Elk hunting in New Mexico Unit 50: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 6 elk hunt codes in Unit 50, 6 of them drawn with 447 licenses, from September 1 to November 25, 2026 (page 88). In the 2026 draw, 308 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 447 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 674 licenses sold, 538 hunters reporting, a 31% success rate, 113 bulls and 65 cows taken on the Unit 50 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 landTribal landUnit 50Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 50 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 6 (6 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 447 |
| Season span | September 1 to November 25, 2026 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 308 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 178 (113 bulls, 65 cows) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 31% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 68% (401,683 acres) |
| Residents only | 2 of the 6 codes |
Which elk hunts are in Unit 50 for 2026-27?
Every elk hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 50, 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-2-187 | bow | Sep 1-14 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 60 | Any applicant | 59 sold, 14% success, 4 bulls, 2 cows |
| ELK-2-188 | bow | Sep 15-24 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 55 | Any applicant | 55 sold, 20% success, 8 bulls, 2 cows |
| ELK-1-189 | any legal weapon | Oct 10-14 | Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal | 120 | Any applicant | 120 sold, 20% success, 21 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-1-190 | any legal weapon | Oct 17-21 | Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal | 125 | Any applicant | 125 sold, 13% success, 15 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-1-191 | any legal weapon | Nov 7-11 | Antlerless elk | 42 | residents only | 41 sold, 32% success, 1 bull, 10 cows |
| ELK-1-192 | any legal weapon | Nov 21-25 | Antlerless elk | 45 | residents only | 45 sold, 38% success, 0 bulls, 15 cows |
Hunts: NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 88. Results: NMDGF 2025-26 elk harvest report. Success rate is NMDGF's own figure.
How many hunters applied for Unit 50 elk in 2026?
308 applicants put one of these 6 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 447 licenses; 143 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-2-187 | 60 | 14 | 12 | 85.7% |
| ELK-2-188 | 55 | 17 | 10 | 58.8% |
| ELK-1-189 | 120 | 100 | 38 | 38% |
| ELK-1-190 | 125 | 61 | 38 | 62.3% |
| ELK-1-191 | 42 | 58 | 24 | 41.4% |
| ELK-1-192 | 45 | 58 | 21 | 36.2% |
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 50?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 50 elk hunts, season by season, with its herd estimates where the report prints them. The newest, 2025-26: 674 licenses sold, 538 hunters reporting, a 31% success rate, 113 bulls and 65 cows taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bulls | Cows | Population estimate | Bulls : cows : calves |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 674 | 538 | 31% | 113 | 65 | ||
| 2024-25 | 660 | 521 | 27% | 106 | 46 | ||
| 2023-24 | 657 | 539 | 23% | 79 | 43 | ||
| 2022-23 | 726 | 586 | 28% | 97 | 89 | ||
| 2021-22 | 723 | 585 | 26% | 83 | 87 | ||
| 2020-21 | 727 | 619 | 33% | 76 | 135 | ||
| 2019-20 | 699 | 593 | 27% | 89 | 86 | ||
| 2018 | 701 | 598 | 34% | 90 | 131 | ||
| 2017 | 701 | 608 | 34% | 97 | 126 | ||
| 2016 | 706 | 577 | 37% | 126 | 126 |
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 50?
68% of Unit 50 is public land, 401,683 of 590,494 acres, most of it BLM (255,217 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 50.
Questions hunters ask
How many elk licenses are there in Unit 50?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 6 elk hunt codes for Unit 50 with 447 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 88).
What is the elk success rate in Unit 50?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 31% success rate for the Unit 50 elk hunts as a whole: 538 hunters reported and 178 elk were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 23% to 37%.
When is elk season in Unit 50 in 2026?
The Unit 50 elk hunts run from September 1, 2026 to November 25, 2026. Bow hunts start Sep 1 and Sep 15 and any legal weapon hunts start Oct 10, Oct 17, Nov 7 and Nov 21 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 88).
Can nonresidents hunt elk in Unit 50?
Yes, for 4 of the drawn codes. 2 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).