Deer hunting in New Mexico Unit 45: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 6 deer hunt codes in Unit 45, 6 of them drawn with 875 licenses, from September 1 to November 29, 2026 (page 65). In the 2026 draw, 2,972 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 875 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 1,119 licenses sold, 1,005 hunters reporting, a 43% success rate, 431 bucks and 0 does taken on the Unit 45 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 landWildlife Commission landState parkNational Park ServiceTribal landUnit 45Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 45 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 6 (6 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 875 |
| Season span | September 1 to November 29, 2026 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 2,972 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 431 (431 bucks, 0 does) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 43% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 74.3% (725,646 acres) |
Which deer hunts are in Unit 45 for 2026-27?
Every deer hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 45, 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-2-373 | bow | Sep 1-24 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 165 | Any applicant | 165 sold, 36% success, 54 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-3-374 | muzzleloader | Sep 27-Oct 3 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 160 | Any applicant | 160 sold, 37% success, 53 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-369 | any legal weapon | Oct 31-Nov 4 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 250 | Any applicant | 254 sold, 43% success, 97 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-370 | any legal weapon | Nov 7-11 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 25 | mobility impaired only | 25 sold, 47% success, 8 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-371 | any legal weapon | Nov 7-11 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 250 | Any applicant | 249 sold, 38% success, 84 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-372 | any legal weapon | Nov 21-29 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 25 | youth only | 25 sold, 64% success, 15 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 45 deer in 2026?
2,972 applicants put one of these 6 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 875 licenses; 543 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-2-373 | 165 | 409 | 113 | 27.6% |
| DER-3-374 | 160 | 358 | 103 | 28.8% |
| DER-1-369 | 250 | 1,128 | 166 | 14.7% |
| DER-1-370 | 25 | 41 | 11 | 26.8% |
| DER-1-371 | 250 | 755 | 135 | 17.9% |
| DER-1-372 | 25 | 281 | 15 | 5.3% |
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 45?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 45 deer hunts, season by season. The newest, 2025-26: 1,119 licenses sold, 1,005 hunters reporting, a 43% success rate, 431 bucks and 0 does taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,119 | 1,005 | 43% | 431 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 1,107 | 985 | 36% | 359 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 1,094 | 968 | 36% | 348 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 1,056 | 939 | 35% | 327 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 1,078 | 939 | 38% | 375 | 1 |
| 2020-21 | 1,085 | 991 | 37% | 363 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 1,036 | 925 | 32% | 296 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 1,033 | 911 | 40% | 378 | 1 |
| 2017-18 | 1,023 | 914 | 34% | 328 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 1,031 | 894 | 30% | 278 | 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 45?
74.3% of Unit 45 is public land, 725,646 of 976,072 acres, most of it national forest (624,291 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 45.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer licenses are there in Unit 45?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 6 deer hunt codes for Unit 45 with 875 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 65).
What is the deer success rate in Unit 45?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 43% success rate for the Unit 45 deer hunts as a whole: 1,005 hunters reported and 431 deer were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 30% to 43%.
When is deer season in Unit 45 in 2026?
The Unit 45 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 31, Nov 7 and Nov 21 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 65).
Can nonresidents hunt deer in Unit 45?
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).