Deer hunting in New Mexico Units 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D and 16E: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 7 deer hunt codes in Units 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D and 16E, 7 of them drawn with 1,430 licenses, from September 1 to January 15, 2027 (page 58). In the 2026 draw, 3,753 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 1,430 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 1,470 licenses sold, 1,324 hunters reporting, a 33% success rate, 397 bucks and 0 does taken on the Units 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D and 16E 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 Park ServiceUnits 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D and 16EUnit linesLake or riverHighway
| Units | Unit 16A, Unit 16B, Unit 16C, Unit 16D, Unit 16E |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 7 (7 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 1,430 |
| Season span | September 1 to January 15, 2027 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 3,753 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 397 (397 bucks, 0 does) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 33% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 85.2% (1,907,239 acres) |
Which deer hunts are in Units 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D and 16E for 2026-27?
Every deer hunt code NMDOW lists for Units 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D and 16E, 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-2-198 | bow | Sep 1-24 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 230 | Any applicant | 230 sold, 19% success, 34 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-3-200 | muzzleloader | Oct 31-Nov 4 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 300 | Any applicant | 299 sold, 27% success, 68 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-194 | any legal weapon | Nov 7-11 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 300 | Any applicant | 300 sold, 41% success, 103 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-195 | any legal weapon | Nov 14-18 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 25 | mobility impaired only | 25 sold, 19% success, 3 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-196 | any legal weapon | Nov 14-18 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 300 | Any applicant | 300 sold, 39% success, 92 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-197 | any legal weapon | Nov 21-29 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 100 | youth only | 100 sold, 38% success, 34 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-2-199 | bow | Jan 1-15 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 175 | Any applicant | 175 sold, 38% success, 51 bucks, 0 does |
Hunts: NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 58. Results: NMDGF 2025-26 deer harvest report. Success rate is NMDGF's own figure.
How many hunters applied for Units 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D and 16E deer in 2026?
3,753 applicants put one of these 7 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 1,430 licenses; 861 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-2-198 | 230 | 478 | 179 | 37.4% |
| DER-3-200 | 300 | 293 | 147 | 50.2% |
| DER-1-194 | 300 | 1,839 | 243 | 13.2% |
| DER-1-195 | 25 | 61 | 17 | 27.9% |
| DER-1-196 | 300 | 563 | 118 | 21% |
| DER-1-197 | 100 | 173 | 50 | 28.9% |
| DER-2-199 | 175 | 346 | 107 | 30.9% |
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 Units 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D and 16E?
NMDGF's totals for the Units 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D and 16E deer hunts, season by season. The newest, 2025-26: 1,470 licenses sold, 1,324 hunters reporting, a 33% success rate, 397 bucks and 0 does taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,470 | 1,324 | 33% | 397 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 1,470 | 1,315 | 30% | 364 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 1,456 | 1,306 | 26% | 318 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 1,456 | 1,298 | 24% | 294 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 1,459 | 1,297 | 24% | 288 | 2 |
| 2020-21 | 1,455 | 1,360 | 23% | 284 | 1 |
| 2019-20 | 1,451 | 1,327 | 25% | 313 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 1,454 | 1,329 | 23% | 276 | 1 |
| 2017-18 | 1,456 | 1,347 | 29% | 360 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 1,453 | 1,345 | 26% | 320 | 1 |
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 Units 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D and 16E?
85.2% of Units 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D and 16E is public land, 1,907,239 of 2,237,794 acres, most of it national forest (1,479,550 acres), measured from the BLM New Mexico surface management agency map (read 2026-10). By unit: Unit 16A 97%, Unit 16B 99.5%, Unit 16C 83.3%, Unit 16D 88.3% and Unit 16E 62.7%.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer licenses are there in Units 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D and 16E?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 7 deer hunt codes for Units 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D and 16E with 1,430 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 58).
What is the deer success rate in Units 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D and 16E?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 33% success rate for the Units 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D and 16E deer hunts as a whole: 1,324 hunters reported and 397 deer were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 23% to 33%.
When is deer season in Units 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D and 16E in 2026?
The Units 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D and 16E deer hunts run from September 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. Bow hunts start Sep 1 and Jan 1, muzzleloader hunts start Oct 31 and any legal weapon hunts start Nov 7, Nov 14 and Nov 21 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 58).
Can nonresidents hunt deer in Units 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D and 16E?
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).
New Mexico hunting New Mexico deer Unit 16A Unit 16B Unit 16C Unit 16D Unit 16E