Deer hunting in New Mexico Unit 2A: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 6 deer hunt codes in Unit 2A, 6 of them drawn with 360 licenses, from September 1 to January 15, 2027 (page 55). In the 2026 draw, 900 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 360 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 409 licenses sold, 374 hunters reporting, a 34% success rate, 119 bucks and 0 does taken on the Unit 2A 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 landWildlife Commission landBureau of ReclamationNational Park ServiceTribal landUnit 2ANeighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 2A |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 6 (6 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 360 |
| Season span | September 1 to January 15, 2027 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 900 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 119 (119 bucks, 0 does) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 34% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 65.9% (330,212 acres) |
Which deer hunts are in Unit 2A for 2026-27?
Every deer hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 2A (all of them including Pine River WMA), 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-2-104 | bow | Sep 1-24 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 40 | Any applicant | 40 sold, 11% success, 3 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-3-108 | muzzleloader | Sep 27-Oct 3 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 50 | Any applicant | 50 sold, 21% success, 9 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-100 | any legal weapon | Oct 24-28 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 25 | youth only | 25 sold, 50% success, 11 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-101 | any legal weapon | Oct 31-Nov 4 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 150 | Any applicant | 150 sold, 36% success, 49 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-103 | any legal weapon | Nov 21-29 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 15 | youth only | 15 sold, 80% success, 12 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-2-106 | bow | Jan 1-15 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 80 | Any applicant | 80 sold, 23% success, 16 bucks, 0 does |
Hunts: NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 55. Results: NMDGF 2025-26 deer harvest report. Success rate is NMDGF's own figure.
How many hunters applied for Unit 2A deer in 2026?
900 applicants put one of these 6 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 360 licenses; 176 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-2-104 | 40 | 52 | 20 | 38.5% |
| DER-3-108 | 50 | 51 | 22 | 43.1% |
| DER-1-100 | 25 | 65 | 14 | 21.5% |
| DER-1-101 | 150 | 489 | 84 | 17.2% |
| DER-1-103 | 15 | 95 | 4 | 4.2% |
| DER-2-106 | 80 | 148 | 32 | 21.6% |
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 2A?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 2A deer hunts, season by season. The newest, 2025-26: 409 licenses sold, 374 hunters reporting, a 34% success rate, 119 bucks and 0 does taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 409 | 374 | 34% | 119 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 407 | 354 | 29% | 99 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 397 | 332 | 28% | 88 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 399 | 346 | 30% | 102 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 406 | 356 | 28% | 95 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 407 | 373 | 34% | 119 | 1 |
| 2019-20 | 402 | 370 | 30% | 105 | 1 |
| 2018-19 | 398 | 366 | 26% | 89 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 398 | 368 | 36% | 129 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 400 | 343 | 31% | 108 | 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 2A?
65.9% of Unit 2A is public land, 330,212 of 501,022 acres, most of it BLM (284,840 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 2A.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer licenses are there in Unit 2A?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 6 deer hunt codes for Unit 2A with 360 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 55).
What is the deer success rate in Unit 2A?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 34% success rate for the Unit 2A deer hunts as a whole: 374 hunters reported and 119 deer were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 26% to 36%.
When is deer season in Unit 2A in 2026?
The Unit 2A deer hunts run from September 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. Bow hunts start Sep 1 and Jan 1, muzzleloader hunts start Sep 27 and any legal weapon hunts start Oct 24, Oct 31 and Nov 21 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 55).
Can nonresidents hunt deer in Unit 2A?
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).