Elk hunting in New Mexico Unit 5A: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 10 elk hunt codes in Unit 5A, 10 of them drawn with 90 licenses, from September 1 to November 4, 2026 (page 76). In the 2026 draw, 297 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 90 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 567 licenses sold, 386 hunters reporting, a 25% success rate, 165 bulls and 175 cows taken on the Unit 5A hunts (Lindrith Herd Unit (GMU 5A)).
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 5ANeighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 5A |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 10 (10 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 90 |
| Season span | September 1 to November 4, 2026 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 297 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 340 (165 bulls, 175 cows) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 25% (NMDGF) |
| Population estimate, 2025-26 | 2,200-2,500 elk (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 16.3% (23,914 acres) |
| Residents only | 4 of the 10 codes |
Which elk hunts are in Unit 5A for 2026-27?
Every elk hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 5A (all of them Public Land only), 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-2-136 | bow | Sep 1-14 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 5 | Any applicant | 5 sold, 0% success, 0 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-2-137 | bow | Sep 15-24 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 5 | Any applicant | 5 sold, 0% success, 0 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-1-138 | any legal weapon | Oct 10-14 | Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal | 10 | Any applicant | 10 sold, 14% success, 1 bull, 0 cows |
| ELK-1-139 | any legal weapon | Oct 10-14 | Antlerless elk | 10 | residents only | 10 sold, 0% success, 0 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-1-140 | any legal weapon | Oct 17-21 | Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal | 10 | Any applicant | 10 sold, 50% success, 4 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-1-141 | any legal weapon | Oct 17-21 | Antlerless elk | 10 | residents only | 10 sold, 20% success, 0 bulls, 2 cows |
| ELK-1-142 | any legal weapon | Oct 24-28 | Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal | 10 | Any applicant | 10 sold, 13% success, 1 bull, 0 cows |
| ELK-1-143 | any legal weapon | Oct 24-28 | Antlerless elk | 10 | residents only | 10 sold, 33% success, 0 bulls, 3 cows |
| ELK-1-144 | any legal weapon | Oct 31-Nov 4 | Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal | 10 | Any applicant | 10 sold, 0% success, 0 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-1-145 | any legal weapon | Oct 31-Nov 4 | Antlerless elk | 10 | residents only | 10 sold, 17% success, 0 bulls, 1 cow |
Hunts: NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 76. Results: NMDGF 2025-26 elk harvest report. Success rate is NMDGF's own figure.
How many hunters applied for Unit 5A elk in 2026?
297 applicants put one of these 10 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 90 licenses; 47 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-2-136 | 5 | 11 | 3 | 27.3% |
| ELK-2-137 | 5 | 16 | 3 | 18.8% |
| ELK-1-138 | 10 | 65 | 8 | 12.3% |
| ELK-1-139 | 10 | 29 | 6 | 20.7% |
| ELK-1-140 | 10 | 31 | 7 | 22.6% |
| ELK-1-141 | 10 | 9 | 3 | 33.3% |
| ELK-1-142 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 25% |
| ELK-1-143 | 10 | 14 | 4 | 28.6% |
| ELK-1-144 | 10 | 105 | 9 | 8.6% |
| ELK-1-145 | 10 | 13 | 3 | 23.1% |
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 5A?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 5A elk hunts, season by season, with its herd estimates where the report prints them. The newest, 2025-26: 567 licenses sold, 386 hunters reporting, a 25% success rate, 165 bulls and 175 cows taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bulls | Cows | Population estimate | Bulls : cows : calves |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 567 | 386 | 25% | 165 | 175 | 2,200-2,500 | 35:100:32 |
| 2024-25 | 541 | 343 | 31% | 168 | 155 | 2,200-2,500 | 35:100:32 |
| 2023-24 | 564 | 346 | 33% | 161 | 157 | 2,200-2,500 | 35:100:32 |
| 2022-23 | 584 | 355 | 62% | 188 | 168 | 2,200-2,500 | 35:100:32 |
| 2021-22 | 587 | 399 | 62% | 173 | 176 | 2,000-2,300 | 34:100:36 |
| 2020-21 | 577 | 440 | 61% | 160 | 192 | 2,000-2,300 | 34:100:36 |
| 2019-20 | 577 | 422 | 63% | 165 | 187 | 2,000-2,300 | 34:100:36 |
| 2018 | 553 | 384 | 60% | 155 | 168 | 2,000-2,300 | 34:100:36 |
| 2017 | 503 | 387 | 64% | 160 | 160 | 1912-2408 | 34:100:36 |
| 2016 | 532 | 368 | 62% | 152 | 177 | 1912-2408 | 34:100:36 |
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 5A?
16.3% of Unit 5A is public land, 23,914 of 146,318 acres, most of it BLM (22,402 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 5A.
Questions hunters ask
How many elk licenses are there in Unit 5A?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 10 elk hunt codes for Unit 5A with 90 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 76).
What is the elk success rate in Unit 5A?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 25% success rate for the Unit 5A elk hunts as a whole: 386 hunters reported and 340 elk were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 25% to 64%.
When is elk season in Unit 5A in 2026?
The Unit 5A elk hunts run from September 1, 2026 to November 4, 2026. Bow hunts start Sep 1 and Sep 15 and any legal weapon hunts start Oct 10, Oct 17, Oct 24 and Oct 31 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 76).
Can nonresidents hunt elk in Unit 5A?
Yes, for 6 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 5A?
NMDGF's 2025-26 elk harvest report estimates 2,200-2,500 elk in the Lindrith Herd Unit, with a bull to cow to calf ratio of 35:100:32.