Deer hunting in New Mexico Unit 28: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 2 deer hunt codes in Unit 28, 2 of them drawn with 50 licenses, from December 19 to December 20, 2026 (page 62). In the 2026 draw, 211 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 50 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 50 licenses sold, 47 hunters reporting, a 36% success rate, 15 bucks and 0 does 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 | 2 (2 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 50 |
| Season span | December 19 to December 20, 2026 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 211 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 15 (15 bucks, 0 does) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 36% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 89.4% (607,187 acres) |
Which deer hunts are in Unit 28 for 2026-27?
Every deer hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 28 (all of them McGregor Range only), 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-1-287 | any legal weapon | Dec 19-20 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 25 | Any applicant | 25 sold, 41% success, 9 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-288 | any legal weapon | Dec 19-20 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 25 | Military Only | 25 sold, 29% success, 5 bucks, 0 does |
Hunts: NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 62. Results: NMDGF 2025-26 deer harvest report. Success rate is NMDGF's own figure.
How many hunters applied for Unit 28 deer in 2026?
211 applicants put one of these 2 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 50 licenses; 36 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-1-287 | 25 | 163 | 19 | 11.7% |
| DER-1-288 | 25 | 48 | 17 | 35.4% |
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 28?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 28 deer hunts, season by season. The newest, 2025-26: 50 licenses sold, 47 hunters reporting, a 36% success rate, 15 bucks and 0 does taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 50 | 47 | 36% | 15 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 50 | 43 | 46% | 20 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 49 | 42 | 31% | 13 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 50 | 40 | 27% | 11 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 50 | 42 | 44% | 17 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 50 | 48 | 58% | 27 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 51 | 47 | 60% | 27 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 39 | 36 | 47% | 16 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 39 | 37 | 72% | 24 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 37 | 33 | 52% | 16 | 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 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 deer licenses are there in Unit 28?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 2 deer hunt codes for Unit 28 with 50 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 62).
What is the deer success rate in Unit 28?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 36% success rate for the Unit 28 deer hunts as a whole: 47 hunters reported and 15 deer were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 27% to 72%.
When is deer season in Unit 28 in 2026?
The Unit 28 deer hunts run from December 19, 2026 to December 20, 2026. Any legal weapon hunts start Dec 19 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 62).
Can nonresidents hunt deer in Unit 28?
Yes, for 2 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).