DER-1-197: deer hunt in Units 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D and 16E, Nov 21-29
DER-1-197 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a fork-antlered deer with any legal weapon in Units 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D and 16E, November 21 to 29, with 100 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 58). In the 2026 draw, 173 applicants chose it first and 50 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 100 licenses sold, 90 hunters reporting, a 38% success rate, 34 bucks and 0 does taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 58. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landWildlife Commission landNational Park ServiceUnits 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D and 16EUnit linesLake or riverHighway
| Species and bag | Deer: Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Any legal weapon |
| Dates | November 21 to 29 (2026-27) |
| Units | Unit 16A, Unit 16B, Unit 16C, Unit 16D, Unit 16E |
| Licenses | 100 (drawn) |
| Who may apply | youth only |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 173 (50 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 38% success, 34 bucks, 0 does |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 85.2% |
How many hunters applied for DER-1-197?
173 applicants chose DER-1-197 first in the 2026 draw and 50 drew it on that choice, 28.9% of them. 100 of the 100 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 174 first-choice applicants and 65 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 | 159 | 188 | 209 | 46 | 84 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 9 | 17 | 18 | 1 | 6 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 5 | 12 | 10 | 3 | 10 |
| All applicants | 173 | 217 | 237 | 50 | 100 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 155 | 203 | 211 | 57 | 84 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 8 | 17 | 14 | 2 | 6 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 11 | 5 | 16 | 6 | 10 |
| All applicants | 174 | 225 | 241 | 65 | 100 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on DER-1-197?
NMDGF's results for DER-1-197, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 38% (2025-26), from 90 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 100 in 2023-24 to 100 in 2025-26. NMDGF also prints private-land licenses under DER-1-197 (3 in 2025-26); they have their own column and are not counted in the drawn hunt's results.
| Season | Bag | Dates | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does | Days hunted, average | Hunter satisfaction, 1 to 5 | Private-land licenses, same code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | FAD | 11/22-11/30 | 100 | 90 | 38% | 34 | 0 | 4.3 | 3.4 | 3 (0 bucks, 0 does) |
| 2024-25 | FAD | Nov 23-Dec 1 | 101 | 82 | 42% | 37 | 0 | 4 | 3.5 | 4 (3 bucks, 0 does) |
| 2023-24 | FAD | Nov 18-26 | 100 | 90 | 35% | 30 | 0 | 4.2 | 3.2 | 3 (0 bucks, 0 does) |
Source: NMDGF 2025-26 deer harvest report, NMDGF 2024-25 deer harvest report and NMDGF 2023-24 deer harvest report and earlier NMDOW deer harvest reports.
How does DER-1-197 compare with the other Units 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D and 16E deer hunts?
DER-1-197 is one of 7 deer hunt codes NMDOW lists for Units 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D and 16E in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 6th most first-choice applicants of the 7 drawn ones (173). Its 2025-26 success rate, 38%, was the 3rd highest of the 7 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Units 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D and 16E deer hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 85.2% public land (1,907,239 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does DER-1-197 have?
NMDOW lists 100 licenses for DER-1-197 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 58). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 101 sold.
What is the success rate for DER-1-197?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives DER-1-197 a 38% success rate, from 90 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 35% to 42%.
How many people applied for DER-1-197 in 2026?
627 applicants listed DER-1-197 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 173 chose it first and 50 of those drew it, 28.9% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 174 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for DER-1-197?
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).
New Mexico hunting New Mexico deer Units 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D and 16E deer Unit 16A Unit 16B Unit 16C Unit 16D Unit 16E