Deer hunting in New Mexico Unit 34: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 7 deer hunt codes in Unit 34, 7 of them drawn with 2,535 licenses, from September 1 to January 15, 2027 (page 63). In the 2026 draw, 3,414 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 2,535 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 2,696 licenses sold, 2,391 hunters reporting, a 21% success rate, 470 bucks and 0 does taken on the Unit 34 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 landState parkMilitary landTribal landUnit 34Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 34 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 7 (7 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 2,535 |
| Season span | September 1 to January 15, 2027 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 3,414 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 470 (470 bucks, 0 does) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 21% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 67.5% (732,620 acres) |
Which deer hunts are in Unit 34 for 2026-27?
Every deer hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 34, 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-2-323 | bow | Sep 1-24 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 450 | Any applicant | 449 sold, 16% success, 52 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-319 | any legal weapon | Oct 31-Nov 4 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 50 | mobility impaired only | 50 sold, 46% success, 18 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-320 | any legal weapon | Oct 31-Nov 4 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 45 | youth only | 45 sold, 43% success, 17 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-3-325 | muzzleloader | Nov 7-11 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 340 | Any applicant | 340 sold, 15% success, 45 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-321 | any legal weapon | Nov 14-18 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 650 | Any applicant | 650 sold, 21% success, 111 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-322 | any legal weapon | Nov 21-25 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 650 | Any applicant | 650 sold, 18% success, 99 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-2-324 | bow | Jan 1-15 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 350 | Any applicant | 350 sold, 26% success, 79 bucks, 0 does |
Hunts: NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 63. Results: NMDGF 2025-26 deer harvest report. Success rate is NMDGF's own figure.
How many hunters applied for Unit 34 deer in 2026?
3,414 applicants put one of these 7 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 2,535 licenses; 1,476 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-2-323 | 450 | 317 | 262 | 82.6% |
| DER-1-319 | 50 | 96 | 36 | 37.5% |
| DER-1-320 | 45 | 189 | 36 | 19% |
| DER-3-325 | 340 | 243 | 191 | 78.6% |
| DER-1-321 | 650 | 1,665 | 499 | 30% |
| DER-1-322 | 650 | 524 | 252 | 48.1% |
| DER-2-324 | 350 | 380 | 200 | 52.6% |
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 34?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 34 deer hunts, season by season. The newest, 2025-26: 2,696 licenses sold, 2,391 hunters reporting, a 21% success rate, 470 bucks and 0 does taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 2,696 | 2,391 | 21% | 470 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 2,706 | 2,382 | 18% | 389 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 2,696 | 2,327 | 19% | 407 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 2,869 | 2,481 | 19% | 443 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 2,887 | 2,422 | 17% | 404 | 1 |
| 2020-21 | 2,901 | 2,617 | 23% | 565 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 2,911 | 2,546 | 23% | 557 | 1 |
| 2018-19 | 2,894 | 2,481 | 21% | 510 | 2 |
| 2017-18 | 2,894 | 2,572 | 26% | 646 | 5 |
| 2016-17 | 2,901 | 2,517 | 27% | 637 | 3 |
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 34?
67.5% of Unit 34 is public land, 732,620 of 1,085,441 acres, most of it national forest (449,828 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 34.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer licenses are there in Unit 34?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 7 deer hunt codes for Unit 34 with 2,535 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 63).
What is the deer success rate in Unit 34?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 21% success rate for the Unit 34 deer hunts as a whole: 2,391 hunters reported and 470 deer were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 17% to 27%.
When is deer season in Unit 34 in 2026?
The Unit 34 deer hunts run from September 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. Bow hunts start Sep 1 and Jan 1, any legal weapon hunts start Oct 31, Nov 14 and Nov 21 and muzzleloader hunts start Nov 7 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 63).
Can nonresidents hunt deer in Unit 34?
Yes, for 7 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).