Deer hunting in New Mexico Unit 43: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 3 deer hunt codes in Unit 43, 3 of them drawn with 60 licenses, from September 1 to November 11, 2026 (page 65). In the 2026 draw, 226 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 60 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 201 licenses sold, 152 hunters reporting, a 30% success rate, 56 bucks and 0 does taken on the Unit 43 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 parkNational Park ServiceMilitary landUnit 43Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 43 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 3 (3 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 60 |
| Season span | September 1 to November 11, 2026 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 226 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 56 (56 bucks, 0 does) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 30% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 26.3% (320,239 acres) |
Which deer hunts are in Unit 43 for 2026-27?
Every deer hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 43, 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-2-367 | bow | Sep 1-24 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 10 | Any applicant | 10 sold, 25% success, 2 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-3-368 | muzzleloader | Oct 24-28 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 15 | Any applicant | 15 sold, 15% success, 2 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-366 | any legal weapon | Nov 7-11 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 35 | Any applicant | 35 sold, 33% success, 10 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 43 deer in 2026?
226 applicants put one of these 3 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 60 licenses; 52 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-2-367 | 10 | 19 | 6 | 31.6% |
| DER-3-368 | 15 | 30 | 12 | 40% |
| DER-1-366 | 35 | 177 | 34 | 19.2% |
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 43?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 43 deer hunts, season by season. The newest, 2025-26: 201 licenses sold, 152 hunters reporting, a 30% success rate, 56 bucks and 0 does taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 201 | 152 | 30% | 56 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 199 | 155 | 19% | 34 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 188 | 138 | 21% | 34 | 1 |
| 2022-23 | 171 | 142 | 18% | 27 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 154 | 120 | 22% | 31 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 160 | 136 | 28% | 41 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 121 | 105 | 15% | 16 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 137 | 103 | 20% | 25 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 117 | 88 | 14% | 15 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 119 | 102 | 15% | 18 | 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 43?
26.3% of Unit 43 is public land, 320,239 of 1,218,216 acres, most of it state trust land (201,135 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 43.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer licenses are there in Unit 43?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 3 deer hunt codes for Unit 43 with 60 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 65).
What is the deer success rate in Unit 43?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 30% success rate for the Unit 43 deer hunts as a whole: 152 hunters reported and 56 deer were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 14% to 30%.
When is deer season in Unit 43 in 2026?
The Unit 43 deer hunts run from September 1, 2026 to November 11, 2026. Bow hunts start Sep 1, muzzleloader hunts start Oct 24 and any legal weapon hunts start Nov 7 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 65).
Can nonresidents hunt deer in Unit 43?
Yes, for 3 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).