Elk hunting in New Mexico Unit 18: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 3 elk hunt codes in Unit 18, 3 of them drawn with 60 licenses, from September 1 to October 5, 2026 (page 84). In the 2026 draw, 384 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 60 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 149 licenses sold, 124 hunters reporting, a 38% success rate, 34 bulls and 12 cows taken on the Unit 18 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.
BLMState trust landWildlife Commission landNational wildlife refugeBureau of ReclamationNational Park ServiceMilitary landUnit 18Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 18 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 3 (3 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 60 |
| Season span | September 1 to October 5, 2026 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 384 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 46 (34 bulls, 12 cows) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 38% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 65.9% (1,031,695 acres) |
Which elk hunts are in Unit 18 for 2026-27?
Every elk hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 18, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELK-2-393 | bow | Sep 1-14 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 25 | Any applicant | 25 sold, 23% success, 5 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-2-394 | bow | Sep 15-24 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 25 | Any applicant | 25 sold, 20% success, 5 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-1-395 | any legal weapon | Oct 1-5 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 10 | Any applicant | 10 sold, 33% success, 2 bulls, 1 cow |
Hunts: NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 84. Results: NMDGF 2025-26 elk harvest report. Success rate is NMDGF's own figure.
How many hunters applied for Unit 18 elk in 2026?
384 applicants put one of these 3 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 60 licenses; 26 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELK-2-393 | 25 | 16 | 8 | 50% |
| ELK-2-394 | 25 | 70 | 11 | 15.7% |
| ELK-1-395 | 10 | 298 | 7 | 2.3% |
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 elk are taken in Unit 18?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 18 elk hunts, season by season, with its herd estimates where the report prints them. The newest, 2025-26: 149 licenses sold, 124 hunters reporting, a 38% success rate, 34 bulls and 12 cows taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bulls | Cows | Population estimate | Bulls : cows : calves |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 149 | 124 | 38% | 34 | 12 | ||
| 2024-25 | 153 | 125 | 28% | 25 | 13 | ||
| 2023-24 | 165 | 131 | 27% | 35 | 9 | ||
| 2022-23 | 125 | 109 | 32% | 29 | 8 | ||
| 2021-22 | 123 | 99 | 26% | 28 | 2 | ||
| 2020-21 | 134 | 105 | 32% | 37 | 3 | ||
| 2019-20 | 113 | 94 | 23% | 40 | 5 | ||
| 2018 | 105 | 88 | 23% | 19 | 6 | ||
| 2017 | 97 | 76 | 34% | 25 | 10 | ||
| 2016 | 88 | 76 | 20% | 15 | 2 |
Source: NMDOW elk 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 18?
65.9% of Unit 18 is public land, 1,031,695 of 1,564,967 acres, most of it BLM (531,498 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 18.
Questions hunters ask
How many elk licenses are there in Unit 18?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 3 elk hunt codes for Unit 18 with 60 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 84).
What is the elk success rate in Unit 18?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 38% success rate for the Unit 18 elk hunts as a whole: 124 hunters reported and 46 elk were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 20% to 38%.
When is elk season in Unit 18 in 2026?
The Unit 18 elk hunts run from September 1, 2026 to October 5, 2026. Bow hunts start Sep 1 and Sep 15 and any legal weapon hunts start Oct 1 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 84).
Can nonresidents hunt elk in Unit 18?
Yes, for 3 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).