (6 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 750 |
| Season span | September 1 to January 15, 2027 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 1,348 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 140 (140 bucks, 0 does) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 20% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 41.6% (1,185,020 acres) |
Which deer hunts are in Unit 13 for 2026-27?
Every deer hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 13, 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-2-183 | bow | Sep 1-24 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 125 | Any applicant | 125 sold, 12% success, 11 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-3-185 | muzzleloader | Oct 31-Nov 4 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 200 | Any applicant | 200 sold, 16% success, 27 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-180 | any legal weapon | Nov 7-11 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 150 | Any applicant | 149 sold, 35% success, 47 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-181 | any legal weapon | Nov 14-18 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 150 | Any applicant | 150 sold, 19% success, 24 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-182 | any legal weapon | Nov 21-29 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 50 | youth only | 50 sold, 29% success, 13 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-2-184 | bow | Jan 1-15 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 75 | Any applicant | 75 sold, 18% success, 10 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 13 deer in 2026?
1,348 applicants put one of these 6 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 750 licenses; 405 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-2-183 | 125 | 112 | 78 | 69.6% |
| DER-3-185 | 200 | 142 | 95 | 66.9% |
| DER-1-180 | 150 | 672 | 114 | 17% |
| DER-1-181 | 150 | 229 | 47 | 20.5% |
| DER-1-182 | 50 | 75 | 25 | 33.3% |
| DER-2-184 | 75 | 118 | 46 | 39% |
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 13?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 13 deer hunts, season by season. The newest, 2025-26: 815 licenses sold, 710 hunters reporting, a 20% success rate, 140 bucks and 0 does taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 815 | 710 | 20% | 140 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 817 | 741 | 19% | 133 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 809 | 693 | 16% | 109 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 824 | 714 | 17% | 121 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 836 | 714 | 17% | 124 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 832 | 763 | 19% | 140 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 821 | 733 | 24% | 164 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 817 | 727 | 19% | 136 | 1 |
| 2017-18 | 810 | 746 | 22% | 161 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 810 | 719 | 19% | 133 | 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 13?
41.6% of Unit 13 is public land, 1,185,020 of 2,847,763 acres, most of it BLM (540,141 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 13.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer licenses are there in Unit 13?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 6 deer hunt codes for Unit 13 with 750 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 57).
What is the deer success rate in Unit 13?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 20% success rate for the Unit 13 deer hunts as a whole: 710 hunters reported and 140 deer were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 16% to 24%.
When is deer season in Unit 13 in 2026?
The Unit 13 deer hunts run from September 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. Bow hunts start Sep 1 and Jan 1, muzzleloader hunts start Oct 31 and any legal weapon hunts start Nov 7, Nov 14 and Nov 21 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 57).
Can nonresidents hunt deer in Unit 13?
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).