Elk hunting in New Mexico Unit 53: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 9 elk hunt codes in Unit 53, 7 of them drawn with 574 licenses, from September 1 to December 30, 2026 (pages 89, 90 and 94). In the 2026 draw, 405 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 574 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 902 licenses sold, 731 hunters reporting, a 20% success rate, 72 bulls and 84 cows taken on the Unit 53 hunts (Ute Herd Unit (GMU 53)).
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 53Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 53 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 9 (7 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 574 |
| Season span | September 1 to December 30, 2026 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 405 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 156 (72 bulls, 84 cows) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 20% (NMDGF) |
| Population estimate, 2025-26 | 1,400-2,900 elk (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 47.6% (208,437 acres) |
| Residents only | 4 of the 9 codes |
Which elk hunts are in Unit 53 for 2026-27?
Every elk hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 53, with the code's own 2025-26 result where NMDGF reported one under the same code and units.
| Hunt code | Where | Weapon | Dates, 2026-27 | Bag limit | Licenses | Who may apply | 2025-26 result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELK-2-385 | Whole unit | bow | Sep 1-14 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 65 | Any applicant | 65 sold, 9% success, 5 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-2-386 | Whole unit | bow | Sep 15-24 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 60 | Any applicant | 60 sold, 11% success, 4 bulls, 1 cow |
| ELK-3-387 | excluding Cerro portion | muzzleloader | Oct 10-14 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 50 | Any applicant | 50 sold, 17% success, 6 bulls, 1 cow |
| ELK-1-388 | excluding Cerro portion | any legal weapon | Oct 17-21 | Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal | 80 | Any applicant | 80 sold, 10% success, 7 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-1-389 | excluding Cerro portion | any legal weapon | Oct 24-28 | Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal | 131 | Any applicant | 131 sold, 5% success, 6 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-1-390 | excluding Cerro portion | any legal weapon | Nov 14-18 | Antlerless elk | 94 | residents only | 94 sold, 18% success, 1 bull, 12 cows |
| ELK-1-391 | excluding Cerro portion | any legal weapon | Nov 21-25 | Antlerless elk | 94 | residents only | 94 sold, 33% success, 0 bulls, 27 cows |
| ELK-1-127 | Whole unit | any legal weapon | Nov 28-Dec 2 | Antlerless elk | 60 (not drawn) | Youth encouragement (online purchase only) / youth only | 59 sold, 24% success, 0 bulls, 12 cows |
| ELK-1-128 | Whole unit | any legal weapon | Dec 26-30 | Antlerless elk | 60 (not drawn) | Youth encouragement (online purchase only) / youth only | 59 sold, 20% success, 0 bulls, 9 cows |
Hunts: NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, pages 89, 90 and 94. Results: NMDGF 2025-26 elk harvest report. Success rate is NMDGF's own figure.
How many hunters applied for Unit 53 elk in 2026?
405 applicants put one of these 7 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 574 licenses; 197 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-2-385 | 65 | 44 | 22 | 50% |
| ELK-2-386 | 60 | 45 | 18 | 40% |
| ELK-3-387 | 50 | 35 | 22 | 62.9% |
| ELK-1-388 | 80 | 112 | 31 | 27.7% |
| ELK-1-389 | 131 | 73 | 35 | 47.9% |
| ELK-1-390 | 94 | 71 | 45 | 63.4% |
| ELK-1-391 | 94 | 25 | 24 | 96% |
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 53?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 53 elk hunts, season by season, with its herd estimates where the report prints them. The newest, 2025-26: 902 licenses sold, 731 hunters reporting, a 20% success rate, 72 bulls and 84 cows taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bulls | Cows | Population estimate | Bulls : cows : calves |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 902 | 731 | 20% | 72 | 84 | 1,400-2,900 | 34:100:24 |
| 2024-25 | 878 | 730 | 14% | 52 | 56 | 1,400-2,900 | 34:100:24 |
| 2023-24 | 879 | 704 | 14% | 50 | 44 | 1,400-2,900 | 34:100:24 |
| 2022-23 | 940 | 773 | 12% | 57 | 48 | 1,400-2,900 | 34:100:24 |
| 2021-22 | 953 | 779 | 19% | 82 | 82 | 2,200-3,900 | 32:100:27 |
| 2020-21 | 945 | 801 | 18% | 73 | 87 | 2,200-3,900 | 32:100:27 |
| 2019-20 | 860 | 720 | 19% | 78 | 75 | 2,200-3,900 | 32:100:27 |
| 2018 | 916 | 775 | 27% | 111 | 125 | 2,200-3,900 | 32:100:27 |
| 2017 | 840 | 686 | 21% | 99 | 69 | 1254-2291 | 40:100:32 |
| 2016 | 858 | 717 | 24% | 100 | 101 | 1254-2291 | 40:100:32 |
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 53?
47.6% of Unit 53 is public land, 208,437 of 438,091 acres, most of it national forest (160,245 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 53.
Questions hunters ask
How many elk licenses are there in Unit 53?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 9 elk hunt codes for Unit 53 with 574 draw licenses; 2 more are not drawn (private land, youth encouragement or over the counter) (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, pages 89, 90 and 94).
What is the elk success rate in Unit 53?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 20% success rate for the Unit 53 elk hunts as a whole: 731 hunters reported and 156 elk were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 12% to 27%.
When is elk season in Unit 53 in 2026?
The Unit 53 elk hunts run from September 1, 2026 to December 30, 2026. Bow hunts start Sep 1 and Sep 15, muzzleloader hunts start Oct 10 and 6 any legal weapon hunts start between Oct 17 and Dec 26 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, pages 89, 90 and 94).
Can nonresidents hunt elk in Unit 53?
Yes, for 5 of the drawn codes. 4 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 53?
NMDGF's 2025-26 elk harvest report estimates 1,400-2,900 elk in the Ute Herd Unit, with a bull to cow to calf ratio of 34:100:24.