DER-1-287: deer hunt in Unit 28 (McGregor Range only), Dec 19-20
DER-1-287 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a fork-antlered deer with any legal weapon in Unit 28, McGregor Range only, December 19 to 20, with 25 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 62). In the 2026 draw, 163 applicants chose it first and 19 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 25 licenses sold, 24 hunters reporting, a 41% success rate, 9 bucks and 0 does taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 62. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landMilitary landUnit 28Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Species and bag | Deer: Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Any legal weapon |
| Dates | December 19 to 20 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 28 |
| Licenses | 25 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 163 (19 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 41% success, 9 bucks, 0 does |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 89.4% |
| Chronic wasting disease | NMDOW notes CWD has been detected in this area (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 28) |
NMDOW's note for DER-1-287: All hunters and their guests must pay a $100 access fee.
How many hunters applied for DER-1-287?
163 applicants chose DER-1-287 first in the 2026 draw and 19 drew it on that choice, 11.7% of them. 25 of the 25 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 187 first-choice applicants and 13 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 | 123 | 65 | 73 | 17 | 21 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 35 | 39 | 9 | 1 | 2 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 5 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 2 |
| All applicants | 163 | 109 | 87 | 19 | 25 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 136 | 96 | 59 | 10 | 21 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 38 | 30 | 20 | 2 | 2 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 13 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| All applicants | 187 | 131 | 80 | 13 | 25 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on DER-1-287?
NMDGF's results for DER-1-287, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 41% (2025-26), from 24 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 25 in 2023-24 to 25 in 2025-26.
| Season | Bag | Dates | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does | Days hunted, average | Hunter satisfaction, 1 to 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | FAD | 12/20-12/21 | 25 | 24 | 41% | 9 | 0 | 1.7 | 2.5 |
| 2024-25 | FAD | Dec 21-22 | 25 | 23 | 45% | 10 | 0 | 1.8 | 2.3 |
| 2023-24 | FAD | Dec 16-17 | 25 | 23 | 38% | 9 | 0 | 1.8 | 3 |
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-1-287 compare with the other Unit 28 deer hunts?
DER-1-287 is one of 2 deer hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 28 in 2026-27. Unit 28 deer hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 89.4% public land (607,187 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does DER-1-287 have?
NMDOW lists 25 licenses for DER-1-287 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 62). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 25 sold.
What is the success rate for DER-1-287?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives DER-1-287 a 41% success rate, from 24 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 38% to 45%.
How many people applied for DER-1-287 in 2026?
359 applicants listed DER-1-287 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 163 chose it first and 19 of those drew it, 11.7% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 187 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for DER-1-287?
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).