DER-2-146: deer hunt in Unit 5A (Public Land only), Sep 1-24
DER-2-146 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a fork-antlered deer with a bow in Unit 5A, Public Land only, September 1 to 24, with 30 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 56). In the 2026 draw, 32 applicants chose it first and 15 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 30 licenses sold, 28 hunters reporting, a 21% success rate, 5 bucks and 0 does taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 56. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landTribal landUnit 5ANeighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Species and bag | Deer: Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Bow |
| Dates | September 1 to 24 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 5A |
| Licenses | 30 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 32 (15 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 21% success, 5 bucks, 0 does |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 16.3% |
How many hunters applied for DER-2-146?
32 applicants chose DER-2-146 first in the 2026 draw and 15 drew it on that choice, 46.9% of them. 30 of the 30 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 28 first-choice applicants and 15 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 | 24 | 22 | 25 | 13 | 26 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 7 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| All applicants | 32 | 24 | 29 | 15 | 30 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 24 | 31 | 25 | 14 | 28 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 3 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| All applicants | 28 | 37 | 27 | 15 | 30 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on DER-2-146?
NMDGF's results for DER-2-146, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 21% (2025-26), from 28 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 30 in 2023-24 to 30 in 2025-26.
| Season | Bag | Dates | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does | Days hunted, average | Hunter satisfaction, 1 to 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | FAD | 9/1-9/24 | 30 | 28 | 21% | 5 | 0 | 7.4 | 3.3 |
| 2024-25 | FAD | Sept 1-24 | 30 | 27 | 23% | 6 | 0 | 7.2 | 3.2 |
| 2023-24 | FAD | Sept 1-24 | 30 | 28 | 46% | 12 | 0 | 7.6 | 3.8 |
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-2-146 compare with the other Unit 5A deer hunts?
DER-2-146 is one of 3 deer hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 5A in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 2nd most first-choice applicants of the 3 drawn ones (32). Its 2025-26 success rate, 21%, was the 3rd highest of the 3 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 5A deer hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 16.3% public land (23,914 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does DER-2-146 have?
NMDOW lists 30 licenses for DER-2-146 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 56). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 30 sold.
What is the success rate for DER-2-146?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives DER-2-146 a 21% success rate, from 28 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 21% to 46%.
How many people applied for DER-2-146 in 2026?
85 applicants listed DER-2-146 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 32 chose it first and 15 of those drew it, 46.9% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 28 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for DER-2-146?
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).