Deer hunting in New Mexico Unit 52: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 4 deer hunt codes in Unit 52, 4 of them drawn with 285 licenses, from September 1 to November 11, 2026 (page 66). In the 2026 draw, 1,050 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 285 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 309 licenses sold, 277 hunters reporting, a 31% success rate, 79 bucks and 0 does taken on the Unit 52 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 52Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 52 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 4 (4 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 285 |
| Season span | September 1 to November 11, 2026 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 1,050 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 79 (79 bucks, 0 does) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 31% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 92.1% (247,713 acres) |
Which deer hunts are in Unit 52 for 2026-27?
Every deer hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 52, with the code's own 2025-26 result where NMDGF reported one under the same code and units.
| Hunt code | Where | Weapon | Dates, 2026-27 | Bag limit | Licenses | Who may apply | 2025-26 result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DER-2-396 | Whole unit | bow | Sep 1-24 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 80 | Any applicant | 80 sold, 22% success, 13 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-3-397 | Restricted muzzleloader only | muzzleloader | Sep 27-Oct 3 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 25 | Any applicant | 25 sold, 35% success, 8 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-394 | Whole unit | any legal weapon | Oct 31-Nov 4 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 90 | Any applicant | 90 sold, 36% success, 27 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-395 | Whole unit | any legal weapon | Nov 7-11 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 90 | Any applicant | 90 sold, 24% success, 18 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 52 deer in 2026?
1,050 applicants put one of these 4 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 285 licenses; 182 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-2-396 | 80 | 198 | 56 | 28.3% |
| DER-3-397 | 25 | 117 | 21 | 17.9% |
| DER-1-394 | 90 | 441 | 58 | 13.2% |
| DER-1-395 | 90 | 294 | 47 | 16% |
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 52?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 52 deer hunts, season by season. The newest, 2025-26: 309 licenses sold, 277 hunters reporting, a 31% success rate, 79 bucks and 0 does taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 309 | 277 | 31% | 79 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 312 | 287 | 28% | 74 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 315 | 282 | 30% | 84 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 306 | 268 | 35% | 87 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 295 | 263 | 31% | 79 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 299 | 280 | 26% | 69 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 300 | 281 | 20% | 49 | 2 |
| 2018-19 | 297 | 279 | 30% | 80 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 291 | 267 | 23% | 59 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 302 | 273 | 23% | 60 | 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 52?
92.1% of Unit 52 is public land, 247,713 of 268,854 acres, most of it national forest (203,355 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 52.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer licenses are there in Unit 52?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 4 deer hunt codes for Unit 52 with 285 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 66).
What is the deer success rate in Unit 52?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 31% success rate for the Unit 52 deer hunts as a whole: 277 hunters reported and 79 deer were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 20% to 35%.
When is deer season in Unit 52 in 2026?
The Unit 52 deer hunts run from September 1, 2026 to November 11, 2026. Bow hunts start Sep 1, muzzleloader hunts start Sep 27 and any legal weapon hunts start Oct 31 and Nov 7 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 66).
Can nonresidents hunt deer in Unit 52?
Yes, for 4 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).