Deer hunting in New Mexico Unit 57: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 7 deer hunt codes in Unit 57, 7 of them drawn with 125 licenses, from September 1 to November 30, 2026 (page 67). In the 2026 draw, 268 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 125 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 227 licenses sold, 164 hunters reporting, a 39% success rate, 78 bucks and 0 does taken on the Unit 57 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 landWildlife Commission landNational Park ServiceUnit 57Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 57 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 7 (7 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 125 |
| Season span | September 1 to November 30, 2026 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 268 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 78 (78 bucks, 0 does) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 39% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 15.5% (42,612 acres) |
Which deer hunts are in Unit 57 for 2026-27?
Every deer hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 57, 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-2-419 | excluding Sugarite Canyon State Park | bow | Sep 1-24 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 20 | Any applicant | 20 sold, 5% success, 1 buck, 0 does |
| DER-3-421 | excluding Sugarite Canyon State Park | muzzleloader | Sep 27-Oct 3 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 15 | Any applicant | 15 sold, 42% success, 5 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-415 | excluding Sugarite Canyon State Park | any legal weapon | Oct 24-28 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 25 | Any applicant | 25 sold, 41% success, 8 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-416 | excluding Sugarite Canyon State Park | any legal weapon | Oct 31-Nov 4 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 25 | Any applicant | 25 sold, 21% success, 4 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-2-420 | Sugarite Canyon State Park only | bow | Nov 1-30 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 20 | Any applicant | 2 sold, 0 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-417 | excluding Sugarite Canyon State Park | any legal weapon | Nov 21-29 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 10 | youth only | 10 sold, 100% success, 9 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-418 | excluding Sugarite Canyon State Park | any legal weapon | Nov 25-29 | Either sex white-tailed deer | 10 | Any applicant | 10 sold, 0% success, 0 bucks, 0 does |
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 57 deer in 2026?
268 applicants put one of these 7 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 125 licenses; 75 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-2-419 | 20 | 9 | 8 | 88.9% |
| DER-3-421 | 15 | 22 | 15 | 68.2% |
| DER-1-415 | 25 | 65 | 20 | 30.8% |
| DER-1-416 | 25 | 25 | 10 | 40% |
| DER-2-420 | 20 | 121 | 14 | 11.6% |
| DER-1-417 | 10 | 25 | 7 | 28% |
| DER-1-418 | 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 57?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 57 deer hunts, season by season. The newest, 2025-26: 227 licenses sold, 164 hunters reporting, a 39% success rate, 78 bucks and 0 does taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 227 | 164 | 39% | 78 | 0 |
| 2025-26 | 18 | 18 | 29% | 5 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 243 | 172 | 44% | 102 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 245 | 162 | 45% | 101 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 246 | 167 | 46% | 105 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 282 | 191 | 49% | 127 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 275 | 197 | 54% | 133 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 286 | 210 | 51% | 131 | 3 |
| 2018-19 | 274 | 191 | 59% | 146 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 282 | 204 | 61% | 165 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 296 | 215 | 61% | 173 | 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 57?
15.5% of Unit 57 is public land, 42,612 of 274,287 acres, most of it state trust land (40,282 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 57.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer licenses are there in Unit 57?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 7 deer hunt codes for Unit 57 with 125 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 67).
What is the deer success rate in Unit 57?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 39% success rate for the Unit 57 deer hunts as a whole: 164 hunters reported and 78 deer were taken. Across the 11 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 29% to 61%.
When is deer season in Unit 57 in 2026?
The Unit 57 deer hunts run from September 1, 2026 to November 30, 2026. Bow hunts start Sep 1 and Nov 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 67).
Can nonresidents hunt deer in Unit 57?
Yes, for 7 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).