Elk hunting in New Mexico Unit 38: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 2 elk hunt codes in Unit 38, 2 of them drawn with 20 licenses, from October 1 to October 21, 2026 (page 87). In the 2026 draw, 190 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 20 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 155 licenses sold, 78 hunters reporting, a 25% success rate, 65 bulls and 15 cows taken on the Unit 38 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 landNational Park ServiceUnit 38Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 38 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 2 (2 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 20 |
| Season span | October 1 to October 21, 2026 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 190 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 80 (65 bulls, 15 cows) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 25% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 31.9% (665,610 acres) |
Which elk hunts are in Unit 38 for 2026-27?
Every elk hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 38, 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-1-408 | any legal weapon | Oct 1-5 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 10 | Any applicant | 10 sold, 29% success, 1 bull, 1 cow |
| ELK-1-409 | any legal weapon | Oct 17-21 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 10 | Any applicant | 10 sold, 11% success, 1 bull, 0 cows |
Hunts: NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 87. Results: NMDGF 2025-26 elk harvest report. Success rate is NMDGF's own figure.
How many hunters applied for Unit 38 elk in 2026?
190 applicants put one of these 2 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 20 licenses; 10 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-1-408 | 10 | 173 | 9 | 5.2% |
| ELK-1-409 | 10 | 17 | 1 | 5.9% |
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 38?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 38 elk hunts, season by season, with its herd estimates where the report prints them. The newest, 2025-26: 155 licenses sold, 78 hunters reporting, a 25% success rate, 65 bulls and 15 cows taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bulls | Cows | Population estimate | Bulls : cows : calves |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 155 | 78 | 25% | 65 | 15 | ||
| 2024-25 | 105 | 69 | 57% | 46 | 8 | ||
| 2023-24 | 125 | 85 | 55% | 48 | 12 | ||
| 2022-23 | 104 | 70 | 39% | 38 | 2 | ||
| 2021-22 | 91 | 62 | 50% | 36 | 9 | ||
| 2020-21 | 102 | 79 | 46% | 34 | 5 | ||
| 2019-20 | 91 | 73 | 46% | 30 | 9 | ||
| 2018 | 67 | 50 | 28% | 16 | 4 | ||
| 2017 | 56 | 34 | 58% | 28 | 3 | ||
| 2016 | 51 | 37 | 44% | 17 | 5 |
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 38?
31.9% of Unit 38 is public land, 665,610 of 2,084,552 acres, most of it state trust land (291,353 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 38.
Questions hunters ask
How many elk licenses are there in Unit 38?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 2 elk hunt codes for Unit 38 with 20 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 87).
What is the elk success rate in Unit 38?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 25% success rate for the Unit 38 elk hunts as a whole: 78 hunters reported and 80 elk were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 25% to 58%.
When is elk season in Unit 38 in 2026?
The Unit 38 elk hunts run from October 1, 2026 to October 21, 2026. Any legal weapon hunts start Oct 1 and Oct 17 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 87).
Can nonresidents hunt elk in Unit 38?
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).