BHS-1-202: bighorn sheep hunt in Unit 45 (the Pecos herds), Sep 19-Oct 7
BHS-1-202 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a ewe with any legal weapon in Unit 45, the Pecos herds, September 19 to October 7, with 20 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 107). In the 2026 draw, 203 applicants chose it first and 3 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 20 licenses sold, 15 hunters reporting, an 80% success rate, 0 rams and 8 ewes taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 107. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landWildlife Commission landState parkNational Park ServiceTribal landUnit 45Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Species and bag | Bighorn Sheep: Any female bighorn sheep |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Any legal weapon |
| Dates | September 19 to October 7 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 45 |
| Licenses | 20 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 203 (3 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 80% success, 0 rams, 8 ewes |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 74.3% |
How many hunters applied for BHS-1-202?
203 applicants chose BHS-1-202 first in the 2026 draw and 3 drew it on that choice, 1.5% of them. 20 of the 20 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 154 first-choice applicants and 3 drawn on first choice. These are NMDOW's results for those draws, not a forecast.
| Pool, 2026 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 189 | 766 | 2,012 | 2 | 17 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 9 | 40 | 93 | 0 | 1 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 5 | 15 | 31 | 1 | 2 |
| All applicants | 203 | 821 | 2,136 | 3 | 20 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 137 | 734 | 1,948 | 3 | 17 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 14 | 32 | 107 | 0 | 1 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 3 | 13 | 17 | 0 | 2 |
| All applicants | 154 | 779 | 2,072 | 3 | 20 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on BHS-1-202?
NMDGF's results for BHS-1-202, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 80% (2025-26), from 15 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 56 in 2019-20 to 20 in 2025-26.
| Season | Bag | Dates | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Rams | Ewes | Days hunted, average | Hunter satisfaction, 1 to 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | Ewe | 20 | 15 | 80% | 8 | 1.6 | 4 | ||
| 2024-25 | Ewe | 18 | 18 | 53% | 8 | 2 | 4.3 | ||
| 2023-24 | Ewe | 19 | 15 | 64% | 7 | 1.1 | 3.1 | ||
| 2022-23 | Ewe | 41 | 36 | 56% | 15 | 3.5 | 3.9 | ||
| 2020-21 | Ewe | 56 | 52 | 79% | 33 | 2.2 | 4.3 | ||
| 2019-20 | Ewe | 56 | 51 | 80% | 0 | 33 | 2.6 | 4 |
Source: NMDGF 2025-26 bighorn sheep harvest report, NMDGF 2024-25 bighorn sheep harvest report and NMDGF 2023-24 bighorn sheep harvest report and earlier NMDOW bighorn sheep harvest reports.
How does BHS-1-202 compare with the other Unit 45 bighorn sheep hunts?
BHS-1-202 is one of 2 bighorn sheep hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 45 in 2026-27. Unit 45 bighorn sheep hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 74.3% public land (725,646 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does BHS-1-202 have?
NMDOW lists 20 licenses for BHS-1-202 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 107). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 18 sold.
What is the success rate for BHS-1-202?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives BHS-1-202 a 80% success rate, from 15 hunters reporting. Over the 6 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 53% to 80%.
How many people applied for BHS-1-202 in 2026?
3,160 applicants listed BHS-1-202 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 203 chose it first and 3 of those drew it, 1.5% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 154 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for BHS-1-202?
Yes. Nonresidents draw from the 6% of licenses set aside for them, or the 10% for applicants with a registered outfitter (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 18).
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