Deer hunting in New Mexico Unit 26: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 6 deer hunt codes in Unit 26, 6 of them drawn with 325 licenses, from September 1 to January 15, 2027 (page 61). In the 2026 draw, 193 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 325 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 353 licenses sold, 315 hunters reporting, a 21% success rate, 59 bucks and 0 does taken on the Unit 26 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.
BLMState trust landMilitary landUnit 26Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 26 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 6 (6 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 325 |
| Season span | September 1 to January 15, 2027 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 193 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 59 (59 bucks, 0 does) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 21% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 51.5% (759,055 acres) |
Which deer hunts are in Unit 26 for 2026-27?
Every deer hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 26, 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-2-272 | bow | Sep 1-24 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 25 | Any applicant | 25 sold, 0% success, 0 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-3-274 | muzzleloader | Oct 31-Nov 4 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 60 | Any applicant | 60 sold, 11% success, 5 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-270 | any legal weapon | Nov 7-11 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 100 | Any applicant | 100 sold, 23% success, 19 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-271 | any legal weapon | Nov 14-18 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 100 | Any applicant | 100 sold, 18% success, 13 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-275 | any legal weapon | Dec 5-13 | Fork-antlered white-tailed deer | 25 | Any applicant | 25 sold, 30% success, 6 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-2-273 | bow | Jan 1-15 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 15 | Any applicant | 15 sold, 21% success, 3 bucks, 0 does |
Hunts: NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 61. Results: NMDGF 2025-26 deer harvest report. Success rate is NMDGF's own figure.
How many hunters applied for Unit 26 deer in 2026?
193 applicants put one of these 6 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 325 licenses; 120 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-2-272 | 25 | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| DER-3-274 | 60 | 5 | 5 | 100% |
| DER-1-270 | 100 | 103 | 57 | 55.3% |
| DER-1-271 | 100 | 39 | 36 | 92.3% |
| DER-1-275 | 25 | 24 | 11 | 45.8% |
| DER-2-273 | 15 | 21 | 10 | 47.6% |
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 26?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 26 deer hunts, season by season. The newest, 2025-26: 353 licenses sold, 315 hunters reporting, a 21% success rate, 59 bucks and 0 does taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 353 | 315 | 21% | 59 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 357 | 323 | 31% | 90 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 366 | 327 | 30% | 86 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 338 | 296 | 23% | 64 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 339 | 293 | 24% | 67 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 334 | 309 | 41% | 115 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 338 | 290 | 31% | 85 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 346 | 301 | 39% | 113 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 345 | 308 | 35% | 100 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 351 | 297 | 39% | 113 | 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 26?
51.5% of Unit 26 is public land, 759,055 of 1,474,329 acres, most of it BLM (512,955 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 26.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer licenses are there in Unit 26?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 6 deer hunt codes for Unit 26 with 325 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 61).
What is the deer success rate in Unit 26?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 21% success rate for the Unit 26 deer hunts as a whole: 315 hunters reported and 59 deer were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 21% to 41%.
When is deer season in Unit 26 in 2026?
The Unit 26 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 Dec 5 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 61).
Can nonresidents hunt deer in Unit 26?
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).