DER-1-361: deer hunt in Unit 42, Oct 24-28
DER-1-361 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a fork-antlered deer with any legal weapon in Unit 42, October 24 to 28, with 40 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 65). In the 2026 draw, 50 applicants chose it first and 24 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 40 licenses sold, 38 hunters reporting, a 29% success rate, 11 bucks and 0 does taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 65. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
BLMState trust landWildlife Commission landNational wildlife refugeState parkMilitary landUnit 42Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Species and bag | Deer: Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Any legal weapon |
| Dates | October 24 to 28 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 42 |
| Licenses | 40 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 50 (24 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 29% success, 11 bucks, 0 does |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 8.9% |
How many hunters applied for DER-1-361?
50 applicants chose DER-1-361 first in the 2026 draw and 24 drew it on that choice, 48% of them. 40 of the 40 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 51 first-choice applicants and 19 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 | 45 | 32 | 33 | 22 | 38 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| All applicants | 50 | 36 | 35 | 24 | 40 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 47 | 46 | 58 | 17 | 38 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 4 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| All applicants | 51 | 51 | 62 | 19 | 40 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on DER-1-361?
NMDGF's results for DER-1-361, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 29% (2025-26), from 38 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 40 in 2023-24 to 40 in 2025-26. NMDGF also prints private-land licenses under DER-1-361 (56 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 | 40 | 38 | 29% | 11 | 0 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 56 (31 bucks, 0 does) |
| 2024-25 | FAD | Oct 19-23 | 40 | 35 | 7% | 2 | 0 | 2.9 | 2.7 | 44 (12 bucks, 0 does) |
| 2023-24 | FAD | Oct 21-25 | 40 | 32 | 45% | 11 | 0 | 2.6 | 3.2 | 57 (23 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-1-361 compare with the other Unit 42 deer hunts?
DER-1-361 is one of 5 deer hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 42 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the most first-choice applicants of the 5 drawn ones (50). Its 2025-26 success rate, 29%, was the 2nd highest of the 5 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 42 deer hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 8.9% public land (244,390 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does DER-1-361 have?
NMDOW lists 40 licenses for DER-1-361 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 65). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 40 sold.
What is the success rate for DER-1-361?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives DER-1-361 a 29% success rate, from 38 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 7% to 45%.
How many people applied for DER-1-361 in 2026?
121 applicants listed DER-1-361 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 50 chose it first and 24 of those drew it, 48% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 51 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for DER-1-361?
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).