Elk hunting in New Mexico Unit 49: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 7 elk hunt codes in Unit 49, 6 of them drawn with 426 licenses, from September 1 to December 2, 2026 (pages 88 and 94). In the 2026 draw, 1,683 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 426 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 532 licenses sold, 475 hunters reporting, a 34% success rate, 81 bulls and 64 cows taken on the Unit 49 hunts (Penasco Herd Unit (GMU 49)).
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 landTribal landUnit 49Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 49 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 7 (6 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 426 |
| Season span | September 1 to December 2, 2026 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 1,683 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 145 (81 bulls, 64 cows) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 34% (NMDGF) |
| Population estimate, 2025-26 | 1,100-2,400 elk (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 79.9% (217,129 acres) |
| Residents only | 3 of the 7 codes |
Which elk hunts are in Unit 49 for 2026-27?
Every elk hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 49, 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-2-379 | bow | Sep 1-14 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 60 | Any applicant | 60 sold, 27% success, 12 bulls, 2 cows |
| ELK-2-380 | bow | Sep 15-24 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 59 | Any applicant | 59 sold, 22% success, 11 bulls, 2 cows |
| ELK-1-381 | any legal weapon | Oct 10-14 | Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal | 77 | Any applicant | 77 sold, 33% success, 23 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-1-382 | any legal weapon | Oct 17-21 | Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal | 76 | Any applicant | 76 sold, 33% success, 23 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-1-383 | any legal weapon | Nov 7-11 | Antlerless elk | 77 | residents only | 77 sold, 29% success, 1 bull, 20 cows |
| ELK-1-384 | any legal weapon | Nov 14-18 | Antlerless elk | 77 | residents only | 77 sold, 17% success, 1 bull, 11 cows |
| ELK-1-123 | any legal weapon | Nov 28-Dec 2 | Antlerless elk | 50 (not drawn) | Youth encouragement (online purchase only) / youth only | 49 sold, 41% success, 1 bull, 16 cows |
Hunts: NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, pages 88 and 94. Results: NMDGF 2025-26 elk harvest report. Success rate is NMDGF's own figure.
How many hunters applied for Unit 49 elk in 2026?
1,683 applicants put one of these 6 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 426 licenses; 243 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-2-379 | 60 | 208 | 30 | 14.4% |
| ELK-2-380 | 59 | 359 | 47 | 13.1% |
| ELK-1-381 | 77 | 717 | 67 | 9.3% |
| ELK-1-382 | 76 | 104 | 21 | 20.2% |
| ELK-1-383 | 77 | 226 | 57 | 25.2% |
| ELK-1-384 | 77 | 69 | 21 | 30.4% |
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 49?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 49 elk hunts, season by season, with its herd estimates where the report prints them. The newest, 2025-26: 532 licenses sold, 475 hunters reporting, a 34% success rate, 81 bulls and 64 cows taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bulls | Cows | Population estimate | Bulls : cows : calves |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 532 | 475 | 34% | 81 | 64 | 1,100-2,400 | 35:100:32 |
| 2024-25 | 535 | 490 | 30% | 86 | 56 | 1,100-2,400 | 35:100:32 |
| 2023-24 | 531 | 467 | 31% | 87 | 75 | 1,100-2,400 | 35:100:32 |
| 2022-23 | 534 | 470 | 35% | 89 | 86 | 1,100-2,400 | 35:100:32 |
| 2021-22 | 532 | 476 | 31% | 98 | 59 | 1,000-1,200 | 28:100:30 |
| 2020-21 | 533 | 477 | 35% | 80 | 93 | 1,000-1,200 | 28:100:30 |
| 2019-20 | 521 | 467 | 31% | 74 | 76 | 1,000-1,200 | 28:100:30 |
| 2018 | 520 | 464 | 38% | 88 | 97 | 1,000-1,200 | 28:100:30 |
| 2017 | 524 | 470 | 34% | 89 | 81 | 1257-1545 | 28:100:30 |
| 2016 | 524 | 469 | 33% | 71 | 87 | 1257-1545 | 28:100:30 |
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 49?
79.9% of Unit 49 is public land, 217,129 of 271,807 acres, most of it national forest (195,363 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 49.
Questions hunters ask
How many elk licenses are there in Unit 49?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 7 elk hunt codes for Unit 49 with 426 draw licenses; 1 more is not drawn (private land, youth encouragement or over the counter) (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, pages 88 and 94).
What is the elk success rate in Unit 49?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 34% success rate for the Unit 49 elk hunts as a whole: 475 hunters reported and 145 elk were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 30% to 38%.
When is elk season in Unit 49 in 2026?
The Unit 49 elk hunts run from September 1, 2026 to December 2, 2026. Bow hunts start Sep 1 and Sep 15 and 5 any legal weapon hunts start between Oct 10 and Nov 28 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, pages 88 and 94).
Can nonresidents hunt elk in Unit 49?
Yes, for 4 of the drawn codes. 3 are 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 49?
NMDGF's 2025-26 elk harvest report estimates 1,100-2,400 elk in the Penasco Herd Unit, with a bull to cow to calf ratio of 35:100:32.