DER-2-396: deer hunt in Unit 52, Sep 1-24
DER-2-396 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a fork-antlered deer with a bow in Unit 52, September 1 to 24, with 80 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 66). In the 2026 draw, 198 applicants chose it first and 56 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 80 licenses sold, 72 hunters reporting, a 22% success rate, 13 bucks and 0 does taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 66. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landWildlife Commission landTribal landUnit 52Neighboring 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 52 |
| Licenses | 80 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 198 (56 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 22% success, 13 bucks, 0 does |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 92.1% |
How many hunters applied for DER-2-396?
198 applicants chose DER-2-396 first in the 2026 draw and 56 drew it on that choice, 28.3% of them. 80 of the 80 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 198 first-choice applicants and 54 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 | 165 | 155 | 129 | 46 | 68 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 22 | 12 | 8 | 2 | 4 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 11 | 10 | 1 | 8 | 8 |
| All applicants | 198 | 177 | 138 | 56 | 80 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 173 | 151 | 130 | 44 | 69 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 18 | 14 | 15 | 3 | 4 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 7 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 7 |
| All applicants | 198 | 165 | 148 | 54 | 80 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on DER-2-396?
NMDGF's results for DER-2-396, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 22% (2025-26), from 72 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 80 in 2023-24 to 80 in 2025-26. NMDGF also prints private-land licenses under DER-2-396 (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 | 80 | 72 | 22% | 13 | 0 | 6.8 | 3.4 | 1 (0 bucks, 0 does) |
| 2024-25 | FAD | Sept 1-24 | 80 | 77 | 20% | 12 | 0 | 7.2 | 3.4 | 3 (0 bucks, 0 does) |
| 2023-24 | FAD | Sept 1-24 | 80 | 70 | 18% | 11 | 0 | 6.4 | 3.6 | 2 (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-2-396 compare with the other Unit 52 deer hunts?
DER-2-396 is one of 4 deer hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 52 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 3rd most first-choice applicants of the 4 drawn ones (198). Its 2025-26 success rate, 22%, was the 4th highest of the 4 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 52 deer hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 92.1% public land (247,713 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does DER-2-396 have?
NMDOW lists 80 licenses for DER-2-396 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 66). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 80 sold.
What is the success rate for DER-2-396?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives DER-2-396 a 22% success rate, from 72 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 18% to 22%.
How many people applied for DER-2-396 in 2026?
513 applicants listed DER-2-396 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 198 chose it first and 56 of those drew it, 28.3% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 198 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for DER-2-396?
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).