Elk hunting in New Mexico Unit 28: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 2 elk hunt codes in Unit 28, 2 of them drawn with 20 licenses, from December 12 to December 16, 2026 (page 85). In the 2026 draw, 133 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 20 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 20 licenses sold, 18 hunters reporting, a 65% success rate, 9 bulls and 2 cows taken on the Unit 28 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 landMilitary landUnit 28Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 28 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 2 (2 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 20 |
| Season span | December 12 to December 16, 2026 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 133 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 11 (9 bulls, 2 cows) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 65% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 89.4% (607,187 acres) |
Which elk hunts are in Unit 28 for 2026-27?
Every elk hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 28 (all of them McGregor Range only), 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-1-396 | any legal weapon | Dec 12-16 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 10 | Military Only | 10 sold, 88% success, 6 bulls, 2 cows |
| ELK-1-397 | any legal weapon | Dec 12-16 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 10 | Any applicant | 10 sold, 43% success, 3 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 28 elk in 2026?
133 applicants put one of these 2 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 20 licenses; 14 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-1-396 | 10 | 70 | 9 | 12.9% |
| ELK-1-397 | 10 | 63 | 5 | 7.9% |
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 28?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 28 elk hunts, season by season, with its herd estimates where the report prints them. The newest, 2025-26: 20 licenses sold, 18 hunters reporting, a 65% success rate, 9 bulls and 2 cows taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bulls | Cows | Population estimate | Bulls : cows : calves |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 20 | 18 | 65% | 9 | 2 | ||
| 2024-25 | 20 | 18 | 53% | 7 | 2 | ||
| 2023-24 | 19 | 18 | 68% | 11 | 1 | ||
| 2022-23 | 20 | 19 | 79% | 14 | 2 | ||
| 2021-22 | 20 | 18 | 69% | 12 | 0 | ||
| 2020-21 | 20 | 16 | 50% | 8 | 1 | ||
| 2019-20 | 24 | 24 | 74% | 17 | 0 | ||
| 2018 | 22 | 20 | 78% | 15 | 1 | ||
| 2017 | 22 | 20 | 65% | 12 | 2 | ||
| 2016 | 22 | 22 | 67% | 13 | 1 |
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 28?
89.4% of Unit 28 is public land, 607,187 of 678,817 acres, most of it BLM (607,120 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 28.
Questions hunters ask
How many elk licenses are there in Unit 28?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 2 elk hunt codes for Unit 28 with 20 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 85).
What is the elk success rate in Unit 28?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 65% success rate for the Unit 28 elk hunts as a whole: 18 hunters reported and 11 elk were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 50% to 79%.
When is elk season in Unit 28 in 2026?
The Unit 28 elk hunts run from December 12, 2026 to December 16, 2026. Any legal weapon hunts start Dec 12 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 85).
Can nonresidents hunt elk in Unit 28?
Yes, for 2 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).