Deer hunting in New Mexico Unit 15: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 4 deer hunt codes in Unit 15, 4 of them drawn with 365 licenses, from September 1 to January 15, 2027 (page 58). In the 2026 draw, 615 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 365 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 378 licenses sold, 340 hunters reporting, a 26% success rate, 81 bucks and 0 does taken on the Unit 15 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 landUnit 15Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 15 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 4 (4 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 365 |
| Season span | September 1 to January 15, 2027 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 615 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 81 (81 bucks, 0 does) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 26% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 77.6% (810,996 acres) |
Which deer hunts are in Unit 15 for 2026-27?
Every deer hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 15, 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-2-190 | bow | Sep 1-24 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 75 | Any applicant | 75 sold, 18% success, 11 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-3-192 | muzzleloader | Oct 31-Nov 4 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 165 | Any applicant | 165 sold, 32% success, 43 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-3-193 | muzzleloader | Nov 21-29 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 100 | youth only | 101 sold, 18% success, 16 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-2-191 | bow | Jan 1-15 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 25 | Any applicant | 25 sold, 35% success, 7 bucks, 0 does |
Hunts: NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 58. Results: NMDGF 2025-26 deer harvest report. Success rate is NMDGF's own figure.
How many hunters applied for Unit 15 deer in 2026?
615 applicants put one of these 4 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 365 licenses; 219 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-2-190 | 75 | 187 | 60 | 32.1% |
| DER-3-192 | 165 | 352 | 122 | 34.7% |
| DER-3-193 | 100 | 22 | 22 | 100% |
| DER-2-191 | 25 | 54 | 15 | 27.8% |
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 15?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 15 deer hunts, season by season. The newest, 2025-26: 378 licenses sold, 340 hunters reporting, a 26% success rate, 81 bucks and 0 does taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 378 | 340 | 26% | 81 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 379 | 356 | 25% | 76 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 387 | 360 | 19% | 59 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 374 | 341 | 21% | 66 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 381 | 352 | 18% | 57 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 394 | 374 | 20% | 62 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 377 | 345 | 14% | 42 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 380 | 351 | 17% | 53 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 381 | 347 | 22% | 70 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 381 | 363 | 19% | 60 | 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 15?
77.6% of Unit 15 is public land, 810,996 of 1,045,580 acres, most of it national forest (599,048 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 15.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer licenses are there in Unit 15?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 4 deer hunt codes for Unit 15 with 365 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 58).
What is the deer success rate in Unit 15?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 26% success rate for the Unit 15 deer hunts as a whole: 340 hunters reported and 81 deer were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 14% to 26%.
When is deer season in Unit 15 in 2026?
The Unit 15 deer hunts run from September 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. Bow hunts start Sep 1 and Jan 1 and muzzleloader hunts start Oct 31 and Nov 21 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 58).
Can nonresidents hunt deer in Unit 15?
Yes, for 4 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).