Deer hunting in New Mexico Unit 50: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 3 deer hunt codes in Unit 50, 3 of them drawn with 105 licenses, from September 1 to November 4, 2026 (page 66). In the 2026 draw, 199 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 105 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 147 licenses sold, 125 hunters reporting, a 41% success rate, 54 bucks and 0 does taken on the Unit 50 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 landTribal landUnit 50Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 50 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 3 (3 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 105 |
| Season span | September 1 to November 4, 2026 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 199 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 54 (54 bucks, 0 does) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 41% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 68% (401,683 acres) |
Which deer hunts are in Unit 50 for 2026-27?
Every deer hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 50, 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-2-388 | bow | Sep 1-24 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 5 | Any applicant | 5 sold, 0% success, 0 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-386 | any legal weapon | Oct 24-28 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 50 | Any applicant | 50 sold, 36% success, 16 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-387 | any legal weapon | Oct 31-Nov 4 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 50 | Any applicant | 50 sold, 45% success, 21 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 50 deer in 2026?
199 applicants put one of these 3 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 105 licenses; 43 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-2-388 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 50% |
| DER-1-386 | 50 | 114 | 23 | 20.2% |
| DER-1-387 | 50 | 77 | 16 | 20.8% |
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 50?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 50 deer hunts, season by season. The newest, 2025-26: 147 licenses sold, 125 hunters reporting, a 41% success rate, 54 bucks and 0 does taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 147 | 125 | 41% | 54 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 135 | 120 | 26% | 27 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 133 | 106 | 21% | 25 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 142 | 111 | 24% | 29 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 135 | 114 | 30% | 38 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 129 | 114 | 29% | 34 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 130 | 117 | 18% | 20 | 1 |
| 2018-19 | 122 | 111 | 29% | 31 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 126 | 113 | 31% | 37 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 127 | 110 | 28% | 31 | 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 50?
68% of Unit 50 is public land, 401,683 of 590,494 acres, most of it BLM (255,217 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 50.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer licenses are there in Unit 50?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 3 deer hunt codes for Unit 50 with 105 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 66).
What is the deer success rate in Unit 50?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 41% success rate for the Unit 50 deer hunts as a whole: 125 hunters reported and 54 deer were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 18% to 41%.
When is deer season in Unit 50 in 2026?
The Unit 50 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 50?
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).