DER-3-179: deer hunt in Unit 12, Oct 31-Nov 4
DER-3-179 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a fork-antlered deer with a muzzleloader in Unit 12, October 31 to November 4, with 40 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 57). In the 2026 draw, 27 applicants chose it first and 18 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 40 licenses sold, 36 hunters reporting, a 29% success rate, 9 bucks and 0 does taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 57. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landNational Park ServiceTribal landUnit 12Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Species and bag | Deer: Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Muzzleloader |
| Dates | October 31 to November 4 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 12 |
| Licenses | 40 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 27 (18 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 29% success, 9 bucks, 0 does |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 38.8% |
How many hunters applied for DER-3-179?
27 applicants chose DER-3-179 first in the 2026 draw and 18 drew it on that choice, 66.7% of them. 40 of the 40 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 14 first-choice applicants and 12 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 | 27 | 26 | 33 | 18 | 38 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| All applicants | 27 | 31 | 35 | 18 | 40 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 14 | 30 | 28 | 12 | 38 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 2 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| All applicants | 14 | 32 | 34 | 12 | 40 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on DER-3-179?
NMDGF's results for DER-3-179, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 29% (2025-26), from 36 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 40 in 2023-24 to 40 in 2025-26. NMDGF also prints private-land licenses under DER-3-179 (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 | 11/1-11/5 | 40 | 36 | 29% | 9 | 0 | 3.6 | 3.1 | 4 (1 buck, 0 does) |
| 2024-25 | FAD | Oct 26-30 | 40 | 38 | 17% | 5 | 0 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 2 (1 buck, 0 does) |
| 2023-24 | FAD | Oct 28-Nov 1 | 40 | 37 | 14% | 4 | 0 | 3.9 | 3.2 | 3 (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-3-179 compare with the other Unit 12 deer hunts?
DER-3-179 is one of 3 deer hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 12 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 3rd most first-choice applicants of the 3 drawn ones (27). Its 2025-26 success rate, 29%, was the highest of the 3 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 12 deer hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 38.8% public land (642,998 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does DER-3-179 have?
NMDOW lists 40 licenses for DER-3-179 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 57). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 40 sold.
What is the success rate for DER-3-179?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives DER-3-179 a 29% success rate, from 36 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 14% to 29%.
How many people applied for DER-3-179 in 2026?
93 applicants listed DER-3-179 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 27 chose it first and 18 of those drew it, 66.7% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 14 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for DER-3-179?
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).