DER-2-218: deer hunt in Unit 20, Sep 1-24
DER-2-218 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a fork-antlered deer with a bow in Unit 20, September 1 to 24, with 45 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 59). In the 2026 draw, 6 applicants chose it first and 6 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 45 licenses sold, 39 hunters reporting, a 17% success rate, 5 bucks and 0 does taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 59. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
BLMState trust landNational wildlife refugeBureau of ReclamationState parkMilitary landOther federal (closed)Unit 20Neighboring 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 20 |
| Licenses | 45 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 6 (6 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 17% success, 5 bucks, 0 does |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 62.9% |
How many hunters applied for DER-2-218?
6 applicants chose DER-2-218 first in the 2026 draw and 6 drew it on that choice, 100% of them. 45 of the 45 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 4 first-choice applicants and 3 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 | 6 | 11 | 11 | 6 | 41 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| All applicants | 6 | 11 | 11 | 6 | 45 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 3 | 9 | 22 | 3 | 37 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 8 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| All applicants | 4 | 9 | 26 | 3 | 45 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on DER-2-218?
NMDGF's results for DER-2-218, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 17% (2025-26), from 39 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 45 in 2023-24 to 45 in 2025-26. NMDGF also prints private-land licenses under DER-2-218 (2 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 | 9/1-9/24 | 45 | 39 | 17% | 5 | 0 | 6.5 | 3 | 2 (1 buck, 0 does) |
| 2024-25 | FAD | Sept 1-24 | 45 | 40 | 14% | 3 | 0 | 4.2 | 3.2 | 2 (0 bucks, 0 does) |
| 2023-24 | FAD | Sept 1-24 | 45 | 39 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 4.9 | 2.3 | 1 (0 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-2-218 compare with the other Unit 20 deer hunts?
DER-2-218 is one of 5 deer hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 20 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 5th most first-choice applicants of the 5 drawn ones (6). Its 2025-26 success rate, 17%, was the 4th highest of the 5 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 20 deer hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 62.9% public land (1,026,204 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does DER-2-218 have?
NMDOW lists 45 licenses for DER-2-218 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 59). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 45 sold.
What is the success rate for DER-2-218?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives DER-2-218 a 17% success rate, from 39 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 0% to 17%.
How many people applied for DER-2-218 in 2026?
28 applicants listed DER-2-218 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 6 chose it first and 6 of those drew it, 100% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 4 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for DER-2-218?
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).