DER-2-323: deer hunt in Unit 34, Sep 1-24
DER-2-323 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a fork-antlered deer with a bow in Unit 34, September 1 to 24, with 450 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 63). In the 2026 draw, 317 applicants chose it first and 262 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 449 licenses sold, 406 hunters reporting, a 16% success rate, 52 bucks and 0 does taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 63. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landState parkMilitary landTribal landUnit 34Neighboring 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 34 |
| Licenses | 450 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 317 (262 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 16% success, 52 bucks, 0 does |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 67.5% |
| 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-2-323?
317 applicants chose DER-2-323 first in the 2026 draw and 262 drew it on that choice, 82.6% of them. 450 of the 450 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 300 first-choice applicants and 262 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 | 247 | 190 | 191 | 236 | 415 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 64 | 34 | 34 | 20 | 28 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 6 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 7 |
| All applicants | 317 | 229 | 225 | 262 | 450 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 238 | 196 | 179 | 236 | 411 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 61 | 30 | 33 | 25 | 37 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| All applicants | 300 | 228 | 214 | 262 | 450 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on DER-2-323?
NMDGF's results for DER-2-323, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 16% (2025-26), from 406 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 450 in 2023-24 to 449 in 2025-26. NMDGF also prints private-land licenses under DER-2-323 (13 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 | 449 | 406 | 16% | 52 | 0 | 6.4 | 3.3 | 13 (4 bucks, 0 does) |
| 2024-25 | FAD | Sept 1-24 | 451 | 413 | 13% | 43 | 0 | 6.8 | 3.2 | 6 (2 bucks, 0 does) |
| 2023-24 | FAD | Sept 1-24 | 450 | 408 | 13% | 42 | 0 | 6.4 | 3.1 | 6 (1 buck, 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-2-323 compare with the other Unit 34 deer hunts?
DER-2-323 is one of 7 deer hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 34 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 4th most first-choice applicants of the 7 drawn ones (317). Its 2025-26 success rate, 16%, was the 6th highest of the 7 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 34 deer hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 67.5% public land (732,620 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does DER-2-323 have?
NMDOW lists 450 licenses for DER-2-323 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 63). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 451 sold.
What is the success rate for DER-2-323?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives DER-2-323 a 16% success rate, from 406 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 13% to 16%.
How many people applied for DER-2-323 in 2026?
771 applicants listed DER-2-323 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 317 chose it first and 262 of those drew it, 82.6% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 300 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for DER-2-323?
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).