Deer hunting in New Mexico Unit 2B: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 11 deer hunt codes in Unit 2B, 11 of them drawn with 1,595 licenses, from September 1 to January 15, 2027 (page 55). In the 2026 draw, 9,703 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 1,595 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 1,836 licenses sold, 1,671 hunters reporting, a 50% success rate, 806 bucks and 0 does taken on the Unit 2B 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 landBureau of ReclamationTribal landUnit 2BNeighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 2B |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 11 (11 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 1,595 |
| Season span | September 1 to January 15, 2027 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 9,703 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 806 (806 bucks, 0 does) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 50% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 84.8% (405,107 acres) |
Which deer hunts are in Unit 2B for 2026-27?
Every deer hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 2B (all of them including Navajo 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-2-118 | bow | Sep 1-24 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 130 | Any applicant | 130 sold, 9% success, 9 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-2-119 | bow | Sep 1-24 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 20 | youth only | 20 sold, 0% success, 0 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-3-124 | muzzleloader | Sep 27-Oct 3 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 175 | Any applicant | 175 sold, 12% success, 18 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-3-125 | muzzleloader | Sep 27-Oct 3 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 20 | youth only | 20 sold, 24% success, 4 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-110 | any legal weapon | Oct 24-28 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 275 | Any applicant | 275 sold, 45% success, 106 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-111 | any legal weapon | Oct 24-28 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 125 | youth only | 125 sold, 50% success, 55 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-113 | any legal weapon | Oct 31-Nov 4 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 280 | Any applicant | 350 sold, 57% success, 178 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-115 | any legal weapon | Nov 7-11 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 320 | Any applicant | 400 sold, 73% success, 268 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-117 | any legal weapon | Nov 21-29 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 20 | youth only | 25 sold, 96% success, 24 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-2-121 | bow | Jan 1-15 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 180 | Any applicant | 180 sold, 44% success, 73 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-2-122 | bow | Jan 1-15 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 50 | youth only | 50 sold, 53% success, 24 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 2B deer in 2026?
9,703 applicants put one of these 11 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 1,595 licenses; 916 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-2-118 | 130 | 143 | 75 | 52.4% |
| DER-2-119 | 20 | 5 | 5 | 100% |
| DER-3-124 | 175 | 138 | 67 | 48.6% |
| DER-3-125 | 20 | 11 | 8 | 72.7% |
| DER-1-110 | 275 | 1,323 | 187 | 14.1% |
| DER-1-111 | 125 | 333 | 73 | 21.9% |
| DER-1-113 | 280 | 870 | 99 | 11.4% |
| DER-1-115 | 320 | 3,853 | 219 | 5.7% |
| DER-1-117 | 20 | 1,406 | 19 | 1.4% |
| DER-2-121 | 180 | 1,568 | 143 | 9.1% |
| DER-2-122 | 50 | 53 | 21 | 39.6% |
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 2B?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 2B deer hunts, season by season. The newest, 2025-26: 1,836 licenses sold, 1,671 hunters reporting, a 50% success rate, 806 bucks and 0 does taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,836 | 1,671 | 50% | 806 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 1,853 | 1,689 | 34% | 555 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 1,838 | 1,649 | 42% | 673 | 1 |
| 2022-23 | 1,983 | 1,753 | 43% | 755 | 1 |
| 2021-22 | 1,984 | 1,811 | 43% | 769 | 1 |
| 2020-21 | 1,969 | 1,815 | 44% | 780 | 1 |
| 2019-20 | 1,972 | 1,774 | 39% | 699 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 1,940 | 1,782 | 39% | 676 | 2 |
| 2017-18 | 1,924 | 1,778 | 43% | 762 | 2 |
| 2016-17 | 1,941 | 1,757 | 46% | 825 | 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 2B?
84.8% of Unit 2B is public land, 405,107 of 477,556 acres, most of it BLM (209,807 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 2B.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer licenses are there in Unit 2B?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 11 deer hunt codes for Unit 2B with 1,595 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 55).
What is the deer success rate in Unit 2B?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 50% success rate for the Unit 2B deer hunts as a whole: 1,671 hunters reported and 806 deer were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 34% to 50%.
When is deer season in Unit 2B in 2026?
The Unit 2B 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, Nov 7 and Nov 21 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 55).
Can nonresidents hunt deer in Unit 2B?
Yes, for 11 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).