DER-1-312: deer hunt in Unit 33 (including Prairie Chicken WMAs), Nov 7-11
DER-1-312 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a fork-antlered deer with any legal weapon in Unit 33, including Prairie Chicken WMAs, November 7 to 11, with 150 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 63). In the 2026 draw, 1,273 applicants chose it first and 131 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 150 licenses sold, 135 hunters reporting, a 34% success rate, 46 bucks and 2 does taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 63. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
BLMState trust landWildlife Commission landNational wildlife refugeState parkMilitary landUnit 33Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Species and bag | Deer: Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Any legal weapon |
| Dates | November 7 to 11 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 33 |
| Licenses | 150 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | quality |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 1,273 (131 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 34% success, 46 bucks, 2 does |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 57.9% |
How many hunters applied for DER-1-312?
1,273 applicants chose DER-1-312 first in the 2026 draw and 131 drew it on that choice, 10.3% of them. 150 of the 150 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 1,053 first-choice applicants and 134 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 | 1,057 | 719 | 668 | 116 | 126 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 137 | 84 | 52 | 6 | 9 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 79 | 82 | 70 | 9 | 15 |
| All applicants | 1,273 | 885 | 790 | 131 | 150 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 897 | 518 | 586 | 122 | 126 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 100 | 55 | 52 | 5 | 9 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 56 | 53 | 33 | 7 | 15 |
| All applicants | 1,053 | 626 | 671 | 134 | 150 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
Where is DER-1-312 held?
DER-1-312 is held on Prairie Chicken WMA, 36,633 acres of State Wildlife Commission land in Units 31, 32 and 33, 9 miles from Tatum. NMDOW's fact sheet on camping: Not allowed at any of the Prairie Chicken Wildlife Areas. Closures: The Prairie Chicken Areas are closed to all access from February 16-June 29.
How did hunters do on DER-1-312?
NMDGF's results for DER-1-312, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 34% (2025-26), from 135 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 150 in 2023-24 to 150 in 2025-26. NMDGF also prints private-land licenses under DER-1-312 (31 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 | 11/1-11/5 | 150 | 135 | 34% | 46 | 2 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 31 (15 bucks, 0 does) |
| 2024-25 | FAD | Nov 2-6 | 150 | 141 | 52% | 66 | 0 | 3.2 | 3.4 | 29 (21 bucks, 0 does) |
| 2023-24 | FAD | Nov 4-8 | 150 | 135 | 35% | 47 | 0 | 3.3 | 3.2 | 31 (14 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-1-312 compare with the other Unit 33 deer hunts?
DER-1-312 is one of 7 deer hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 33 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the most first-choice applicants of the 7 drawn ones (1,273). Its 2025-26 success rate, 34%, was the highest of the 6 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 33 deer hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 57.9% public land (842,107 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does DER-1-312 have?
NMDOW lists 150 licenses for DER-1-312 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 63). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 150 sold.
What is the success rate for DER-1-312?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives DER-1-312 a 34% success rate, from 135 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 34% to 52%.
How many people applied for DER-1-312 in 2026?
2,948 applicants listed DER-1-312 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 1,273 chose it first and 131 of those drew it, 10.3% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 1,053 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for DER-1-312?
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).