Deer hunting in New Mexico Unit 9: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 6 deer hunt codes in Unit 9, 6 of them drawn with 70 licenses, from September 1 to January 15, 2027 (page 57). In the 2026 draw, 531 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 70 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 109 licenses sold, 93 hunters reporting, a 45% success rate, 43 bucks and 0 does taken on the Unit 9 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 landWildlife Commission landNational wildlife refugeState parkNational Park ServiceTribal landUnit 9Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 9 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 6 (6 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 70 |
| Season span | September 1 to January 15, 2027 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 531 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 43 (43 bucks, 0 does) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 45% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 26.7% (567,834 acres) |
| Residents only | 1 of the 6 codes |
Which deer hunts are in Unit 9 for 2026-27?
Every deer hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 9, 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-2-167 | including Water Canyon WMA | bow | Sep 1-24 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 10 | Any applicant | 10 sold, 22% success, 2 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-3-169 | including Water Canyon WMA, Restricted Muzzleloader only | muzzleloader | Sep 27-Oct 3 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 10 | Any applicant | 10 sold, 43% success, 4 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-164 | including Water Canyon WMA | any legal weapon | Nov 14-18 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 15 | Any applicant | 15 sold, 67% success, 10 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-165 | Marquez/LBar WMAs only | any legal weapon | Nov 14-18 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 10 | residents only | not reported under this code |
| DER-1-166 | including Water Canyon WMA | any legal weapon | Nov 21-29 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 10 | youth only | 10 sold, 43% success, 3 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-2-168 | including Water Canyon WMA | bow | Jan 1-15 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 15 | Any applicant | 15 sold, 43% success, 6 bucks, 0 does |
Hunts: NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 57. Results: NMDGF 2025-26 deer harvest report. Success rate is NMDGF's own figure.
How many hunters applied for Unit 9 deer in 2026?
531 applicants put one of these 6 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 70 licenses; 56 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-2-167 | 10 | 45 | 8 | 17.8% |
| DER-3-169 | 10 | 50 | 9 | 18% |
| DER-1-164 | 15 | 207 | 13 | 6.3% |
| DER-1-165 | 10 | 141 | 10 | 7.1% |
| DER-1-166 | 10 | 45 | 5 | 11.1% |
| DER-2-168 | 15 | 43 | 11 | 25.6% |
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 9?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 9 deer hunts, season by season. The newest, 2025-26: 109 licenses sold, 93 hunters reporting, a 45% success rate, 43 bucks and 0 does taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 109 | 93 | 45% | 43 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 112 | 95 | 26% | 25 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 108 | 92 | 40% | 36 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 91 | 75 | 30% | 23 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 82 | 69 | 32% | 25 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 72 | 65 | 37% | 25 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 73 | 61 | 37% | 25 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 82 | 68 | 20% | 16 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 92 | 72 | 25% | 20 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 86 | 70 | 24% | 20 | 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 9?
26.7% of Unit 9 is public land, 567,834 of 2,129,764 acres, most of it BLM (228,310 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 9.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer licenses are there in Unit 9?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 6 deer hunt codes for Unit 9 with 70 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 57).
What is the deer success rate in Unit 9?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 45% success rate for the Unit 9 deer hunts as a whole: 93 hunters reported and 43 deer were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 20% to 45%.
When is deer season in Unit 9 in 2026?
The Unit 9 deer hunts run from September 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. Bow hunts start Sep 1 and Jan 1, muzzleloader hunts start Sep 27 and any legal weapon hunts start Nov 14 and Nov 21 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 57).
Can nonresidents hunt deer in Unit 9?
Yes, for 5 of the drawn codes. 1 is for residents only. 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).