DER-2-309: deer hunt in Unit 32 (including Prairie Chicken WMAs), Sep 1-24
DER-2-309 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a fork-antlered deer with a bow in Unit 32, including Prairie Chicken WMAs, September 1 to 24, with 150 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 62). In the 2026 draw, 21 applicants chose it first and 19 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 150 licenses sold, 141 hunters reporting, a 7% success rate, 9 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 refugeMilitary landOther federal (closed)Unit 32Neighboring 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 32 |
| Licenses | 150 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 21 (19 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 7% success, 9 bucks, 0 does |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 33.4% |
How many hunters applied for DER-2-309?
21 applicants chose DER-2-309 first in the 2026 draw and 19 drew it on that choice, 90.5% of them. 106 of the 150 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 26 first-choice applicants and 26 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 | 18 | 24 | 35 | 16 | 87 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 2 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 14 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 1 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| All applicants | 21 | 33 | 44 | 19 | 106 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 24 | 17 | 19 | 24 | 61 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 2 | 12 | 11 | 2 | 18 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| All applicants | 26 | 29 | 30 | 26 | 79 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
Where is DER-2-309 held?
DER-2-309 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-2-309?
NMDGF's results for DER-2-309, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 7% (2025-26), from 141 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 150 in 2023-24 to 150 in 2025-26. NMDGF also prints private-land licenses under DER-2-309 (1 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 | 150 | 141 | 7% | 9 | 0 | 7.2 | 3 | 1 (1 buck, 0 does) |
| 2024-25 | FAD | Sept 1-24 | 150 | 137 | 10% | 11 | 0 | 6 | 3.2 | 3 (0 bucks, 0 does) |
| 2023-24 | FAD | Sept 1-24 | 150 | 136 | 13% | 13 | 0 | 6.8 | 3.1 | 1 (0 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-2-309 compare with the other Unit 32 deer hunts?
DER-2-309 is one of 7 deer hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 32 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 7th most first-choice applicants of the 7 drawn ones (21). Its 2025-26 success rate, 7%, was the 7th highest of the 7 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 32 deer hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 33.4% public land (1,297,981 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does DER-2-309 have?
NMDOW lists 150 licenses for DER-2-309 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 62). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 150 sold.
What is the success rate for DER-2-309?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives DER-2-309 a 7% success rate, from 141 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 7% to 13%.
How many people applied for DER-2-309 in 2026?
98 applicants listed DER-2-309 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 21 chose it first and 19 of those drew it, 90.5% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 26 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for DER-2-309?
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).