Elk hunting in New Mexico Unit 56: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 4 elk hunt codes in Unit 56, 4 of them drawn with 30 licenses, from September 1 to October 21, 2026 (page 91). In the 2026 draw, 175 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 30 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 605 licenses sold, 347 hunters reporting, a 58% success rate, 213 bulls and 243 cows taken on the Unit 56 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.
BLMState trust landUnit 56Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 56 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 4 (4 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 30 |
| Season span | September 1 to October 21, 2026 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 175 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 456 (213 bulls, 243 cows) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 58% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 21.7% (247,202 acres) |
| Residents only | 1 of the 4 codes |
Which elk hunts are in Unit 56 for 2026-27?
Every elk hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 56, 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-2-414 | bow | Sep 1-14 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 5 | Any applicant | 5 sold, 60% success, 2 bulls, 1 cow |
| ELK-2-415 | bow | Sep 15-24 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 5 | Any applicant | 5 sold, 25% success, 1 bull, 0 cows |
| ELK-1-416 | any legal weapon | Oct 1-5 | Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal | 10 | Any applicant | 10 sold, 67% success, 6 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-1-417 | any legal weapon | Oct 17-21 | Antlerless elk | 10 | residents only | 10 sold, 38% success, 0 bulls, 3 cows |
Hunts: NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 91. Results: NMDGF 2025-26 elk harvest report. Success rate is NMDGF's own figure.
How many hunters applied for Unit 56 elk in 2026?
175 applicants put one of these 4 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 30 licenses; 18 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-2-414 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 50% |
| ELK-2-415 | 5 | 19 | 2 | 10.5% |
| ELK-1-416 | 10 | 134 | 9 | 6.7% |
| ELK-1-417 | 10 | 14 | 3 | 21.4% |
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 56?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 56 elk hunts, season by season, with its herd estimates where the report prints them. The newest, 2025-26: 605 licenses sold, 347 hunters reporting, a 58% success rate, 213 bulls and 243 cows taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bulls | Cows | Population estimate | Bulls : cows : calves |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 605 | 347 | 58% | 213 | 243 | ||
| 2024-25 | 567 | 301 | 62% | 197 | 205 | ||
| 2023-24 | 566 | 280 | 45% | 168 | 214 | ||
| 2022-23 | 501 | 259 | 75% | 186 | 172 | ||
| 2021-22 | 494 | 300 | 72% | 174 | 172 | ||
| 2020-21 | 470 | 272 | 71% | 166 | 164 | ||
| 2019-20 | 455 | 297 | 80% | 172 | 190 | ||
| 2018 | 399 | 234 | 71% | 147 | 138 | ||
| 2017 | 373 | 224 | 72% | 145 | 122 | ||
| 2016 | 366 | 204 | 76% | 145 | 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 56?
21.7% of Unit 56 is public land, 247,202 of 1,140,738 acres, most of it state trust land (246,651 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 56.
Questions hunters ask
How many elk licenses are there in Unit 56?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 4 elk hunt codes for Unit 56 with 30 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 91).
What is the elk success rate in Unit 56?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 58% success rate for the Unit 56 elk hunts as a whole: 347 hunters reported and 456 elk were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 45% to 80%.
When is elk season in Unit 56 in 2026?
The Unit 56 elk hunts run from September 1, 2026 to October 21, 2026. Bow hunts start Sep 1 and Sep 15 and any legal weapon hunts start Oct 1 and Oct 17 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 91).
Can nonresidents hunt elk in Unit 56?
Yes, for 3 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).