DER-1-344: deer hunt in Unit 39, Nov 21-25
DER-1-344 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a fork-antlered deer with any legal weapon in Unit 39, November 21 to 25, with 35 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 64). In the 2026 draw, 33 applicants chose it first and 15 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 35 licenses sold, 34 hunters reporting, a 21% success rate, 7 bucks and 0 does taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 64. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
BLMState trust landWildlife Commission landBureau of ReclamationUnit 39Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Species and bag | Deer: Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Any legal weapon |
| Dates | November 21 to 25 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 39 |
| Licenses | 35 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 33 (15 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 21% success, 7 bucks, 0 does |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 18.2% |
How many hunters applied for DER-1-344?
33 applicants chose DER-1-344 first in the 2026 draw and 15 drew it on that choice, 45.5% of them. 35 of the 35 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 30 first-choice applicants and 14 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 | 27 | 75 | 82 | 13 | 33 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| All applicants | 33 | 79 | 85 | 15 | 35 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 28 | 56 | 60 | 14 | 33 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 2 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| All applicants | 30 | 61 | 62 | 14 | 35 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on DER-1-344?
NMDGF's results for DER-1-344, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 21% (2025-26), from 34 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 35 in 2023-24 to 35 in 2025-26. NMDGF also prints private-land licenses under DER-1-344 (61 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 | 11/15-11/19 | 35 | 34 | 21% | 7 | 0 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 61 (20 bucks, 0 does) |
| 2024-25 | FAD | Nov 16-20 | 35 | 29 | 23% | 7 | 0 | 3.7 | 3.1 | 61 (24 bucks, 0 does) |
| 2023-24 | FAD | Nov 18-22 | 35 | 32 | 32% | 9 | 0 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 66 (28 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-1-344 compare with the other Unit 39 deer hunts?
DER-1-344 is one of 5 deer hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 39 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 2nd most first-choice applicants of the 5 drawn ones (33). Its 2025-26 success rate, 21%, was the 3rd highest of the 5 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 39 deer hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 18.2% public land (306,991 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does DER-1-344 have?
NMDOW lists 35 licenses for DER-1-344 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 64). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 35 sold.
What is the success rate for DER-1-344?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives DER-1-344 a 21% success rate, from 34 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 21% to 32%.
How many people applied for DER-1-344 in 2026?
197 applicants listed DER-1-344 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 33 chose it first and 15 of those drew it, 45.5% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 30 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for DER-1-344?
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).