DER-3-293: deer hunt in Unit 29, Oct 24-28
DER-3-293 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a fork-antlered deer with a muzzleloader in Unit 29, October 24 to 28, with 70 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 62). In the 2026 draw, 4 applicants chose it first and 4 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 70 licenses sold, 66 hunters reporting, an 11% success rate, 4 bucks and 0 does taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 62. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
BLMState trust landUnit 29Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Species and bag | Deer: Fork-antlered deer (white-tailed or mule deer) |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Muzzleloader |
| Dates | October 24 to 28 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 29 |
| Licenses | 70 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 4 (4 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 11% success, 4 bucks, 0 does |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 84% |
| Chronic wasting disease | NMDOW notes CWD has been detected in this area (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 28) |
How many hunters applied for DER-3-293?
4 applicants chose DER-3-293 first in the 2026 draw and 4 drew it on that choice, 100% of them. 68 of the 70 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 7 first-choice applicants and 7 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 | 3 | 5 | 32 | 3 | 57 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 11 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| All applicants | 4 | 9 | 35 | 4 | 68 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 7 | 9 | 21 | 7 | 56 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 0 | 4 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| All applicants | 7 | 13 | 34 | 7 | 70 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on DER-3-293?
NMDGF's results for DER-3-293, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 11% (2025-26), from 66 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 70 in 2023-24 to 70 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 | 10/18-10/22 | 70 | 66 | 11% | 4 | 0 | 3.5 | 2.3 |
| 2024-25 | FAD | Oct 19-23 | 70 | 68 | 19% | 8 | 0 | 3.2 | 2.5 |
| 2023-24 | FAD | Oct 21-25 | 70 | 62 | 6% | 2 | 0 | 3.5 | 2.3 |
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-3-293 compare with the other Unit 29 deer hunts?
DER-3-293 is one of 5 deer hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 29 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 4th most first-choice applicants of the 5 drawn ones (4). Its 2025-26 success rate, 11%, was the 2nd highest of the 5 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 29 deer hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 84% public land (635,066 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does DER-3-293 have?
NMDOW lists 70 licenses for DER-3-293 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 62). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 70 sold.
What is the success rate for DER-3-293?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives DER-3-293 a 11% success rate, from 66 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 6% to 19%.
How many people applied for DER-3-293 in 2026?
48 applicants listed DER-3-293 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 4 chose it first and 4 of those drew it, 100% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 7 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for DER-3-293?
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).