Deer hunting in New Mexico Unit 30: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 6 deer hunt codes in Unit 30, 6 of them drawn with 2,315 licenses, from September 1 to January 15, 2027 (page 62). In the 2026 draw, 2,910 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 2,315 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 2,433 licenses sold, 2,133 hunters reporting, a 20% success rate, 425 bucks and 1 doe taken on the Unit 30 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 landBureau of ReclamationState parkNational Park ServiceMilitary landUnit 30Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 30 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 6 (6 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 2,315 |
| Season span | September 1 to January 15, 2027 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 2,910 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 426 (425 bucks, 1 doe) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 20% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 75.4% (1,420,629 acres) |
Which deer hunts are in Unit 30 for 2026-27?
Every deer hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 30, 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-2-297 | bow | Sep 1-24 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 200 | Any applicant | 200 sold, 5% success, 8 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-3-299 | muzzleloader | Oct 24-28 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 325 | Any applicant | 325 sold, 23% success, 63 bucks, 1 doe |
| DER-1-294 | any legal weapon | Oct 31-Nov 4 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 720 | Any applicant | 720 sold, 20% success, 125 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-295 | any legal weapon | Nov 14-18 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 720 | Any applicant | 720 sold, 20% success, 123 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-296 | any legal weapon | Nov 21-29 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 250 | youth only | 250 sold, 26% success, 59 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-2-298 | bow | Jan 1-15 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 100 | Any applicant | 100 sold, 21% success, 20 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 30 deer in 2026?
2,910 applicants put one of these 6 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 2,315 licenses; 1,382 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-2-297 | 200 | 63 | 61 | 96.8% |
| DER-3-299 | 325 | 163 | 162 | 99.4% |
| DER-1-294 | 720 | 1,497 | 563 | 37.6% |
| DER-1-295 | 720 | 718 | 371 | 51.7% |
| DER-1-296 | 250 | 253 | 163 | 64.4% |
| DER-2-298 | 100 | 216 | 62 | 28.7% |
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 30?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 30 deer hunts, season by season. The newest, 2025-26: 2,433 licenses sold, 2,133 hunters reporting, a 20% success rate, 425 bucks and 1 doe taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 2,433 | 2,133 | 20% | 425 | 1 |
| 2024-25 | 2,413 | 2,166 | 25% | 532 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 2,425 | 2,128 | 29% | 597 | 2 |
| 2022-23 | 2,607 | 2,297 | 26% | 576 | 2 |
| 2021-22 | 2,640 | 2,250 | 17% | 400 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 2,655 | 2,407 | 28% | 674 | 2 |
| 2019-20 | 2,643 | 2,388 | 29% | 693 | 2 |
| 2018-19 | 2,608 | 2,291 | 33% | 792 | 2 |
| 2017-18 | 2,633 | 2,356 | 39% | 930 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 2,650 | 2,336 | 33% | 787 | 2 |
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 30?
75.4% of Unit 30 is public land, 1,420,629 of 1,883,412 acres, most of it BLM (865,475 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 30.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer licenses are there in Unit 30?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 6 deer hunt codes for Unit 30 with 2,315 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 62).
What is the deer success rate in Unit 30?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 20% success rate for the Unit 30 deer hunts as a whole: 2,133 hunters reported and 426 deer were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 17% to 39%.
When is deer season in Unit 30 in 2026?
The Unit 30 deer hunts run from September 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. Bow hunts start Sep 1 and Jan 1, muzzleloader hunts start Oct 24 and any legal weapon hunts start Oct 31, Nov 14 and Nov 21 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 62).
Can nonresidents hunt deer in Unit 30?
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).