Deer hunting in New Mexico Unit 59: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 7 deer hunt codes in Unit 59, 7 of them drawn with 150 licenses, from September 1 to December 16, 2026 (page 68). In the 2026 draw, 75 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 150 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 226 licenses sold, 189 hunters reporting, a 32% success rate, 60 bucks and 0 does taken on the Unit 59 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 59Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 59 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 7 (7 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 150 |
| Season span | September 1 to December 16, 2026 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 75 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 60 (60 bucks, 0 does) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 32% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 24.6% (296,810 acres) |
Which deer hunts are in Unit 59 for 2026-27?
Every deer hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 59, 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-2-434 | bow | Sep 1-24 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 10 | Any applicant | 10 sold, 0% success, 0 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-3-435 | muzzleloader | Sep 27-Oct 3 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 25 | Any applicant | 25 sold, 0% success, 0 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-429 | any legal weapon | Oct 24-28 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 40 | Any applicant | 40 sold, 30% success, 11 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-430 | any legal weapon | Oct 31-Nov 4 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 40 | Any applicant | 40 sold, 33% success, 11 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-431 | any legal weapon | Nov 21-29 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 5 | youth only | 5 sold, 75% success, 4 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-432 | any legal weapon | Dec 5-9 | Either sex white-tailed deer | 15 | youth only | 15 sold, 17% success, 1 buck, 0 does |
| DER-1-433 | any legal weapon | Dec 12-16 | Either sex white-tailed deer | 15 | Any applicant | 15 sold, 9% success, 1 buck, 0 does |
Hunts: NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 68. Results: NMDGF 2025-26 deer harvest report. Success rate is NMDGF's own figure.
How many hunters applied for Unit 59 deer in 2026?
75 applicants put one of these 7 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 150 licenses; 43 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-2-434 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| DER-3-435 | 25 | 4 | 4 | 100% |
| DER-1-429 | 40 | 35 | 17 | 48.6% |
| DER-1-430 | 40 | 19 | 14 | 73.7% |
| DER-1-431 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 25% |
| DER-1-432 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| DER-1-433 | 15 | 7 | 4 | 57.1% |
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 59?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 59 deer hunts, season by season. The newest, 2025-26: 226 licenses sold, 189 hunters reporting, a 32% success rate, 60 bucks and 0 does taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 226 | 189 | 32% | 60 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 232 | 190 | 34% | 55 | 1 |
| 2023-24 | 252 | 183 | 32% | 61 | 7 |
| 2022-23 | 248 | 182 | 42% | 81 | 3 |
| 2021-22 | 270 | 204 | 53% | 111 | 11 |
| 2020-21 | 253 | 208 | 41% | 89 | 2 |
| 2019-20 | 230 | 198 | 41% | 79 | 2 |
| 2018-19 | 290 | 216 | 42% | 107 | 1 |
| 2017-18 | 252 | 219 | 57% | 120 | 2 |
| 2016-17 | 268 | 196 | 51% | 104 | 4 |
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 59?
24.6% of Unit 59 is public land, 296,810 of 1,208,923 acres, most of it state trust land (220,107 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 59.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer licenses are there in Unit 59?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 7 deer hunt codes for Unit 59 with 150 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 68).
What is the deer success rate in Unit 59?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 32% success rate for the Unit 59 deer hunts as a whole: 189 hunters reported and 60 deer were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 32% to 57%.
When is deer season in Unit 59 in 2026?
The Unit 59 deer hunts run from September 1, 2026 to December 16, 2026. Bow hunts start Sep 1, muzzleloader hunts start Sep 27 and 5 any legal weapon hunts start between Oct 24 and Dec 12 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 68).
Can nonresidents hunt deer in Unit 59?
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).