DER-3-206: deer hunt in Unit 17, Oct 31-Nov 4
DER-3-206 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a fork-antlered deer with a muzzleloader in Unit 17, October 31 to November 4, with 80 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 58). In the 2026 draw, 199 applicants chose it first and 46 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 80 licenses sold, 78 hunters reporting, a 22% success rate, 14 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 landNational wildlife refugeUnit 17Neighboring 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 17 |
| Licenses | 80 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | quality |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 199 (46 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 22% success, 14 bucks, 0 does |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 73.8% |
How many hunters applied for DER-3-206?
199 applicants chose DER-3-206 first in the 2026 draw and 46 drew it on that choice, 23.1% of them. 80 of the 80 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 225 first-choice applicants and 42 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 | 182 | 171 | 182 | 42 | 72 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 16 | 10 | 14 | 3 | 4 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| All applicants | 199 | 184 | 200 | 46 | 80 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 202 | 208 | 182 | 41 | 70 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 22 | 20 | 18 | 0 | 4 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 |
| All applicants | 225 | 230 | 203 | 42 | 80 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on DER-3-206?
NMDGF's results for DER-3-206, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 22% (2025-26), from 78 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 80 in 2023-24 to 80 in 2025-26. NMDGF also prints private-land licenses under DER-3-206; 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 | 80 | 78 | 22% | 14 | 0 | 3.8 | 3.5 | |
| 2024-25 | FAD | Oct 26-30 | 80 | 76 | 27% | 18 | 0 | 3.8 | 3.1 | 1 (0 bucks, 0 does) |
| 2023-24 | FAD | Oct 28-Nov 1 | 80 | 75 | 24% | 18 | 0 | 3.8 | 3.2 | 2 (1 buck, 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-3-206 compare with the other Unit 17 deer hunts?
DER-3-206 is one of 6 deer hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 17 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 4th most first-choice applicants of the 6 drawn ones (199). Its 2025-26 success rate, 22%, was the 5th highest of the 6 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 17 deer hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 73.8% public land (778,238 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does DER-3-206 have?
NMDOW lists 80 licenses for DER-3-206 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 58). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 80 sold.
What is the success rate for DER-3-206?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives DER-3-206 a 22% success rate, from 78 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 22% to 27%.
How many people applied for DER-3-206 in 2026?
583 applicants listed DER-3-206 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 199 chose it first and 46 of those drew it, 23.1% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 225 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for DER-3-206?
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).