DER-1-288: deer hunt in Unit 28 (McGregor Range only), Dec 19-20
DER-1-288 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, 48 applicants chose it first and 17 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 25 licenses sold, 23 hunters reporting, a 29% success rate, 5 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) |
| Who may apply | Military Only |
| NMDOW fee class | high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 48 (17 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 29% success, 5 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-1-288: All hunters and their guests must pay a $100 access fee.
How many hunters applied for DER-1-288?
48 applicants chose DER-1-288 first in the 2026 draw and 17 drew it on that choice, 35.4% of them. 25 of the 25 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 48 first-choice applicants and 17 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 | 15 | 8 | 13 | 14 | 21 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 31 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| All applicants | 48 | 20 | 17 | 17 | 25 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 20 | 7 | 18 | 14 | 21 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 26 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| All applicants | 48 | 19 | 23 | 17 | 25 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on DER-1-288?
NMDGF's results for DER-1-288, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 29% (2025-26), from 23 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 24 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 | 23 | 29% | 5 | 0 | 1.6 | 2.9 |
| 2024-25 | FAD | Dec 21-22 | 25 | 20 | 47% | 10 | 0 | 1.6 | 3.5 |
| 2023-24 | FAD | Dec 16-17 | 24 | 19 | 20% | 4 | 0 | 1.7 | 2.7 |
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-1-288 compare with the other Unit 28 deer hunts?
DER-1-288 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-1-288 have?
NMDOW lists 25 licenses for DER-1-288 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-1-288?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives DER-1-288 a 29% success rate, from 23 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 20% to 47%.
How many people applied for DER-1-288 in 2026?
85 applicants listed DER-1-288 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 48 chose it first and 17 of those drew it, 35.4% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 48 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for DER-1-288?
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).