DER-2-261: deer hunt in Unit 24 (excluding Fort Bayard Management Area, including Double E and River Ranch WMAs), Sep 1-24
DER-2-261 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a fork-antlered white-tailed deer with a bow in Unit 24, excluding Fort Bayard Management Area, including Double E and River Ranch WMAs, September 1 to 24, with 60 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 60). In the 2026 draw, 14 applicants chose it first and 14 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 60 licenses sold, 52 hunters reporting, a 26% success rate, 3 bucks and 7 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 landOther federal (closed)Unit 24Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Species and bag | Deer: Fork-antlered white-tailed deer |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Bow |
| Dates | September 1 to 24 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 24 |
| Licenses | 60 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 14 (14 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 26% success, 3 bucks, 7 does |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 63.1% |
NMDOW's note for DER-2-261: 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-2-261?
14 applicants chose DER-2-261 first in the 2026 draw and 14 drew it on that choice, 100% of them. 60 of the 60 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 11 first-choice applicants and 11 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 | 11 | 19 | 23 | 11 | 50 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 10 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| All applicants | 14 | 21 | 27 | 14 | 60 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 11 | 9 | 19 | 11 | 47 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 13 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| All applicants | 11 | 12 | 24 | 11 | 60 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on DER-2-261?
NMDGF's results for DER-2-261, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 26% (2025-26), from 52 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 60 in 2023-24 to 60 in 2025-26. NMDGF also prints private-land licenses under DER-2-261; 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 | FAWTD | 9/1-9/24 | 60 | 52 | 26% | 3 | 7 | 5.1 | 3.5 | |
| 2024-25 | FAWTD | Sept 1-24 | 60 | 53 | 23% | 7 | 1 | 5.2 | 3.2 | 1 (0 bucks, 0 does) |
| 2023-24 | FAWTD | Sept 1-24 | 60 | 55 | 15% | 3 | 3 | 5.9 | 2.8 |
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-2-261 compare with the other Unit 24 deer hunts?
DER-2-261 is one of 12 deer hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 24 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 11th most first-choice applicants of the 12 drawn ones (14). Its 2025-26 success rate, 26%, was the 8th highest of the 12 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 24 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 (610,510 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does DER-2-261 have?
NMDOW lists 60 licenses for DER-2-261 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 60). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 60 sold.
What is the success rate for DER-2-261?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives DER-2-261 a 26% success rate, from 52 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 15% to 26%.
How many people applied for DER-2-261 in 2026?
62 applicants listed DER-2-261 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 14 chose it first and 14 of those drew it, 100% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 11 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for DER-2-261?
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).