DER-2-381: deer hunt in Unit 48, Sep 1-24
DER-2-381 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a fork-antlered deer with a bow in Unit 48, September 1 to 24, with 45 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 65). In the 2026 draw, 103 applicants chose it first and 35 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 45 licenses sold, 44 hunters reporting, a 41% success rate, 15 bucks and 0 does taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 65. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
BLMState trust landWildlife Commission landUnit 48Neighboring 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 48 |
| Licenses | 45 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 103 (35 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 41% success, 15 bucks, 0 does |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 29.1% |
How many hunters applied for DER-2-381?
103 applicants chose DER-2-381 first in the 2026 draw and 35 drew it on that choice, 34% of them. 45 of the 45 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 116 first-choice applicants and 25 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 | 89 | 52 | 52 | 30 | 38 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 12 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| All applicants | 103 | 61 | 57 | 35 | 45 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 102 | 65 | 46 | 23 | 38 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 13 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| All applicants | 116 | 77 | 51 | 25 | 45 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on DER-2-381?
NMDGF's results for DER-2-381, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 41% (2025-26), from 44 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 45 in 2023-24 to 45 in 2025-26. NMDGF also prints private-land licenses under DER-2-381 (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 | 45 | 44 | 41% | 15 | 0 | 5.9 | 3.6 | 5 (2 bucks, 0 does) |
| 2024-25 | FAD | Sept 1-24 | 46 | 45 | 40% | 16 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 3 (0 bucks, 0 does) |
| 2023-24 | FAD | Sept 1-24 | 45 | 40 | 37% | 15 | 0 | 7.4 | 3.5 | 3 (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-2-381 compare with the other Unit 48 deer hunts?
DER-2-381 is one of 4 deer hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 48 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 3rd most first-choice applicants of the 4 drawn ones (103). Its 2025-26 success rate, 41%, was the 4th highest of the 4 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 48 deer hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 29.1% public land (70,473 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does DER-2-381 have?
NMDOW lists 45 licenses for DER-2-381 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 65). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 46 sold.
What is the success rate for DER-2-381?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives DER-2-381 a 41% success rate, from 44 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 37% to 41%.
How many people applied for DER-2-381 in 2026?
221 applicants listed DER-2-381 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 103 chose it first and 35 of those drew it, 34% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 116 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for DER-2-381?
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).