Deer hunting in New Mexico Unit 42: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 5 deer hunt codes in Unit 42, 5 of them drawn with 120 licenses, from September 1 to November 29, 2026 (page 65). In the 2026 draw, 78 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 120 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 296 licenses sold, 225 hunters reporting, a 38% success rate, 93 bucks and 8 does taken on the Unit 42 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 landNational wildlife refugeState parkMilitary landUnit 42Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 42 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 5 (5 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 120 |
| Season span | September 1 to November 29, 2026 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 78 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 101 (93 bucks, 8 does) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 38% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 8.9% (244,390 acres) |
Which deer hunts are in Unit 42 for 2026-27?
Every deer hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 42, 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-2-364 | bow | Sep 1-24 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 15 | Any applicant | 15 sold, 0% success, 0 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-3-365 | muzzleloader | Sep 27-Oct 3 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 15 | Any applicant | 15 sold, 8% success, 1 buck, 0 does |
| DER-1-361 | any legal weapon | Oct 24-28 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 40 | Any applicant | 40 sold, 29% success, 11 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-362 | any legal weapon | Oct 31-Nov 4 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 40 | Any applicant | 40 sold, 34% success, 12 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-363 | any legal weapon | Nov 25-29 | Either sex white-tailed deer | 10 | Any applicant | 10 sold, 0% success, 0 bucks, 0 does |
Hunts: NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 65. Results: NMDGF 2025-26 deer harvest report. Success rate is NMDGF's own figure.
How many hunters applied for Unit 42 deer in 2026?
78 applicants put one of these 5 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 120 licenses; 38 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-2-364 | 15 | 7 | 7 | 100% |
| DER-3-365 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| DER-1-361 | 40 | 50 | 24 | 48% |
| DER-1-362 | 40 | 15 | 6 | 40% |
| DER-1-363 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 0% |
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 42?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 42 deer hunts, season by season. The newest, 2025-26: 296 licenses sold, 225 hunters reporting, a 38% success rate, 93 bucks and 8 does taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 296 | 225 | 38% | 93 | 8 |
| 2024-25 | 320 | 248 | 30% | 73 | 10 |
| 2023-24 | 314 | 230 | 39% | 86 | 14 |
| 2022-23 | 347 | 227 | 41% | 126 | 3 |
| 2021-22 | 324 | 237 | 45% | 122 | 5 |
| 2020-21 | 360 | 273 | 38% | 115 | 3 |
| 2019-20 | 311 | 243 | 37% | 102 | 3 |
| 2018-19 | 337 | 246 | 43% | 140 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 342 | 249 | 47% | 151 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 292 | 211 | 46% | 120 | 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 42?
8.9% of Unit 42 is public land, 244,390 of 2,748,354 acres, most of it state trust land (197,074 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 42.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer licenses are there in Unit 42?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 5 deer hunt codes for Unit 42 with 120 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 65).
What is the deer success rate in Unit 42?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 38% success rate for the Unit 42 deer hunts as a whole: 225 hunters reported and 101 deer were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 30% to 47%.
When is deer season in Unit 42 in 2026?
The Unit 42 deer hunts run from September 1, 2026 to November 29, 2026. Bow hunts start Sep 1, muzzleloader hunts start Sep 27 and any legal weapon hunts start Oct 24, Oct 31 and Nov 25 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 65).
Can nonresidents hunt deer in Unit 42?
Yes, for 5 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).