Deer hunting in New Mexico Unit 49: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 3 deer hunt codes in Unit 49, 3 of them drawn with 305 licenses, from September 1 to November 4, 2026 (page 66). In the 2026 draw, 1,289 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 305 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 400 licenses sold, 354 hunters reporting, a 44% success rate, 166 bucks and 0 does taken on the Unit 49 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 landTribal landUnit 49Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 49 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 3 (3 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 305 |
| Season span | September 1 to November 4, 2026 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 1,289 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 166 (166 bucks, 0 does) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 44% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 79.9% (217,129 acres) |
Which deer hunts are in Unit 49 for 2026-27?
Every deer hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 49, 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-2-385 | bow | Sep 1-24 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 105 | Any applicant | 105 sold, 37% success, 35 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-383 | any legal weapon | Oct 24-28 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 100 | Any applicant | 100 sold, 50% success, 48 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-384 | any legal weapon | Oct 31-Nov 4 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 100 | Any applicant | 100 sold, 55% success, 53 bucks, 0 does |
Hunts: NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 66. Results: NMDGF 2025-26 deer harvest report. Success rate is NMDGF's own figure.
How many hunters applied for Unit 49 deer in 2026?
1,289 applicants put one of these 3 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 305 licenses; 204 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-2-385 | 105 | 247 | 79 | 32% |
| DER-1-383 | 100 | 764 | 84 | 11% |
| DER-1-384 | 100 | 278 | 41 | 14.7% |
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 49?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 49 deer hunts, season by season. The newest, 2025-26: 400 licenses sold, 354 hunters reporting, a 44% success rate, 166 bucks and 0 does taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 400 | 354 | 44% | 166 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 369 | 336 | 42% | 135 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 363 | 327 | 46% | 150 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 333 | 306 | 47% | 135 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 337 | 301 | 31% | 96 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 339 | 320 | 37% | 113 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 325 | 300 | 30% | 90 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 325 | 300 | 42% | 130 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 313 | 277 | 32% | 92 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 317 | 294 | 32% | 97 | 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 49?
79.9% of Unit 49 is public land, 217,129 of 271,807 acres, most of it national forest (195,363 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 49.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer licenses are there in Unit 49?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 3 deer hunt codes for Unit 49 with 305 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 66).
What is the deer success rate in Unit 49?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 44% success rate for the Unit 49 deer hunts as a whole: 354 hunters reported and 166 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 49 in 2026?
The Unit 49 deer hunts run from September 1, 2026 to November 4, 2026. Bow hunts start Sep 1 and any legal weapon hunts start Oct 24 and Oct 31 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 66).
Can nonresidents hunt deer in Unit 49?
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).