DER-1-290: deer hunt in Unit 29, Nov 14-18
DER-1-290 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a fork-antlered deer with any legal weapon in Unit 29, November 14 to 18, with 150 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 62). In the 2026 draw, 68 applicants chose it first and 53 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 150 licenses sold, 134 hunters reporting, a 9% success rate, 12 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 | November 14 to 18 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 29 |
| Licenses | 150 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 68 (53 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 9% success, 12 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-1-290?
68 applicants chose DER-1-290 first in the 2026 draw and 53 drew it on that choice, 77.9% of them. 150 of the 150 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 60 first-choice applicants and 51 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 | 48 | 78 | 103 | 46 | 134 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 20 | 37 | 21 | 7 | 14 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| All applicants | 68 | 115 | 126 | 53 | 150 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 53 | 109 | 121 | 49 | 141 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 7 | 41 | 20 | 2 | 9 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| All applicants | 60 | 150 | 142 | 51 | 150 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on DER-1-290?
NMDGF's results for DER-1-290, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 9% (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-1-290 (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 | 11/8-11/12 | 150 | 134 | 9% | 12 | 0 | 3.6 | 2.8 | 7 (1 buck, 0 does) |
| 2024-25 | FAD | Nov 9-13 | 152 | 131 | 24% | 30 | 0 | 3.4 | 3.1 | 9 (4 bucks, 0 does) |
| 2023-24 | FAD | Nov 11-15 | 150 | 128 | 14% | 16 | 0 | 3.6 | 2.7 | 6 (1 buck, 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-1-290 compare with the other Unit 29 deer hunts?
DER-1-290 is one of 5 deer hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 29 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 2nd most first-choice applicants of the 5 drawn ones (68). Its 2025-26 success rate, 9%, was the 4th 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-1-290 have?
NMDOW lists 150 licenses for DER-1-290 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 62). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 152 sold.
What is the success rate for DER-1-290?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives DER-1-290 a 9% success rate, from 134 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 9% to 24%.
How many people applied for DER-1-290 in 2026?
309 applicants listed DER-1-290 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 68 chose it first and 53 of those drew it, 77.9% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 60 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for DER-1-290?
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).