DER-3-233: deer hunt in Unit 22, Oct 31-Nov 4
DER-3-233 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a fork-antlered deer with a muzzleloader in Unit 22, October 31 to November 4, with 65 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 59). In the 2026 draw, 19 applicants chose it first and 19 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 64 licenses sold, 60 hunters reporting, a 26% success rate, 13 bucks and 0 does taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 59. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landWildlife Commission landUnit 22Neighboring 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 22 |
| Licenses | 65 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 19 (19 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 26% success, 13 bucks, 0 does |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 69.2% |
How many hunters applied for DER-3-233?
19 applicants chose DER-3-233 first in the 2026 draw and 19 drew it on that choice, 100% of them. 65 of the 65 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 18 first-choice applicants and 18 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 | 12 | 22 | 50 | 12 | 48 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 7 | 4 | 11 | 7 | 17 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| All applicants | 19 | 26 | 61 | 19 | 65 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 12 | 14 | 40 | 12 | 55 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 5 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 9 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| All applicants | 18 | 16 | 45 | 18 | 65 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on DER-3-233?
NMDGF's results for DER-3-233, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 26% (2025-26), from 60 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 66 in 2023-24 to 64 in 2025-26. NMDGF also prints private-land licenses under DER-3-233; 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 | 64 | 60 | 26% | 13 | 0 | 3.6 | 3 | |
| 2024-25 | FAD | Oct 26-30 | 65 | 56 | 33% | 19 | 0 | 3.6 | 3.3 | |
| 2023-24 | FAD | Oct 28-Nov 1 | 66 | 60 | 21% | 11 | 0 | 3.7 | 2.8 | 1 (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-3-233 compare with the other Unit 22 deer hunts?
DER-3-233 is one of 6 deer hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 22 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 3rd most first-choice applicants of the 6 drawn ones (19). Its 2025-26 success rate, 26%, was the 2nd highest of the 6 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 22 deer hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 69.2% public land (173,811 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does DER-3-233 have?
NMDOW lists 65 licenses for DER-3-233 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 59). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 65 sold.
What is the success rate for DER-3-233?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives DER-3-233 a 26% success rate, from 60 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 21% to 33%.
How many people applied for DER-3-233 in 2026?
106 applicants listed DER-3-233 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 19 chose it first and 19 of those drew it, 100% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 18 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for DER-3-233?
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).