DER-1-394: deer hunt in Unit 52, Oct 31-Nov 4
DER-1-394 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a fork-antlered deer with any legal weapon in Unit 52, October 31 to November 4, with 90 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 66). In the 2026 draw, 441 applicants chose it first and 58 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 90 licenses sold, 82 hunters reporting, a 36% success rate, 27 bucks and 0 does taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 66. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landWildlife Commission landTribal landUnit 52Neighboring 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 52 |
| Licenses | 90 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 441 (58 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 36% success, 27 bucks, 0 does |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 92.1% |
How many hunters applied for DER-1-394?
441 applicants chose DER-1-394 first in the 2026 draw and 58 drew it on that choice, 13.2% of them. 90 of the 90 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 504 first-choice applicants and 68 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 | 398 | 517 | 552 | 47 | 76 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 28 | 54 | 46 | 4 | 5 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 15 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 9 |
| All applicants | 441 | 585 | 605 | 58 | 90 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 437 | 519 | 604 | 57 | 76 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 56 | 63 | 33 | 4 | 5 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 11 | 6 | 21 | 7 | 9 |
| All applicants | 504 | 588 | 658 | 68 | 90 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on DER-1-394?
NMDGF's results for DER-1-394, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 36% (2025-26), from 82 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 90 in 2023-24 to 90 in 2025-26. NMDGF also prints private-land licenses under DER-1-394 (3 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 | 90 | 82 | 36% | 27 | 0 | 3.2 | 3.4 | 3 (3 bucks, 0 does) |
| 2024-25 | FAD | Oct 26-30 | 90 | 82 | 31% | 24 | 0 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 7 (4 bucks, 0 does) |
| 2023-24 | FAD | Oct 28-Nov 1 | 90 | 83 | 38% | 31 | 0 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 8 (5 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-1-394 compare with the other Unit 52 deer hunts?
DER-1-394 is one of 4 deer hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 52 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the most first-choice applicants of the 4 drawn ones (441). Its 2025-26 success rate, 36%, was the highest of the 4 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 52 deer hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 92.1% public land (247,713 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does DER-1-394 have?
NMDOW lists 90 licenses for DER-1-394 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 66). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 90 sold.
What is the success rate for DER-1-394?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives DER-1-394 a 36% success rate, from 82 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 31% to 38%.
How many people applied for DER-1-394 in 2026?
1,631 applicants listed DER-1-394 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 441 chose it first and 58 of those drew it, 13.2% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 504 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for DER-1-394?
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).