Elk hunting in New Mexico Unit 24: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 6 elk hunt codes in Unit 24, 6 of them drawn with 65 licenses, from September 1 to December 23, 2026 (page 85). In the 2026 draw, 385 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 65 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 111 licenses sold, 85 hunters reporting, a 44% success rate, 31 bulls and 11 cows taken on the Unit 24 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 landOther federal (closed)Unit 24Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 24 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 6 (6 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 65 |
| Season span | September 1 to December 23, 2026 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 385 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 42 (31 bulls, 11 cows) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 44% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 63.1% (610,510 acres) |
| Residents only | 1 of the 6 codes |
Which elk hunts are in Unit 24 for 2026-27?
Every elk hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 24, with the code's own 2025-26 result where NMDGF reported one under the same code and units.
| Hunt code | Where | Weapon | Dates, 2026-27 | Bag limit | Licenses | Who may apply | 2025-26 result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELK-2-339 | excluding Ft. Bayard Mgmt. Area | bow | Sep 1-14 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 15 | Any applicant | 15 sold, 50% success, 4 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-2-340 | excluding Ft. Bayard Mgmt. Area | bow | Sep 15-24 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 10 | Any applicant | 10 sold, 33% success, 2 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-1-343 | including Ft. Bayard Mgmt. Area | any legal weapon | Oct 10-14 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 5 | youth only | 5 sold, 50% success, 2 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-3-341 | excluding Ft. Bayard Mgmt. Area | muzzleloader | Oct 17-21 | Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal | 15 | Any applicant | 15 sold, 33% success, 5 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-1-344 | including Ft. Bayard Mgmt. Area | any legal weapon | Oct 24-28 | Antlerless elk | 5 | residents only / youth only | 5 sold, 50% success, 0 bulls, 2 cows |
| ELK-1-342 | excluding Ft. Bayard Mgmt. Area | any legal weapon | Dec 19-23 | Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal | 15 | Any applicant | 15 sold, 29% success, 4 bulls, 0 cows |
Hunts: NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 85. Results: NMDGF 2025-26 elk harvest report. Success rate is NMDGF's own figure.
How many hunters applied for Unit 24 elk in 2026?
385 applicants put one of these 6 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 65 licenses; 36 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-2-339 | 15 | 27 | 8 | 29.6% |
| ELK-2-340 | 10 | 20 | 3 | 15% |
| ELK-1-343 | 5 | 145 | 4 | 2.8% |
| ELK-3-341 | 15 | 23 | 7 | 30.4% |
| ELK-1-344 | 5 | 15 | 3 | 20% |
| ELK-1-342 | 15 | 155 | 11 | 7.1% |
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 24?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 24 elk hunts, season by season, with its herd estimates where the report prints them. The newest, 2025-26: 111 licenses sold, 85 hunters reporting, a 44% success rate, 31 bulls and 11 cows taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bulls | Cows | Population estimate | Bulls : cows : calves |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 111 | 85 | 44% | 31 | 11 | ||
| 2024-25 | 107 | 73 | 44% | 21 | 8 | ||
| 2023-24 | 108 | 69 | 35% | 28 | 12 | ||
| 2022-23 | 105 | 86 | 31% | 22 | 10 | ||
| 2021-22 | 92 | 72 | 30% | 23 | 3 | ||
| 2020-21 | 88 | 76 | 28% | 17 | 6 | ||
| 2019-20 | 91 | 76 | 30% | 22 | 6 | ||
| 2018 | 87 | 76 | 31% | 20 | 5 | ||
| 2017 | 83 | 71 | 32% | 17 | 7 | ||
| 2016 | 89 | 73 | 35% | 20 | 7 |
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 24?
63.1% of Unit 24 is public land, 610,510 of 967,570 acres, most of it national forest (297,471 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 24.
Questions hunters ask
How many elk licenses are there in Unit 24?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 6 elk hunt codes for Unit 24 with 65 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 85).
What is the elk success rate in Unit 24?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 44% success rate for the Unit 24 elk hunts as a whole: 85 hunters reported and 42 elk were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 28% to 44%.
When is elk season in Unit 24 in 2026?
The Unit 24 elk hunts run from September 1, 2026 to December 23, 2026. Bow hunts start Sep 1 and Sep 15, any legal weapon hunts start Oct 10, Oct 24 and Dec 19 and muzzleloader hunts start Oct 17 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 85).
Can nonresidents hunt elk in Unit 24?
Yes, for 5 of the drawn codes. 1 is for residents only. 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).