Deer hunting in New Mexico Unit 51B: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 3 deer hunt codes in Unit 51B, 3 of them drawn with 50 licenses, from September 1 to November 4, 2026 (page 66). In the 2026 draw, 284 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 50 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 87 licenses sold, 78 hunters reporting, a 36% success rate, 27 bucks and 0 does taken on the Unit 51B 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 landUnit 51BNeighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 51B |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 3 (3 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 50 |
| Season span | September 1 to November 4, 2026 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 284 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 27 (27 bucks, 0 does) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 36% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 66% (83,075 acres) |
Which deer hunts are in Unit 51B for 2026-27?
Every deer hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 51B, 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-2-393 | bow | Sep 1-24 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 15 | Any applicant | 15 sold, 27% success, 3 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-391 | any legal weapon | Oct 24-28 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 20 | Any applicant | 20 sold, 39% success, 7 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-392 | any legal weapon | Oct 31-Nov 4 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 15 | Any applicant | 15 sold, 27% success, 3 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 51B deer in 2026?
284 applicants put one of these 3 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 50 licenses; 30 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-2-393 | 15 | 22 | 10 | 45.5% |
| DER-1-391 | 20 | 170 | 16 | 9.4% |
| DER-1-392 | 15 | 92 | 4 | 4.3% |
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 51B?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 51B deer hunts, season by season. The newest, 2025-26: 87 licenses sold, 78 hunters reporting, a 36% success rate, 27 bucks and 0 does taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 87 | 78 | 36% | 27 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 81 | 77 | 24% | 16 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 91 | 81 | 28% | 24 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 74 | 69 | 38% | 27 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 87 | 85 | 45% | 35 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 79 | 70 | 36% | 27 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 66 | 59 | 23% | 12 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 71 | 62 | 47% | 29 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 69 | 55 | 35% | 21 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 68 | 60 | 28% | 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 51B?
66% of Unit 51B is public land, 83,075 of 125,827 acres, most of it national forest (48,280 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 51B.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer licenses are there in Unit 51B?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 3 deer hunt codes for Unit 51B with 50 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 66).
What is the deer success rate in Unit 51B?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 36% success rate for the Unit 51B deer hunts as a whole: 78 hunters reported and 27 deer were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 23% to 47%.
When is deer season in Unit 51B in 2026?
The Unit 51B 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 51B?
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).