DER-2-303: deer hunt in Unit 31 (including Prairie Chicken WMAs), Jan 1-15
DER-2-303 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a fork-antlered deer with a bow in Unit 31, including Prairie Chicken WMAs, January 1 to 15, with 100 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 62). In the 2026 draw, 402 applicants chose it first and 78 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 100 licenses sold, 89 hunters reporting, a 23% success rate, 20 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 | January 1 to 15 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 31 |
| Licenses | 100 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 402 (78 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 23% success, 20 bucks, 0 does |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 48.4% |
How many hunters applied for DER-2-303?
402 applicants chose DER-2-303 first in the 2026 draw and 78 drew it on that choice, 19.4% of them. 100 of the 100 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 445 first-choice applicants and 78 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 | 319 | 242 | 163 | 68 | 84 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 52 | 42 | 38 | 6 | 6 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 31 | 38 | 17 | 4 | 10 |
| All applicants | 402 | 322 | 218 | 78 | 100 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 335 | 240 | 162 | 70 | 84 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 70 | 72 | 43 | 5 | 6 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 40 | 22 | 22 | 3 | 10 |
| All applicants | 445 | 334 | 227 | 78 | 100 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
Where is DER-2-303 held?
DER-2-303 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-2-303?
NMDGF's results for DER-2-303, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 23% (2025-26), from 89 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 100 in 2023-24 to 100 in 2025-26. NMDGF also prints private-land licenses under DER-2-303 (59 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 | 1/1-1/15, '26 | 100 | 89 | 23% | 20 | 0 | 6.9 | 3.6 | 59 (15 bucks, 0 does) |
| 2024-25 | FAD | Jan 1-15, '25 | 100 | 94 | 24% | 21 | 0 | 5.9 | 3.8 | 61 (18 bucks, 0 does) |
| 2023-24 | FAD | Jan 1-15, '24 | 100 | 94 | 31% | 30 | 0 | 7 | 3.7 | 76 (24 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-2-303 compare with the other Unit 31 deer hunts?
DER-2-303 is one of 5 deer hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 31 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 3rd most first-choice applicants of the 5 drawn ones (402). Its 2025-26 success rate, 23%, was the 4th 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-2-303 have?
NMDOW lists 100 licenses for DER-2-303 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-2-303?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives DER-2-303 a 23% success rate, from 89 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 23% to 31%.
How many people applied for DER-2-303 in 2026?
942 applicants listed DER-2-303 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 402 chose it first and 78 of those drew it, 19.4% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 445 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for DER-2-303?
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).