Deer hunting in New Mexico Unit 54: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 6 deer hunt codes in Unit 54, from September 1 to November 29, 2026 (page 54). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 14 licenses sold, 9 hunters reporting, an 89% success rate, 12 bucks and 0 does taken on the Unit 54 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.
State trust landWildlife Commission landUnit 54Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 54 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 6 (0 drawn) |
| Season span | September 1 to November 29, 2026 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 12 (12 bucks, 0 does) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 89% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 10.6% (23,295 acres) |
Which deer hunts are in Unit 54 for 2026-27?
Every deer hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 54, 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-2-512 | bow | Sep 1-24 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | not drawn | private land only | 1 sold, 100% success, 1 buck, 0 does |
| DER-3-513 | muzzleloader | Sep 27-Oct 3 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | not drawn | private land only | not reported under this code |
| DER-1-508 | any legal weapon | Oct 24-28 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | not drawn | private land only | 7 sold, 75% success, 5 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-509 | any legal weapon | Oct 31-Nov 4 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | not drawn | private land only | 6 sold, 100% success, 6 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-511 | any legal weapon | Nov 21-29 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | not drawn | private land only / youth only | not reported under this code |
| DER-1-510 | any legal weapon | Nov 25-29 | Either sex white-tailed deer | not drawn | private land only | not reported under this code |
Hunts: NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 54. Results: NMDGF 2025-26 deer harvest report. Success rate is NMDGF's own figure.
How many deer are taken in Unit 54?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 54 deer hunts, season by season. The newest, 2025-26: 14 licenses sold, 9 hunters reporting, an 89% success rate, 12 bucks and 0 does taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 14 | 9 | 89% | 12 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 20 | 14 | 86% | 14 | 4 |
| 2023-24 | 30 | 20 | 90% | 21 | 6 |
| 2022-23 | 46 | 26 | 72% | 28 | 4 |
| 2021-22 | 34 | 20 | 80% | 27 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 46 | 41 | 62% | 22 | 4 |
| 2019-20 | 34 | 24 | 92% | 28 | 3 |
| 2018-19 | 21 | 10 | 90% | 19 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 42 | 22 | 85% | 32 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 48 | 23 | 100% | 48 | 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 54?
10.6% of Unit 54 is public land, 23,295 of 220,070 acres, most of it Wildlife Commission land (23,185 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 54.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer licenses are there in Unit 54?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 6 deer hunt codes for Unit 54; 6 more are not drawn (private land, youth encouragement or over the counter) (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 54).
What is the deer success rate in Unit 54?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 89% success rate for the Unit 54 deer hunts as a whole: 9 hunters reported and 12 deer were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 62% to 100%.
When is deer season in Unit 54 in 2026?
The Unit 54 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 24, Oct 31, Nov 21 and Nov 25 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 54).