Deer hunting in New Mexico Units 55A and 55B: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 6 deer hunt codes in Units 55A and 55B, from September 1 to November 29, 2026 (page 54). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 110 licenses sold, 75 hunters reporting, a 64% success rate, 59 bucks and 9 does taken on the Units 55A and 55B 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 forestWildlife Commission landNational wildlife refugeBureau of ReclamationTribal landUnits 55A and 55BUnit linesLake or riverHighway
| Units | Unit 55A, Unit 55B |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 6 (0 drawn) |
| Season span | September 1 to November 29, 2026 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 68 (59 bucks, 9 does) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 64% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 11.1% (137,878 acres) |
Which deer hunts are in Units 55A and 55B for 2026-27?
Every deer hunt code NMDOW lists for Units 55A and 55B, 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-2-517 | bow | Sep 1-24 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | not drawn | private land only | 14 sold, 44% success, 6 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-3-518 | muzzleloader | Sep 27-Oct 3 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | not drawn | private land only | 3 sold, 0 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-514 | any legal weapon | Oct 24-28 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | not drawn | private land only | 11 sold, 63% success, 6 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-515 | any legal weapon | Oct 31-Nov 4 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | not drawn | private land only | 37 sold, 77% success, 26 bucks, 2 does |
| DER-1-516 | any legal weapon | Nov 21-29 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | not drawn | private land only / youth only | 17 sold, 69% success, 11 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-519 | any legal weapon | Nov 25-29 | Either sex white-tailed deer | not drawn | private land only | 28 sold, 55% success, 8 bucks, 7 does |
Hunts: NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 54. Results: NMDGF 2025-26 deer harvest report. Success rate is NMDGF's own figure.
How many deer are taken in Units 55A and 55B?
NMDGF's totals for the Units 55A and 55B deer hunts, season by season. The newest, 2025-26: 110 licenses sold, 75 hunters reporting, a 64% success rate, 59 bucks and 9 does taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 110 | 75 | 64% | 59 | 9 |
| 2025-26 | 10 | 10 | 38% | 3 | 0 |
| 2025-26 | 10 | 8 | 25% | 3 | 0 |
| 2025-26 | 10 | 10 | 40% | 4 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 153 | 119 | 29% | 60 | 15 |
| 2023-24 | 180 | 122 | 63% | 97 | 6 |
| 2022-23 | 145 | 105 | 44% | 63 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 174 | 126 | 63% | 103 | 5 |
| 2019-20 | 176 | 119 | 53% | 88 | 9 |
| 2018-19 | 169 | 95 | 61% | 98 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 127 | 79 | 51% | 63 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 131 | 83 | 59% | 74 | 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 55A and 55B?
11.1% of Units 55A and 55B is public land, 137,878 of 1,247,230 acres, most of it national forest (101,514 acres), measured from the BLM New Mexico surface management agency map (read 2026-10). By unit: Unit 55A 13.2% and Unit 55B 2.1%.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer licenses are there in Units 55A and 55B?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 6 deer hunt codes for Units 55A and 55B; 6 more are not drawn (private land, youth encouragement or over the counter) (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 54).
What is the deer success rate in Units 55A and 55B?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 64% success rate for the Units 55A and 55B deer hunts as a whole: 75 hunters reported and 68 deer were taken. Across the 12 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 25% to 64%.
When is deer season in Units 55A and 55B in 2026?
The Units 55A and 55B deer hunts run from September 1, 2026 to November 29, 2026. Bow hunts start Sep 1, muzzleloader hunts start Sep 27 and any legal weapon hunts start Oct 24, Oct 31, Nov 21 and Nov 25 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 54).