Deer hunting in New Mexico Unit 5A: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 3 deer hunt codes in Unit 5A, 3 of them drawn with 80 licenses, from September 1 to November 16, 2026 (page 56). In the 2026 draw, 236 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 80 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 362 licenses sold, 306 hunters reporting, a 40% success rate, 130 bucks and 0 does taken on the Unit 5A 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 landTribal landUnit 5ANeighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 5A |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 3 (3 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 80 |
| Season span | September 1 to November 16, 2026 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 236 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 130 (130 bucks, 0 does) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 40% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 16.3% (23,914 acres) |
Which deer hunts are in Unit 5A for 2026-27?
Every deer hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 5A (all of them Public Land only), 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-2-146 | bow | Sep 1-24 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 30 | Any applicant | 30 sold, 21% success, 5 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-3-148 | muzzleloader | Sep 27-Oct 3 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 10 | Any applicant | 10 sold, 80% success, 5 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-144 | any legal weapon | Nov 10-16 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 40 | Any applicant | 40 sold, 55% success, 20 bucks, 0 does |
Hunts: NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 56. Results: NMDGF 2025-26 deer harvest report. Success rate is NMDGF's own figure.
How many hunters applied for Unit 5A deer in 2026?
236 applicants put one of these 3 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 80 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-2-146 | 30 | 32 | 15 | 46.9% |
| DER-3-148 | 10 | 23 | 7 | 30.4% |
| DER-1-144 | 40 | 181 | 21 | 11.6% |
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 5A?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 5A deer hunts, season by season. The newest, 2025-26: 362 licenses sold, 306 hunters reporting, a 40% success rate, 130 bucks and 0 does taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 362 | 306 | 40% | 130 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 359 | 294 | 30% | 94 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 375 | 318 | 44% | 140 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 389 | 337 | 47% | 157 | 1 |
| 2021-22 | 387 | 317 | 45% | 157 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 389 | 338 | 49% | 175 | 1 |
| 2019-20 | 377 | 311 | 53% | 183 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 352 | 294 | 47% | 151 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 382 | 331 | 53% | 180 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 375 | 300 | 60% | 210 | 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 5A?
16.3% of Unit 5A is public land, 23,914 of 146,318 acres, most of it BLM (22,402 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 5A.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer licenses are there in Unit 5A?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 3 deer hunt codes for Unit 5A with 80 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 56).
What is the deer success rate in Unit 5A?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 40% success rate for the Unit 5A deer hunts as a whole: 306 hunters reported and 130 deer were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 30% to 60%.
When is deer season in Unit 5A in 2026?
The Unit 5A deer hunts run from September 1, 2026 to November 16, 2026. Bow hunts start Sep 1, muzzleloader hunts start Sep 27 and any legal weapon hunts start Nov 10 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 56).
Can nonresidents hunt deer in Unit 5A?
Yes, for 3 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).