DER-3-161: deer hunt in Unit 7, Sep 27-Oct 3
DER-3-161 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a fork-antlered deer with a muzzleloader in Unit 7, September 27 to October 3, with 25 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 56). In the 2026 draw, 28 applicants chose it first and 9 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 25 licenses sold, 24 hunters reporting, a 9% success rate, 2 bucks and 0 does taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 56. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landBureau of ReclamationNational Park ServiceTribal landUnit 7Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Species and bag | Deer: Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Muzzleloader |
| Dates | September 27 to October 3 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 7 |
| Licenses | 25 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 28 (9 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 9% success, 2 bucks, 0 does |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 36% |
How many hunters applied for DER-3-161?
28 applicants chose DER-3-161 first in the 2026 draw and 9 drew it on that choice, 32.1% of them. 25 of the 25 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 44 first-choice applicants and 11 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 | 19 | 35 | 52 | 7 | 21 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 8 | 10 | 11 | 1 | 2 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 1 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2 |
| All applicants | 28 | 47 | 68 | 9 | 25 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 33 | 48 | 43 | 11 | 21 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 10 | 7 | 12 | 0 | 1 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 1 | 4 | 34 | 0 | 3 |
| All applicants | 44 | 59 | 89 | 11 | 25 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on DER-3-161?
NMDGF's results for DER-3-161, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 9% (2025-26), from 24 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 25 in 2023-24 to 25 in 2025-26. NMDGF also prints private-land licenses under DER-3-161 (4 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 | 9/27-10/3 | 25 | 24 | 9% | 2 | 0 | 4.5 | 2.8 | 4 (1 buck, 0 does) |
| 2024-25 | FAD | Sept 27-Oct 3 | 25 | 22 | 17% | 3 | 0 | 3.8 | 3.3 | 9 (2 bucks, 0 does) |
| 2023-24 | FAD | Sept 27-Oct 3 | 25 | 23 | 30% | 8 | 0 | 4.4 | 2.9 | 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-3-161 compare with the other Unit 7 deer hunts?
DER-3-161 is one of 4 deer hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 7 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 3rd most first-choice applicants of the 4 drawn ones (28). Its 2025-26 success rate, 9%, was the 4th highest of the 4 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 7 deer hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 36% public land (789,010 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does DER-3-161 have?
NMDOW lists 25 licenses for DER-3-161 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 56). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 25 sold.
What is the success rate for DER-3-161?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives DER-3-161 a 9% success rate, from 24 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 9% to 30%.
How many people applied for DER-3-161 in 2026?
143 applicants listed DER-3-161 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 28 chose it first and 9 of those drew it, 32.1% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 44 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for DER-3-161?
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).