Elk hunting in New Mexico Units 42, 47 and 59: hunts, draw and harvest
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 3 elk hunt codes in Units 42, 47 and 59, 3 of them drawn with 39 licenses, from September 1 to October 5, 2026 (page 87). In the 2026 draw, 164 applicants chose one of these hunts first, for 39 licenses (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 479 licenses sold, 266 hunters reporting, a 44% success rate, 232 bulls and 83 cows taken on the Units 42, 47 and 59 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 wildlife refugeState parkMilitary landUnits 42, 47 and 59Unit linesLake or riverHighway
| Units | Unit 42, Unit 47, Unit 59 |
|---|---|
| Hunt codes, 2026-27 | 3 (3 drawn) |
| Draw licenses | 39 |
| Season span | September 1 to October 5, 2026 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 164 |
| NMDGF harvest, 2025-26 | 315 (232 bulls, 83 cows) |
| Success rate, 2025-26 | 44% (NMDGF) |
| Public land | 15.3% (723,879 acres) |
Which elk hunts are in Units 42, 47 and 59 for 2026-27?
Every elk hunt code NMDOW lists for Units 42, 47 and 59, 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-2-411 | bow | Sep 1-14 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 13 | Any applicant | 13 sold, 27% success, 3 bulls, 0 cows |
| ELK-2-412 | bow | Sep 15-24 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 13 | Any applicant | 13 sold, 40% success, 3 bulls, 1 cow |
| ELK-1-413 | any legal weapon | Oct 1-5 | Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) | 13 | Any applicant | 13 sold, 64% success, 7 bulls, 0 cows |
Hunts: NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 87. Results: NMDGF 2025-26 elk harvest report. Success rate is NMDGF's own figure.
How many hunters applied for Units 42, 47 and 59 elk in 2026?
164 applicants put one of these 3 drawn hunts as their first choice in the 2026 draw, for 39 licenses; 22 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-2-411 | 13 | 14 | 5 | 35.7% |
| ELK-2-412 | 13 | 28 | 10 | 35.7% |
| ELK-1-413 | 13 | 122 | 7 | 5.7% |
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 Units 42, 47 and 59?
NMDGF's totals for the Units 42, 47 and 59 elk hunts, season by season, with its herd estimates where the report prints them. The newest, 2025-26: 479 licenses sold, 266 hunters reporting, a 44% success rate, 232 bulls and 83 cows taken.
| Season | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bulls | Cows | Population estimate | Bulls : cows : calves |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 479 | 266 | 44% | 232 | 83 | ||
| 2024-25 | 482 | 251 | 41% | 211 | 88 | ||
| 2023-24 | 39 | 35 | 31% | 11 | 0 | ||
| 2022-23 | 30 | 25 | 25% | 6 | 1 | ||
| 2021-22 | 30 | 28 | 38% | 10 | 0 | ||
| 2020-21 | 30 | 30 | 35% | 9 | 0 |
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 42, 47 and 59?
15.3% of Units 42, 47 and 59 is public land, 723,879 of 4,729,226 acres, most of it state trust land (558,011 acres), measured from the BLM New Mexico surface management agency map (read 2026-10). By unit: Unit 42 8.9%, Unit 47 23.7% and Unit 59 24.6%.
Questions hunters ask
How many elk licenses are there in Units 42, 47 and 59?
NMDOW's 2026-27 booklet lists 3 elk hunt codes for Units 42, 47 and 59 with 39 draw licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 87).
What is the elk success rate in Units 42, 47 and 59?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives a 44% success rate for the Units 42, 47 and 59 elk hunts as a whole: 266 hunters reported and 315 elk were taken. Across the 6 seasons NMDGF reported for this area, the rate ran from 25% to 44%.
When is elk season in Units 42, 47 and 59 in 2026?
The Units 42, 47 and 59 elk hunts run from September 1, 2026 to October 5, 2026. Bow hunts start Sep 1 and Sep 15 and any legal weapon hunts start Oct 1 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 87).
Can nonresidents hunt elk in Units 42, 47 and 59?
Yes, for 3 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).