DER-2-291: deer hunt in Unit 29, Sep 1-24
DER-2-291 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a fork-antlered deer with a bow in Unit 29, September 1 to 24, with 100 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 62). In the 2026 draw, 3 applicants chose it first and 3 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 100 licenses sold, 84 hunters reporting, a 6% success rate, 2 bucks and 0 does taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 62. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
BLMState trust landUnit 29Neighboring 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 29 |
| Licenses | 100 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 3 (3 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 6% success, 2 bucks, 0 does |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 84% |
| Chronic wasting disease | NMDOW notes CWD has been detected in this area (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 28) |
How many hunters applied for DER-2-291?
3 applicants chose DER-2-291 first in the 2026 draw and 3 drew it on that choice, 100% of them. 100 of the 100 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 2 first-choice applicants and 2 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 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 77 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 2 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 23 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| All applicants | 3 | 6 | 10 | 3 | 100 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 77 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 23 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| All applicants | 2 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 100 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on DER-2-291?
NMDGF's results for DER-2-291, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 6% (2025-26), from 84 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 100 in 2023-24 to 100 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 | 100 | 84 | 6% | 2 | 0 | 5.2 | 2.6 |
| 2024-25 | FAD | Sept 1-24 | 100 | 85 | 6% | 2 | 0 | 4.3 | 2.1 |
| 2023-24 | FAD | Sept 1-24 | 100 | 87 | 5% | 2 | 0 | 4.9 | 2.3 |
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-2-291 compare with the other Unit 29 deer hunts?
DER-2-291 is one of 5 deer hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 29 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 5th most first-choice applicants of the 5 drawn ones (3). Its 2025-26 success rate, 6%, was the 5th highest of the 5 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 29 deer hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 84% public land (635,066 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does DER-2-291 have?
NMDOW lists 100 licenses for DER-2-291 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 62). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 100 sold.
What is the success rate for DER-2-291?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives DER-2-291 a 6% success rate, from 84 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 5% to 6%.
How many people applied for DER-2-291 in 2026?
19 applicants listed DER-2-291 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 3 chose it first and 3 of those drew it, 100% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 2 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for DER-2-291?
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).