Deer hunting in New Mexico Units 21A and 21B: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 7 deer hunt codes in Units 21A and 21B, 7 of them drawn with 1,825 licenses, from September 1 to January 15, 2027 (page 59). In the 2026 draw, 1,558 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 1,825 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 1,976 licenses sold, 1,749 hunters reporting, a 20% success rate, 320 bucks and 0 does taken on the Units 21A and 21B 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 landBureau of ReclamationState parkTribal landUnits 21A and 21BUnit linesLake or riverHighway
| Units | Unit 21A, Unit 21B |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 7 (7 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 1,825 |
| Season span | September 1 to January 15, 2027 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 1,558 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 320 (320 bucks, 0 does) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 20% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 67.5% (1,304,033 acres) |
Which deer hunts are in Units 21A and 21B for 2026-27?
Every deer hunt code NMDOW lists for Units 21A and 21B, 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-2-224 | bow | Sep 1-24 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 300 | Any applicant | 300 sold, 11% success, 24 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-3-226 | muzzleloader | Oct 31-Nov 4 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 350 | Any applicant | 350 sold, 15% success, 42 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-221 | any legal weapon | Nov 7-11 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 425 | Any applicant | 425 sold, 26% success, 94 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-222 | any legal weapon | Nov 14-18 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 425 | Any applicant | 425 sold, 17% success, 61 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-223 | any legal weapon | Nov 21-29 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 100 | youth only | 100 sold, 27% success, 24 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-227 | any legal weapon | Dec 5-13 | Fork-antlered white-tailed deer | 25 | Any applicant | 25 sold, 47% success, 9 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-2-225 | bow | Jan 1-15 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 200 | Any applicant | 200 sold, 14% success, 23 bucks, 0 does |
Hunts: NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 59. Results: NMDGF 2025-26 deer harvest report. Success rate is NMDGF's own figure.
How many hunters applied for Units 21A and 21B deer in 2026?
1,558 applicants put one of these 7 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 1,825 licenses; 692 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-2-224 | 300 | 65 | 65 | 100% |
| DER-3-226 | 350 | 96 | 95 | 99% |
| DER-1-221 | 425 | 816 | 256 | 31.4% |
| DER-1-222 | 425 | 261 | 147 | 56.3% |
| DER-1-223 | 100 | 80 | 40 | 50% |
| DER-1-227 | 25 | 106 | 15 | 14.2% |
| DER-2-225 | 200 | 134 | 74 | 55.2% |
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 21A and 21B?
NMDGF's totals for the Units 21A and 21B deer hunts, season by season. The newest, 2025-26: 1,976 licenses sold, 1,749 hunters reporting, a 20% success rate, 320 bucks and 0 does taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,976 | 1,749 | 20% | 320 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 1,993 | 1,781 | 23% | 377 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 1,987 | 1,720 | 21% | 334 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 1,997 | 1,747 | 21% | 341 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 2,018 | 1,738 | 18% | 304 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 2,015 | 1,834 | 23% | 397 | 1 |
| 2019-20 | 1,983 | 1,764 | 23% | 393 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 1,983 | 1,770 | 21% | 359 | 1 |
| 2017-18 | 2,006 | 1,792 | 24% | 402 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 1,986 | 1,776 | 25% | 414 | 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 Units 21A and 21B?
67.5% of Units 21A and 21B is public land, 1,304,033 of 1,931,234 acres, most of it BLM (655,148 acres), measured from the BLM New Mexico surface management agency map (read 2026-10). By unit: Unit 21A 97.9% and Unit 21B 62%.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer licenses are there in Units 21A and 21B?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 7 deer hunt codes for Units 21A and 21B with 1,825 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 59).
What is the deer success rate in Units 21A and 21B?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 20% success rate for the Units 21A and 21B deer hunts as a whole: 1,749 hunters reported and 320 deer were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 18% to 25%.
When is deer season in Units 21A and 21B in 2026?
The Units 21A and 21B 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, Nov 21 and Dec 5 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 59).
Can nonresidents hunt deer in Units 21A and 21B?
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).