BHS-2-203: bighorn sheep hunt in Unit 45 (GMU 45 (Pecos)), Sep 4-13
BHS-2-203 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a ewe with a bow in Unit 45, GMU 45 (Pecos), September 4 to 13, with 10 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 108). In the 2026 draw, 96 applicants chose it first and 2 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 9 licenses sold, 9 hunters reporting, a 50% success rate, 0 rams and 4 ewes taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 108. 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 | Bow |
| Dates | September 4 to 13 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 45 |
| Licenses | 10 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 96 (2 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 50% success, 0 rams, 4 ewes |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 74.3% |
How many hunters applied for BHS-2-203?
96 applicants chose BHS-2-203 first in the 2026 draw and 2 drew it on that choice, 2.1% of them. 10 of the 10 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 75 first-choice applicants and 0 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 | 92 | 160 | 533 | 2 | 9 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 3 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 1 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 1 |
| All applicants | 96 | 165 | 548 | 2 | 10 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 70 | 140 | 468 | 0 | 9 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 2 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 1 |
| All applicants | 75 | 141 | 484 | 0 | 10 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on BHS-2-203?
NMDGF's results for BHS-2-203, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 50% (2025-26), from 9 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 22 in 2019-20 to 9 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 | 9 | 9 | 50% | 4 | 2.9 | 3.9 | ||
| 2024-25 | Ewe | 10 | 6 | 50% | 2 | 7.3 | 4.5 | ||
| 2023-24 | Ewe | 10 | 9 | 33% | 2 | 1.9 | 2.6 | ||
| 2022-23 | Ewe | 17 | 14 | 64% | 7 | 2.1 | 4.1 | ||
| 2020-21 | Ewe | 22 | 17 | 93% | 13 | 2.1 | 4.5 | ||
| 2019-20 | Ewe | 22 | 22 | 77% | 0 | 17 | 1.9 | 4.2 |
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-2-203 compare with the other Unit 45 bighorn sheep hunts?
BHS-2-203 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-2-203 have?
NMDOW lists 10 licenses for BHS-2-203 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 108). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 10 sold.
What is the success rate for BHS-2-203?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives BHS-2-203 a 50% success rate, from 9 hunters reporting. Over the 6 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 33% to 93%.
How many people applied for BHS-2-203 in 2026?
809 applicants listed BHS-2-203 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 96 chose it first and 2 of those drew it, 2.1% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 75 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for BHS-2-203?
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). NMDOW warns that with 10 licenses a nonresident is extremely unlikely to draw it.
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