Elk hunting in New Mexico Unit 7: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 5 elk hunt codes in Unit 7, 5 of them drawn with 133 licenses, from September 1 to October 28, 2026 (page 78). In the 2026 draw, 209 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 133 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 265 licenses sold, 190 hunters reporting, a 40% success rate, 60 bulls and 47 cows taken on the Unit 7 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 landBureau of ReclamationNational Park ServiceTribal landUnit 7Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 7 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 5 (5 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 133 |
| Season span | September 1 to October 28, 2026 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 209 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 107 (60 bulls, 47 cows) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 40% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 36% (789,010 acres) |
| Residents only | 1 of the 5 codes |
Which elk hunts are in Unit 7 for 2026-27?
Every elk hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 7, 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-2-241 | bow | Sep 1-14 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 15 | Any applicant | 15 sold, 8% success, 0 bulls, 1 cow |
| ELK-2-242 | bow | Sep 15-24 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 14 | Any applicant | 14 sold, 25% success, 3 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-3-243 | muzzleloader | Oct 10-14 | Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal | 24 | Any applicant | 24 sold, 38% success, 8 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-1-244 | any legal weapon | Oct 17-21 | Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal | 30 | Any applicant | 50 sold, 18% success, 0 bulls, 8 cows |
| ELK-1-245 | any legal weapon | Oct 24-28 | Antlerless elk | 50 | residents only | 30 sold, 20% success, 5 bulls, 0 cows |
Hunts: NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 78. Results: NMDGF 2025-26 elk harvest report. Success rate is NMDGF's own figure.
How many hunters applied for Unit 7 elk in 2026?
209 applicants put one of these 5 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 133 licenses; 41 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-2-241 | 15 | 18 | 7 | 38.9% |
| ELK-2-242 | 14 | 46 | 8 | 17.4% |
| ELK-3-243 | 24 | 30 | 5 | 16.7% |
| ELK-1-244 | 30 | 78 | 14 | 17.9% |
| ELK-1-245 | 50 | 37 | 7 | 18.9% |
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 7?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 7 elk hunts, season by season, with its herd estimates where the report prints them. The newest, 2025-26: 265 licenses sold, 190 hunters reporting, a 40% success rate, 60 bulls and 47 cows taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bulls | Cows | Population estimate | Bulls : cows : calves |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 265 | 190 | 40% | 60 | 47 | ||
| 2024-25 | 306 | 244 | 38% | 67 | 46 | ||
| 2023-24 | 274 | 197 | 41% | 71 | 32 | ||
| 2022-23 | 270 | 197 | 29% | 54 | 26 | ||
| 2021-22 | 239 | 183 | 32% | 53 | 26 | ||
| 2020-21 | 239 | 197 | 28% | 30 | 32 | ||
| 2019-20 | 271 | 200 | 37% | 70 | 38 | ||
| 2018 | 247 | 180 | 37% | 60 | 39 | ||
| 2017 | 231 | 177 | 28% | 40 | 31 | ||
| 2016 | 236 | 165 | 38% | 64 | 33 |
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 7?
36% of Unit 7 is public land, 789,010 of 2,189,704 acres, most of it BLM (655,908 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 7.
Questions hunters ask
How many elk licenses are there in Unit 7?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 5 elk hunt codes for Unit 7 with 133 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 78).
What is the elk success rate in Unit 7?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 40% success rate for the Unit 7 elk hunts as a whole: 190 hunters reported and 107 elk were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 28% to 41%.
When is elk season in Unit 7 in 2026?
The Unit 7 elk hunts run from September 1, 2026 to October 28, 2026. Bow hunts start Sep 1 and Sep 15, muzzleloader hunts start Oct 10 and any legal weapon hunts start Oct 17 and Oct 24 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 78).
Can nonresidents hunt elk in Unit 7?
Yes, for 4 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).