Elk hunting in New Mexico Unit 9: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 11 elk hunt codes in Unit 9, 11 of them drawn with 351 licenses, from September 1 to November 4, 2026 (pages 78 and 79). In the 2026 draw, 418 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 351 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 504 licenses sold, 435 hunters reporting, a 27% success rate, 121 bulls and 11 cows taken on the Unit 9 hunts (Mt. Taylot Herd Unit (GMU 9)).
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 landNational wildlife refugeState parkNational Park ServiceTribal landUnit 9Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Unit | Unit 9 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 11 (11 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 351 |
| Season span | September 1 to November 4, 2026 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 418 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 132 (121 bulls, 11 cows) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 27% (NMDGF) |
| Population estimate, 2025-26 | 1,000-2,100 elk (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 26.7% (567,834 acres) |
| Residents only | 5 of the 11 codes |
Which elk hunts are in Unit 9 for 2026-27?
Every elk hunt code NMDOW lists for Unit 9, 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-2-146 | Marquez/LBar WMA only | bow | Sep 1-14 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 15 | residents only | 15 sold, 31% success, 3 bulls, 1 cow |
| ELK-2-151 | including Water Canyon WMA | bow | Sep 1-14 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 82 | Any applicant | 82 sold, 11% success, 7 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-2-147 | Marquez/LBar WMA only | bow | Sep 15-24 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 15 | residents only | 15 sold, 15% success, 2 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-2-152 | including Water Canyon WMA | bow | Sep 15-24 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 82 | Any applicant | 83 sold, 15% success, 9 bulls, 2 cows |
| ELK-3-148 | Marquez/LBar WMA only | muzzleloader | Oct 10-14 | Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal | 15 | residents only | 21 sold, 24% success, 4 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-3-153 | including Water Canyon WMA | muzzleloader | Oct 10-14 | Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal | 21 | mobility impaired only | 15 sold, 18% success, 2 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-3-149 | Marquez/LBar WMA only | muzzleloader | Oct 17-21 | Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal | 15 | residents only | 15 sold, 57% success, 8 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-3-154 | including Water Canyon WMA | muzzleloader | Oct 17-21 | Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal | 35 | Any applicant | 35 sold, 13% success, 4 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-3-150 | Marquez/LBar WMA only | muzzleloader | Oct 24-28 | Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal | 15 | residents only | 15 sold, 15% success, 2 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-3-155 | including Water Canyon WMA | muzzleloader | Oct 24-28 | Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal | 35 | Any applicant | 35 sold, 9% success, 3 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-3-156 | including Water Canyon WMA | muzzleloader | Oct 31-Nov 4 | Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal | 21 | Any applicant | 21 sold, 20% success, 3 bulls, 0 cows |
Hunts: NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, pages 78 and 79. Results: NMDGF 2025-26 elk harvest report. Success rate is NMDGF's own figure.
How many hunters applied for Unit 9 elk in 2026?
418 applicants put one of these 11 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 351 licenses; 161 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-2-146 | 15 | 24 | 7 | 29.2% |
| ELK-2-151 | 82 | 73 | 49 | 67.1% |
| ELK-2-147 | 15 | 50 | 10 | 20% |
| ELK-2-152 | 82 | 57 | 28 | 49.1% |
| ELK-3-148 | 15 | 95 | 10 | 10.5% |
| ELK-3-153 | 21 | 11 | 7 | 63.6% |
| ELK-3-149 | 15 | 15 | 5 | 33.3% |
| ELK-3-154 | 35 | 45 | 20 | 44.4% |
| ELK-3-150 | 15 | 11 | 3 | 27.3% |
| ELK-3-155 | 35 | 16 | 8 | 50% |
| ELK-3-156 | 21 | 21 | 14 | 66.7% |
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 9?
NMDGF's totals for the Unit 9 elk hunts, season by season, with its herd estimates where the report prints them. The newest, 2025-26: 504 licenses sold, 435 hunters reporting, a 27% success rate, 121 bulls and 11 cows taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bulls | Cows | Population estimate | Bulls : cows : calves |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 504 | 435 | 27% | 121 | 11 | 1,000-2,100 | 26:100:28 |
| 2024-25 | 518 | 454 | 31% | 153 | 17 | 1,000-2,100 | 26:100:28 |
| 2023-24 | 516 | 443 | 29% | 136 | 12 | 1,000-2,100 | 26:100:28 |
| 2022-23 | 574 | 490 | 22% | 119 | 4 | 1,000-2,100 | 26:100:28 |
| 2021-22 | 600 | 504 | 25% | 141 | 10 | 700-3,500 | 25:100:16 |
| 2020-21 | 594 | 489 | 23% | 134 | 12 | 700-3,500 | 25:100:16 |
| 2019-20 | 590 | 492 | 22% | 123 | 13 | 700-3,500 | 25:100:16 |
| 2018 | 856 | 737 | 22% | 136 | 41 | 1,000-2,100 | 25:100:16 |
| 2017 | 890 | 730 | 23% | 163 | 40 | 3500-4500 | 37:100:12 |
| 2016 | 1,024 | 832 | 24% | 183 | 71 | 3500-4500 | 37:100:12 |
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 9?
26.7% of Unit 9 is public land, 567,834 of 2,129,764 acres, most of it BLM (228,310 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 9.
Questions hunters ask
How many elk licenses are there in Unit 9?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 11 elk hunt codes for Unit 9 with 351 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, pages 78 and 79).
What is the elk success rate in Unit 9?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 27% success rate for the Unit 9 elk hunts as a whole: 435 hunters reported and 132 elk were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 22% to 31%.
When is elk season in Unit 9 in 2026?
The Unit 9 elk hunts run from September 1, 2026 to November 4, 2026. Bow hunts start Sep 1 and Sep 15 and muzzleloader hunts start Oct 10, Oct 17, Oct 24 and Oct 31 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, pages 78 and 79).
Can nonresidents hunt elk in Unit 9?
Yes, for 6 of the drawn codes. 5 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 9?
NMDGF's 2025-26 elk harvest report estimates 1,000-2,100 elk in the Mt. Taylot Herd Unit, with a bull to cow to calf ratio of 26:100:28.