Deer hunting in New Mexico Units 6A and 6C: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 4 deer hunt codes in Units 6A and 6C, 4 of them drawn with 345 licenses, from September 1 to November 11, 2026 (page 56). In the 2026 draw, 3,820 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 345 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 516 licenses sold, 467 hunters reporting, a 37% success rate, 172 bucks and 0 does taken on the Units 6A and 6C 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 landState parkNational Park ServiceMilitary landTribal landOther federal (closed)Units 6A and 6CUnit linesLake or riverHighway
| Units | Unit 6A, Unit 6C |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 4 (4 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 345 |
| Season span | September 1 to November 11, 2026 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 3,820 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 172 (172 bucks, 0 does) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 37% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 50.5% (820,174 acres) |
Which deer hunts are in Units 6A and 6C for 2026-27?
Every deer hunt code NMDOW lists for Units 6A and 6C, 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-2-156 | bow | Sep 1-24 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 100 | Any applicant | 100 sold, 40% success, 37 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-3-157 | muzzleloader | Oct 3-7 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 115 | Any applicant | 114 sold, 47% success, 48 bucks, 0 does |
| DER-1-154 | any legal weapon | Oct 10-14 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 20 | mobility impaired only | not reported under this code |
| DER-1-155 | any legal weapon | Nov 7-11 | Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) | 110 | Any applicant | 110 sold, 42% success, 41 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 Units 6A and 6C deer in 2026?
3,820 applicants put one of these 4 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 345 licenses; 250 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-2-156 | 100 | 694 | 79 | 11.4% |
| DER-3-157 | 115 | 487 | 67 | 13.8% |
| DER-1-154 | 20 | 132 | 17 | 12.9% |
| DER-1-155 | 110 | 2,507 | 87 | 3.5% |
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 6A and 6C?
NMDGF's totals for the Units 6A and 6C deer hunts, season by season. The newest, 2025-26: 516 licenses sold, 467 hunters reporting, a 37% success rate, 172 bucks and 0 does taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 516 | 467 | 37% | 172 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 553 | 499 | 31% | 149 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 571 | 516 | 34% | 168 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 548 | 481 | 36% | 173 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 567 | 502 | 32% | 163 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 576 | 533 | 35% | 186 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 514 | 468 | 32% | 145 | 1 |
| 2018-19 | 537 | 471 | 37% | 187 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 586 | 512 | 33% | 172 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 509 | 440 | 34% | 160 | 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 6A and 6C?
50.5% of Units 6A and 6C is public land, 820,174 of 1,623,393 acres, most of it national forest (716,555 acres), measured from the BLM New Mexico surface management agency map (read 2026-10). By unit: Unit 6A 47.8% and Unit 6C 53.4%.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer licenses are there in Units 6A and 6C?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 4 deer hunt codes for Units 6A and 6C with 345 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 56).
What is the deer success rate in Units 6A and 6C?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 37% success rate for the Units 6A and 6C deer hunts as a whole: 467 hunters reported and 172 deer were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 31% to 37%.
When is deer season in Units 6A and 6C in 2026?
The Units 6A and 6C deer hunts run from September 1, 2026 to November 11, 2026. Bow hunts start Sep 1, muzzleloader hunts start Oct 3 and any legal weapon hunts start Oct 10 and Nov 7 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 56).
Can nonresidents hunt deer in Units 6A and 6C?
Yes, for 4 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).