Elk hunting in New Mexico Units 16B and 22: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 5 elk hunt codes in Units 16B and 22, 5 of them drawn with 615 licenses, from September 1 to October 28, 2026 (page 80). In the 2026 draw, 2,025 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 615 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 642 licenses sold, 558 hunters reporting, a 41% success rate, 106 bulls and 5 cows taken on the Units 16B and 22 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 landWildlife Commission landNational Park ServiceUnits 16B and 22Unit linesLake or riverHighway
| Units | Unit 16B, Unit 22 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 5 (5 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 615 |
| Season span | September 1 to October 28, 2026 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 2,025 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 111 (106 bulls, 5 cows) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 41% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 90.6% (774,405 acres) |
Which elk hunts are in Units 16B and 22 for 2026-27?
Every elk hunt code NMDOW lists for Units 16B and 22, 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-2-279 | bow | Sep 1-14 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 225 | Any applicant | 225 sold, 13% success, 25 bulls, 1 cow |
| ELK-2-280 | bow | Sep 15-24 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 165 | Any applicant | 165 sold, 15% success, 22 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-1-281 | any legal weapon | Oct 10-14 | Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal | 25 | Any applicant | 25 sold, 43% success, 8 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-1-282 | any legal weapon | Oct 17-21 | Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal | 80 | Any applicant | 79 sold, 30% success, 20 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-1-283 | any legal weapon | Oct 24-28 | Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal | 120 | Any applicant | 120 sold, 15% success, 16 bulls, 0 cows |
Hunts: NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 80. Results: NMDGF 2025-26 elk harvest report. Success rate is NMDGF's own figure.
How many hunters applied for Units 16B and 22 elk in 2026?
2,025 applicants put one of these 5 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 615 licenses; 278 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-2-279 | 225 | 346 | 80 | 23.1% |
| ELK-2-280 | 165 | 560 | 103 | 18.4% |
| ELK-1-281 | 25 | 718 | 23 | 3.2% |
| ELK-1-282 | 80 | 206 | 31 | 15% |
| ELK-1-283 | 120 | 195 | 41 | 21% |
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 Units 16B and 22?
NMDGF's totals for the Units 16B and 22 elk hunts, season by season, with its herd estimates where the report prints them. The newest, 2025-26: 642 licenses sold, 558 hunters reporting, a 41% success rate, 106 bulls and 5 cows taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bulls | Cows | Population estimate | Bulls : cows : calves |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 642 | 558 | 41% | 106 | 5 | ||
| 2024-25 | 641 | 564 | 29% | 120 | 4 | ||
| 2023-24 | 646 | 550 | 19% | 91 | 5 | ||
| 2022-23 | 739 | 648 | 25% | 113 | 8 | ||
| 2021-22 | 730 | 651 | 35% | 113 | 10 | ||
| 2020-21 | 728 | 665 | 28% | 119 | 11 | ||
| 2019-20 | 715 | 651 | 23% | 148 | 5 | ||
| 2018 | 738 | 653 | 24% | 162 | 5 | ||
| 2017 | 735 | 640 | 25% | 161 | 7 | ||
| 2016 | 744 | 669 | 23% | 156 | 6 |
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 Units 16B and 22?
90.6% of Units 16B and 22 is public land, 774,405 of 854,495 acres, most of it national forest (759,453 acres), measured from the BLM New Mexico surface management agency map (read 2026-10). By unit: Unit 16B 99.5% and Unit 22 69.2%.
Questions hunters ask
How many elk licenses are there in Units 16B and 22?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 5 elk hunt codes for Units 16B and 22 with 615 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 80).
What is the elk success rate in Units 16B and 22?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 41% success rate for the Units 16B and 22 elk hunts as a whole: 558 hunters reported and 111 elk were taken. Across the 10 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 19% to 41%.
When is elk season in Units 16B and 22 in 2026?
The Units 16B and 22 elk hunts run from September 1, 2026 to October 28, 2026. Bow hunts start Sep 1 and Sep 15 and any legal weapon hunts start Oct 10, Oct 17 and Oct 24 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 80).
Can nonresidents hunt elk in Units 16B and 22?
Yes, for 5 of the drawn codes. 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).