Deer hunting in New Mexico Unit 56: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 6 deer hunt codes in Unit 56, 6 of them drawn with 75 licenses, from September 1 to December 9, 2026 (page 67). In the 2026 draw, 107 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 75 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 120 licenses sold, 96 hunters reporting, a 39% success rate, 39 bucks and 1 doe taken on the Unit 56 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.
BLMState trust landUnit 56Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 56 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 6 (6 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 75 |
| Season span | September 1 to December 9, 2026 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 107 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 40 (39 bucks, 1 doe) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 39% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 21.7% (247,202 acres) |
Which deer hunts are in Unit 56 for 2026-27?
Every deer hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 56, 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-2-413 | bow | Sep 1-24 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 10 | Any applicant | 10 sold, 33% success, 3 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-3-414 | muzzleloader | Sep 27-Oct 3 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 15 | Any applicant | 15 sold, 9% success, 1 buck, 0 does |
| DER-1-409 | any legal weapon | Oct 24-28 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 15 | Any applicant | 15 sold, 31% success, 4 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-410 | any legal weapon | Oct 31-Nov 4 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 15 | Any applicant | 15 sold, 36% success, 5 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-411 | any legal weapon | Nov 21-29 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 10 | youth only | 10 sold, 88% success, 8 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-412 | any legal weapon | Dec 5-9 | Either sex white-tailed deer | 10 | youth only | 10 sold, 17% success, 0 bucks, 1 doe |
Hunts: NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 67. Results: NMDGF 2025-26 deer harvest report. Success rate is NMDGF's own figure.
How many hunters applied for Unit 56 deer in 2026?
107 applicants put one of these 6 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 75 licenses; 34 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-2-413 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 100% |
| DER-3-414 | 15 | 4 | 4 | 100% |
| DER-1-409 | 15 | 58 | 12 | 20.7% |
| DER-1-410 | 15 | 21 | 9 | 42.9% |
| DER-1-411 | 10 | 19 | 4 | 21.1% |
| DER-1-412 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 100% |
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 56?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 56 deer hunts, season by season. The newest, 2025-26: 120 licenses sold, 96 hunters reporting, a 39% success rate, 39 bucks and 1 doe taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 120 | 96 | 39% | 39 | 1 |
| 2024-25 | 123 | 97 | 28% | 31 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 127 | 93 | 43% | 44 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 132 | 97 | 38% | 47 | 1 |
| 2021-22 | 122 | 84 | 53% | 58 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 129 | 95 | 55% | 64 | 1 |
| 2019-20 | 137 | 105 | 50% | 60 | 1 |
| 2018-19 | 130 | 84 | 51% | 63 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 134 | 95 | 50% | 65 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 122 | 92 | 57% | 61 | 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 56?
21.7% of Unit 56 is public land, 247,202 of 1,140,738 acres, most of it state trust land (246,651 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 56.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer licenses are there in Unit 56?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 6 deer hunt codes for Unit 56 with 75 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 67).
What is the deer success rate in Unit 56?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 39% success rate for the Unit 56 deer hunts as a whole: 96 hunters reported and 40 deer were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 28% to 57%.
When is deer season in Unit 56 in 2026?
The Unit 56 deer hunts run from September 1, 2026 to December 9, 2026. Bow hunts start Sep 1, muzzleloader hunts start Sep 27 and any legal weapon hunts start Oct 24, Oct 31, Nov 21 and Dec 5 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 67).
Can nonresidents hunt deer in Unit 56?
Yes, for 6 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).