DER-1-223: deer hunt in Units 21A and 21B, Nov 21-29
DER-1-223 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a fork-antlered deer with any legal weapon in Units 21A and 21B, November 21 to 29, with 100 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 59). In the 2026 draw, 80 applicants chose it first and 40 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 100 licenses sold, 95 hunters reporting, a 27% success rate, 24 bucks and 0 does taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 59. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landBureau of ReclamationState parkTribal landUnits 21A and 21BUnit 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 21A, Unit 21B |
| Licenses | 100 (drawn) |
| Who may apply | youth only |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 80 (40 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 27% success, 24 bucks, 0 does |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 67.5% |
How many hunters applied for DER-1-223?
80 applicants chose DER-1-223 first in the 2026 draw and 40 drew it on that choice, 50% of them. 100 of the 100 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 85 first-choice applicants and 47 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 | 69 | 98 | 156 | 35 | 90 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 10 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 6 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| All applicants | 80 | 103 | 165 | 40 | 100 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 74 | 83 | 126 | 41 | 90 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 10 | 11 | 12 | 5 | 6 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| All applicants | 85 | 95 | 141 | 47 | 100 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on DER-1-223?
NMDGF's results for DER-1-223, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 27% (2025-26), from 95 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 100 in 2023-24 to 100 in 2025-26. NMDGF also prints private-land licenses under DER-1-223 (7 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 | 95 | 27% | 24 | 0 | 4.3 | 2.7 | 7 (1 buck, 0 does) |
| 2024-25 | FAD | Nov 23-Dec 1 | 100 | 93 | 35% | 32 | 0 | 4.1 | 3.1 | 8 (6 bucks, 0 does) |
| 2023-24 | FAD | Nov 18-26 | 100 | 89 | 32% | 28 | 0 | 4.2 | 3.3 | 7 (5 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-1-223 compare with the other Units 21A and 21B deer hunts?
DER-1-223 is one of 7 deer hunt codes NMDOW lists for Units 21A and 21B in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 6th most first-choice applicants of the 7 drawn ones (80). Its 2025-26 success rate, 27%, was the 2nd highest of the 7 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Units 21A and 21B deer hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 67.5% public land (1,304,033 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does DER-1-223 have?
NMDOW lists 100 licenses for DER-1-223 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 59). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 100 sold.
What is the success rate for DER-1-223?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives DER-1-223 a 27% success rate, from 95 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 27% to 35%.
How many people applied for DER-1-223 in 2026?
348 applicants listed DER-1-223 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 80 chose it first and 40 of those drew it, 50% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 85 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for DER-1-223?
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 21A and 21B deer Unit 21A Unit 21B