Elk hunting in New Mexico Units 29 and 30: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 4 elk hunt codes in Units 29 and 30, 4 of them drawn with 90 licenses, from September 1 to October 14, 2026 (page 86). In the 2026 draw, 1,651 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 90 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 180 licenses sold, 150 hunters reporting, a 47% success rate, 68 bulls and 12 cows taken on the Units 29 and 30 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 ReclamationState parkNational Park ServiceMilitary landUnits 29 and 30Unit linesLake or riverHighway
| Units | Unit 29, Unit 30 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 4 (4 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 90 |
| Season span | September 1 to October 14, 2026 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 1,651 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 80 (68 bulls, 12 cows) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 47% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 77.9% (2,055,695 acres) |
Which elk hunts are in Units 29 and 30 for 2026-27?
Every elk hunt code NMDOW lists for Units 29 and 30, 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-2-398 | bow | Sep 1-14 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 20 | Any applicant | 20 sold, 50% success, 9 bulls, 1 cow |
| ELK-2-399 | bow | Sep 15-24 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 20 | Any applicant | 20 sold, 53% success, 10 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-1-400 | any legal weapon | Oct 1-5 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 20 | Any applicant | 20 sold, 50% success, 10 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-1-401 | any legal weapon | Oct 10-14 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 30 | Any applicant | 30 sold, 38% success, 10 bulls, 0 cows |
Hunts: NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 86. Results: NMDGF 2025-26 elk harvest report. Success rate is NMDGF's own figure.
How many hunters applied for Units 29 and 30 elk in 2026?
1,651 applicants put one of these 4 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 90 licenses; 61 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-2-398 | 20 | 126 | 19 | 15.1% |
| ELK-2-399 | 20 | 253 | 15 | 5.9% |
| ELK-1-400 | 20 | 1,040 | 17 | 1.6% |
| ELK-1-401 | 30 | 232 | 10 | 4.3% |
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 29 and 30?
NMDGF's totals for the Units 29 and 30 elk hunts, season by season, with its herd estimates where the report prints them. The newest, 2025-26: 180 licenses sold, 150 hunters reporting, a 47% success rate, 68 bulls and 12 cows taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bulls | Cows | Population estimate | Bulls : cows : calves |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 180 | 150 | 47% | 68 | 12 | ||
| 2024-25 | 181 | 144 | 38% | 59 | 13 | ||
| 2023-24 | 172 | 136 | 40% | 64 | 16 |
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 29 and 30?
77.9% of Units 29 and 30 is public land, 2,055,695 of 2,639,670 acres, most of it BLM (1,324,670 acres), measured from the BLM New Mexico surface management agency map (read 2026-10). By unit: Unit 29 84% and Unit 30 75.4%.
Questions hunters ask
How many elk licenses are there in Units 29 and 30?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 4 elk hunt codes for Units 29 and 30 with 90 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 86).
What is the elk success rate in Units 29 and 30?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 47% success rate for the Units 29 and 30 elk hunts as a whole: 150 hunters reported and 80 elk were taken. Across the 3 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 38% to 47%.
When is elk season in Units 29 and 30 in 2026?
The Units 29 and 30 elk hunts run from September 1, 2026 to October 14, 2026. Bow hunts start Sep 1 and Sep 15 and any legal weapon hunts start Oct 1 and Oct 10 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 86).
Can nonresidents hunt elk in Units 29 and 30?
Yes, for 4 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).