Deer hunting in New Mexico Unit 36: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 7 deer hunt codes in Unit 36, 7 of them drawn with 1,115 licenses, from September 1 to January 15, 2027 (pages 63 and 64). In the 2026 draw, 2,016 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 1,115 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 1,238 licenses sold, 1,092 hunters reporting, a 31% success rate, 337 bucks and 0 does taken on the Unit 36 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 landTribal landUnit 36Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 36 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 7 (7 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 1,115 |
| Season span | September 1 to January 15, 2027 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 2,016 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 337 (337 bucks, 0 does) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 31% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 53.1% (337,435 acres) |
Which deer hunts are in Unit 36 for 2026-27?
Every deer hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 36, 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-2-329 | bow | Sep 1-24 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 225 | Any applicant | 225 sold, 20% success, 38 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-3-331 | muzzleloader | Oct 24-28 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 115 | Any applicant | 115 sold, 29% success, 29 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-3-332 | muzzleloader | Oct 24-28 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 25 | youth only | 25 sold, 11% success, 2 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-326 | any legal weapon | Nov 7-11 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 300 | Any applicant | 300 sold, 29% success, 75 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-327 | any legal weapon | Nov 14-18 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 300 | Any applicant | 300 sold, 29% success, 78 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-328 | any legal weapon | Nov 21-29 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 25 | youth only | 25 sold, 63% success, 14 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-2-330 | bow | Jan 1-15 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 125 | Any applicant | 125 sold, 38% success, 42 bucks, 0 does |
Hunts: NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, pages 63 and 64. Results: NMDGF 2025-26 deer harvest report. Success rate is NMDGF's own figure.
How many hunters applied for Unit 36 deer in 2026?
2,016 applicants put one of these 7 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 1,115 licenses; 698 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-2-329 | 225 | 206 | 145 | 70.4% |
| DER-3-331 | 115 | 131 | 77 | 58.8% |
| DER-3-332 | 25 | 8 | 8 | 100% |
| DER-1-326 | 300 | 954 | 250 | 26.2% |
| DER-1-327 | 300 | 351 | 123 | 35% |
| DER-1-328 | 25 | 112 | 18 | 16.1% |
| DER-2-330 | 125 | 254 | 77 | 30.3% |
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 36?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 36 deer hunts, season by season. The newest, 2025-26: 1,238 licenses sold, 1,092 hunters reporting, a 31% success rate, 337 bucks and 0 does taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,238 | 1,092 | 31% | 337 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 1,221 | 1,069 | 31% | 329 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 1,230 | 1,074 | 34% | 363 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 1,235 | 1,063 | 32% | 340 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 1,227 | 1,040 | 30% | 309 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 1,281 | 1,149 | 34% | 379 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 1,271 | 1,098 | 36% | 402 | 1 |
| 2018-19 | 1,228 | 1,060 | 33% | 356 | 1 |
| 2017-18 | 1,220 | 1,084 | 42% | 446 | 1 |
| 2016-17 | 1,216 | 1,059 | 32% | 342 | 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 36?
53.1% of Unit 36 is public land, 337,435 of 635,140 acres, most of it national forest (150,368 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 36.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer licenses are there in Unit 36?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 7 deer hunt codes for Unit 36 with 1,115 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, pages 63 and 64).
What is the deer success rate in Unit 36?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 31% success rate for the Unit 36 deer hunts as a whole: 1,092 hunters reported and 337 deer were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 30% to 42%.
When is deer season in Unit 36 in 2026?
The Unit 36 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 Nov 7, Nov 14 and Nov 21 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, pages 63 and 64).
Can nonresidents hunt deer in Unit 36?
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).