DER-3-274: deer hunt in Unit 26, Oct 31-Nov 4
DER-3-274 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a fork-antlered deer with a muzzleloader in Unit 26, October 31 to November 4, with 60 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 61). In the 2026 draw, 5 applicants chose it first and 5 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 60 licenses sold, 56 hunters reporting, an 11% success rate, 5 bucks and 0 does taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 61. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
BLMState trust landMilitary landUnit 26Neighboring 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 26 |
| Licenses | 60 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 5 (5 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 11% success, 5 bucks, 0 does |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 51.5% |
How many hunters applied for DER-3-274?
5 applicants chose DER-3-274 first in the 2026 draw and 5 drew it on that choice, 100% of them. 16 of the 60 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 13 first-choice applicants and 13 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 | 4 | 6 | 15 | 4 | 13 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 2 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| All applicants | 5 | 7 | 20 | 5 | 16 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 9 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 13 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 4 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 5 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| All applicants | 13 | 9 | 15 | 13 | 20 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on DER-3-274?
NMDGF's results for DER-3-274, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 11% (2025-26), from 56 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 60 in 2023-24 to 60 in 2025-26.
| Season | Bag | Dates | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does | Days hunted, average | Hunter satisfaction, 1 to 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | FAD | 11/1-11/5 | 60 | 56 | 11% | 5 | 0 | 3.3 | 2.6 |
| 2024-25 | FAD | Oct 26-30 | 60 | 57 | 17% | 8 | 0 | 3.2 | 2.7 |
| 2023-24 | FAD | Oct 28-Nov 1 | 60 | 56 | 22% | 11 | 0 | 3.1 | 2.6 |
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-3-274 compare with the other Unit 26 deer hunts?
DER-3-274 is one of 6 deer hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 26 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 5th most first-choice applicants of the 6 drawn ones (5). Its 2025-26 success rate, 11%, was the 5th highest of the 6 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 26 deer hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 51.5% public land (759,055 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does DER-3-274 have?
NMDOW lists 60 licenses for DER-3-274 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 61). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 60 sold.
What is the success rate for DER-3-274?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives DER-3-274 a 11% success rate, from 56 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 11% to 22%.
How many people applied for DER-3-274 in 2026?
32 applicants listed DER-3-274 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 5 chose it first and 5 of those drew it, 100% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 13 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for DER-3-274?
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).