DER-1-289: deer hunt in Unit 29, Oct 31-Nov 4
DER-1-289 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a fork-antlered deer with any legal weapon in Unit 29, October 31 to November 4, with 150 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 62). In the 2026 draw, 76 applicants chose it first and 47 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 150 licenses sold, 134 hunters reporting, a 10% success rate, 11 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.
BLMState trust landUnit 29Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Species and bag | Deer: Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Any legal weapon |
| Dates | October 31 to November 4 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 29 |
| Licenses | 150 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 76 (47 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 10% success, 11 bucks, 0 does |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 84% |
| Chronic wasting disease | NMDOW notes CWD has been detected in this area (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 28) |
How many hunters applied for DER-1-289?
76 applicants chose DER-1-289 first in the 2026 draw and 47 drew it on that choice, 61.8% of them. 150 of the 150 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 125 first-choice applicants and 74 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 | 56 | 70 | 137 | 45 | 141 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 20 | 22 | 24 | 2 | 9 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| All applicants | 76 | 92 | 163 | 47 | 150 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 92 | 71 | 123 | 72 | 141 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 33 | 19 | 29 | 2 | 9 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| All applicants | 125 | 90 | 154 | 74 | 150 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on DER-1-289?
NMDGF's results for DER-1-289, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 10% (2025-26), from 134 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 150 in 2023-24 to 150 in 2025-26. NMDGF also prints private-land licenses under DER-1-289 (2 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 | 10/25-10/29 | 150 | 134 | 10% | 11 | 0 | 3.6 | 2.5 | 2 (0 bucks, 0 does) |
| 2024-25 | FAD | Oct 26-30 | 150 | 141 | 20% | 24 | 0 | 3.6 | 3.1 | 1 (1 buck, 0 does) |
| 2023-24 | FAD | Oct 28-Nov 1 | 150 | 130 | 23% | 30 | 0 | 3.1 | 2.8 | 1 (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-1-289 compare with the other Unit 29 deer hunts?
DER-1-289 is one of 5 deer hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 29 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the most first-choice applicants of the 5 drawn ones (76). Its 2025-26 success rate, 10%, was the 3rd highest of the 5 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 29 deer hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 84% public land (635,066 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does DER-1-289 have?
NMDOW lists 150 licenses for DER-1-289 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 62). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 150 sold.
What is the success rate for DER-1-289?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives DER-1-289 a 10% success rate, from 134 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 10% to 23%.
How many people applied for DER-1-289 in 2026?
331 applicants listed DER-1-289 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 76 chose it first and 47 of those drew it, 61.8% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 125 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for DER-1-289?
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).