DER-3-189: deer hunt in Unit 14, Sep 27-Oct 3
DER-3-189 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a fork-antlered deer with a muzzleloader in Unit 14, September 27 to October 3, with 55 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 58). In the 2026 draw, 361 applicants chose it first and 40 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 55 licenses sold, 54 hunters reporting, a 67% success rate, 35 bucks and 0 does taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 58. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landWildlife Commission landNational wildlife refugeState parkNational Park ServiceMilitary landTribal landOther federal (closed)Unit 14Neighboring 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 14 |
| Licenses | 55 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 361 (40 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 67% success, 35 bucks, 0 does |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 17% |
How many hunters applied for DER-3-189?
361 applicants chose DER-3-189 first in the 2026 draw and 40 drew it on that choice, 11.1% of them. 55 of the 55 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 342 first-choice applicants and 35 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 | 340 | 266 | 118 | 35 | 47 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 15 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 6 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 5 |
| All applicants | 361 | 273 | 128 | 40 | 55 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 314 | 302 | 142 | 33 | 47 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 23 | 11 | 17 | 1 | 3 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 5 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 5 |
| All applicants | 342 | 323 | 167 | 35 | 55 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on DER-3-189?
NMDGF's results for DER-3-189, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 67% (2025-26), from 54 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 55 in 2023-24 to 55 in 2025-26. NMDGF also prints private-land licenses under DER-3-189 (13 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 | 55 | 54 | 67% | 35 | 0 | 3.1 | 4.3 | 13 (5 bucks, 0 does) |
| 2024-25 | FAD | Sept 27-Oct 3 | 55 | 50 | 67% | 33 | 0 | 4 | 3.7 | 15 (3 bucks, 0 does) |
| 2023-24 | FAD | Sept 27-Oct 3 | 55 | 51 | 77% | 39 | 0 | 3.3 | 4 | 13 (9 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-3-189 compare with the other Unit 14 deer hunts?
DER-3-189 is one of 4 deer hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 14 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 2nd most first-choice applicants of the 4 drawn ones (361). Its 2025-26 success rate, 67%, was the 2nd highest of the 4 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 14 deer hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 17% public land (180,546 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does DER-3-189 have?
NMDOW lists 55 licenses for DER-3-189 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 58). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 55 sold.
What is the success rate for DER-3-189?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives DER-3-189 a 67% success rate, from 54 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 67% to 77%.
How many people applied for DER-3-189 in 2026?
762 applicants listed DER-3-189 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 361 chose it first and 40 of those drew it, 11.1% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 342 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for DER-3-189?
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).