Elk hunting in New Mexico Unit 45: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 6 elk hunt codes in Unit 45, 6 of them drawn with 613 licenses, from September 1 to November 18, 2026 (page 87). In the 2026 draw, 1,486 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 613 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 781 licenses sold, 659 hunters reporting, a 27% success rate, 166 bulls and 22 cows taken on the Unit 45 hunts (Pecos Herd Unit (GMU 45)).
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 ServiceTribal landUnit 45Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 45 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 6 (6 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 613 |
| Season span | September 1 to November 18, 2026 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 1,486 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 188 (166 bulls, 22 cows) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 27% (NMDGF) |
| Population estimate, 2025-26 | 1,100-2,100 elk (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 74.3% (725,646 acres) |
| Residents only | 1 of the 6 codes |
Which elk hunts are in Unit 45 for 2026-27?
Every elk hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 45, 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-2-366 | bow | Sep 1-14 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 75 | Any applicant | 75 sold, 28% success, 18 bulls, 2 cows |
| ELK-2-367 | bow | Sep 15-24 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 73 | Any applicant | 73 sold, 42% success, 27 bulls, 2 cows |
| ELK-3-368 | muzzleloader | Oct 10-14 | Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal | 136 | Any applicant | 136 sold, 22% success, 26 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-1-369 | any legal weapon | Oct 17-21 | Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal | 140 | Any applicant | 145 sold, 23% success, 28 bulls, 1 cow |
| ELK-1-370 | any legal weapon | Oct 24-28 | Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal | 140 | Any applicant | 140 sold, 20% success, 24 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-3-371 | muzzleloader | Nov 14-18 | Antlerless elk | 49 | residents only | 49 sold, 8% success, 0 bulls, 3 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 45 elk in 2026?
1,486 applicants put one of these 6 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 613 licenses; 323 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-2-366 | 75 | 207 | 52 | 25.1% |
| ELK-2-367 | 73 | 343 | 54 | 15.7% |
| ELK-3-368 | 136 | 215 | 64 | 29.8% |
| ELK-1-369 | 140 | 499 | 74 | 14.8% |
| ELK-1-370 | 140 | 159 | 54 | 34% |
| ELK-3-371 | 49 | 63 | 25 | 39.7% |
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 45?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 45 elk hunts, season by season, with its herd estimates where the report prints them. The newest, 2025-26: 781 licenses sold, 659 hunters reporting, a 27% success rate, 166 bulls and 22 cows taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bulls | Cows | Population estimate | Bulls : cows : calves |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 781 | 659 | 27% | 166 | 22 | 1,100-2,100 | 35:100:32 |
| 2024-25 | 765 | 651 | 27% | 150 | 28 | 1,100-2,100 | 35:100:32 |
| 2023-24 | 761 | 611 | 25% | 128 | 30 | 1,100-2,100 | 35:100:32 |
| 2022-23 | 759 | 624 | 24% | 135 | 23 | 1,100-2,100 | 35:100:32 |
| 2021-22 | 777 | 652 | 24% | 147 | 26 | 1,100-1,800 | 27:100:27 |
| 2020-21 | 784 | 698 | 22% | 116 | 45 | 1,100-1,800 | 27:100:27 |
| 2019-20 | 759 | 663 | 21% | 127 | 23 | 1,100-1,800 | 27:100:27 |
| 2018 | 781 | 660 | 28% | 165 | 39 | 1,100-1,800 | 27:100:27 |
| 2017 | 761 | 659 | 23% | 133 | 33 | 1665-2553 | 27:100:27 |
| 2016 | 743 | 630 | 20% | 113 | 30 | 1665-2553 | 27:100:27 |
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 45?
74.3% of Unit 45 is public land, 725,646 of 976,072 acres, most of it national forest (624,291 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 45.
Questions hunters ask
How many elk licenses are there in Unit 45?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 6 elk hunt codes for Unit 45 with 613 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 87).
What is the elk success rate in Unit 45?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 27% success rate for the Unit 45 elk hunts as a whole: 659 hunters reported and 188 elk were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 20% to 28%.
When is elk season in Unit 45 in 2026?
The Unit 45 elk hunts run from September 1, 2026 to November 18, 2026. Bow hunts start Sep 1 and Sep 15, muzzleloader hunts start Oct 10 and Nov 14 and any legal weapon hunts start Oct 17 and Oct 24 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 87).
Can nonresidents hunt elk in Unit 45?
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).
How many elk are in Unit 45?
NMDGF's 2025-26 elk harvest report estimates 1,100-2,100 elk in the Pecos Herd Unit, with a bull to cow to calf ratio of 35:100:32.