DER-2-302: deer hunt in Unit 31 (including Prairie Chicken WMAs), Sep 1-24
DER-2-302 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a fork-antlered deer with a bow in Unit 31, including Prairie Chicken WMAs, September 1 to 24, with 175 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 62). In the 2026 draw, 68 applicants chose it first and 60 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 175 licenses sold, 153 hunters reporting, a 16% success rate, 23 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 landWildlife Commission landNational wildlife refugeBureau of ReclamationState parkMilitary landOther federal (closed)Unit 31Neighboring 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 31 |
| Licenses | 175 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 68 (60 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 16% success, 23 bucks, 0 does |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 48.4% |
How many hunters applied for DER-2-302?
68 applicants chose DER-2-302 first in the 2026 draw and 60 drew it on that choice, 88.2% of them. 175 of the 175 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 91 first-choice applicants and 74 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 | 49 | 60 | 53 | 49 | 128 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 19 | 23 | 22 | 11 | 44 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 3 |
| All applicants | 68 | 84 | 82 | 60 | 175 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 57 | 60 | 97 | 57 | 148 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 33 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 25 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 2 |
| All applicants | 91 | 75 | 118 | 74 | 175 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
Where is DER-2-302 held?
DER-2-302 is held on Prairie Chicken WMA, 36,633 acres of State Wildlife Commission land in Units 31, 32 and 33, 9 miles from Tatum. NMDOW's fact sheet on camping: Not allowed at any of the Prairie Chicken Wildlife Areas. Closures: The Prairie Chicken Areas are closed to all access from February 16-June 29.
How did hunters do on DER-2-302?
NMDGF's results for DER-2-302, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 16% (2025-26), from 153 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 176 in 2023-24 to 175 in 2025-26. NMDGF also prints private-land licenses under DER-2-302 (5 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 | 175 | 153 | 16% | 23 | 0 | 7.5 | 3.3 | 5 (5 bucks, 0 does) |
| 2024-25 | FAD | Sept 1-24 | 175 | 159 | 17% | 24 | 0 | 8.5 | 3.3 | 5 (2 bucks, 0 does) |
| 2023-24 | FAD | Sept 1-24 | 176 | 151 | 19% | 27 | 0 | 8 | 3.4 | 9 (2 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-2-302 compare with the other Unit 31 deer hunts?
DER-2-302 is one of 5 deer hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 31 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 5th most first-choice applicants of the 5 drawn ones (68). Its 2025-26 success rate, 16%, was the 5th highest of the 5 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 31 deer hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 48.4% public land (2,587,901 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does DER-2-302 have?
NMDOW lists 175 licenses for DER-2-302 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 62). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 175 sold.
What is the success rate for DER-2-302?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives DER-2-302 a 16% success rate, from 153 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 16% to 19%.
How many people applied for DER-2-302 in 2026?
234 applicants listed DER-2-302 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 68 chose it first and 60 of those drew it, 88.2% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 91 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for DER-2-302?
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).