DER-2-239: deer hunt in Unit 23 (excluding Burro Mountain Area), Sep 1-24
DER-2-239 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a fork-antlered mule deer with a bow in Unit 23, excluding Burro Mountain Area, September 1 to 24, with 205 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 60). In the 2026 draw, 73 applicants chose it first and 70 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 205 licenses sold, 184 hunters reporting, a 20% success rate, 17 bucks and 13 does taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 60. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landWildlife Commission landMilitary landUnit 23Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Species and bag | Deer: Fork-antlered mule deer |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Bow |
| Dates | September 1 to 24 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 23 |
| Licenses | 205 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 73 (70 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 20% success, 17 bucks, 13 does |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 63.1% |
NMDOW's note for DER-2-239: Hunters holding a valid Bow Deer License for Units 23 and 24 and who did not harvest a deer during an above hunt, will be allowed to hunt antlerless deer within the Silver City Deer Management Area (as determined by NMDOW) from Jan. 16-Feb. 5, 2027.
How many hunters applied for DER-2-239?
73 applicants chose DER-2-239 first in the 2026 draw and 70 drew it on that choice, 95.9% of them. 205 of the 205 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 69 first-choice applicants and 66 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 | 46 | 50 | 72 | 45 | 157 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 26 | 6 | 19 | 24 | 45 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| All applicants | 73 | 57 | 93 | 70 | 205 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 49 | 50 | 66 | 49 | 159 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 20 | 12 | 30 | 17 | 43 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| All applicants | 69 | 63 | 98 | 66 | 205 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on DER-2-239?
NMDGF's results for DER-2-239, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 20% (2025-26), from 184 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 206 in 2023-24 to 205 in 2025-26. NMDGF also prints private-land licenses under DER-2-239 (4 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 | FAMD | 9/1-9/24 | 205 | 184 | 20% | 17 | 13 | 6.7 | 3 | 4 (1 buck, 0 does) |
| 2024-25 | FAMD | Sept 1-24 | 205 | 178 | 21% | 20 | 9 | 5.8 | 3.2 | 8 (2 bucks, 1 doe) |
| 2023-24 | FAMD | Sept 1-24 | 206 | 188 | 22% | 26 | 7 | 6.9 | 3.2 | 4 (4 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-2-239 compare with the other Unit 23 deer hunts?
DER-2-239 is one of 19 deer hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 23 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 9th most first-choice applicants of the 19 drawn ones (73). Its 2025-26 success rate, 20%, was the 6th highest of the 13 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 23 deer hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 63.1% public land (1,183,461 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does DER-2-239 have?
NMDOW lists 205 licenses for DER-2-239 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 60). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 205 sold.
What is the success rate for DER-2-239?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives DER-2-239 a 20% success rate, from 184 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 20% to 22%.
How many people applied for DER-2-239 in 2026?
223 applicants listed DER-2-239 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 73 chose it first and 70 of those drew it, 95.9% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 69 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for DER-2-239?
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).