DER-2-408: deer hunt in Unit 55A (Valle Vidal only), Sep 1-24
DER-2-408 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a fork-antlered deer with a bow in Unit 55A, Valle Vidal only, September 1 to 24, with 10 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 67). In the 2026 draw, 143 applicants chose it first and 8 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 10 licenses sold, 10 hunters reporting, a 40% success rate, 4 bucks and 0 does taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 67. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestWildlife Commission landTribal landUnit 55ANeighboring 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 55A |
| Licenses | 10 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | quality |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 143 (8 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 40% success, 4 bucks, 0 does |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 13.2% |
How many hunters applied for DER-2-408?
143 applicants chose DER-2-408 first in the 2026 draw and 8 drew it on that choice, 5.6% of them. 10 of the 10 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 149 first-choice applicants and 8 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 | 138 | 52 | 36 | 8 | 9 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| All applicants | 143 | 53 | 38 | 8 | 10 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 140 | 50 | 53 | 7 | 9 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| All applicants | 149 | 52 | 56 | 8 | 10 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on DER-2-408?
NMDGF's results for DER-2-408, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 40% (2025-26), from 10 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 10 in 2023-24 to 10 in 2025-26.
| Season | Bag | Dates | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does | Days hunted, average | Hunter satisfaction, 1 to 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | FAD | 9/1-9/24 | 10 | 10 | 40% | 4 | 0 | 5.6 | 4.2 |
| 2024-25 | FAD | Sept 1-24 | 10 | 9 | 44% | 4 | 0 | 5.7 | 2.9 |
| 2023-24 | FAD | Sept 1-24 | 10 | 10 | 14% | 1 | 0 | 11.4 | 3 |
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-2-408 compare with the other Unit 55A deer hunts?
DER-2-408 is one of 5 deer hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 55A in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the most first-choice applicants of the 5 drawn ones (143). Its 2025-26 success rate, 40%, was the 2nd highest of the 5 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 55A deer hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 13.2% public land (132,899 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does DER-2-408 have?
NMDOW lists 10 licenses for DER-2-408 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 67). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 10 sold.
What is the success rate for DER-2-408?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives DER-2-408 a 40% success rate, from 10 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 14% to 44%.
How many people applied for DER-2-408 in 2026?
234 applicants listed DER-2-408 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 143 chose it first and 8 of those drew it, 5.6% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 149 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for DER-2-408?
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). NMDOW warns that with 10 licenses a nonresident is extremely unlikely to draw it.