DER-3-311: deer hunt in Unit 32 (including Prairie Chicken WMAs), Oct 24-28
DER-3-311 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a fork-antlered deer with a muzzleloader in Unit 32, including Prairie Chicken WMAs, October 24 to 28, with 175 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 62). In the 2026 draw, 77 applicants chose it first and 75 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 174 licenses sold, 158 hunters reporting, an 18% success rate, 28 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 landWildlife Commission landNational wildlife refugeMilitary landOther federal (closed)Unit 32Neighboring 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 32 |
| Licenses | 175 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 77 (75 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 18% success, 28 bucks, 0 does |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 33.4% |
How many hunters applied for DER-3-311?
77 applicants chose DER-3-311 first in the 2026 draw and 75 drew it on that choice, 97.4% of them. 175 of the 175 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 71 first-choice applicants and 71 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 | 66 | 56 | 118 | 65 | 147 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 10 | 10 | 19 | 9 | 23 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| All applicants | 77 | 66 | 141 | 75 | 175 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 60 | 65 | 75 | 60 | 126 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 10 | 7 | 16 | 10 | 20 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| All applicants | 71 | 72 | 91 | 71 | 147 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
Where is DER-3-311 held?
DER-3-311 is held on Prairie Chicken WMA, 36,633 acres of State Wildlife Commission land in Units 31, 32 and 33, 9 miles from Tatum. NMDOW's fact sheet on camping: Not allowed at any of the Prairie Chicken Wildlife Areas. Closures: The Prairie Chicken Areas are closed to all access from February 16-June 29.
How did hunters do on DER-3-311?
NMDGF's results for DER-3-311, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 18% (2025-26), from 158 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 176 in 2023-24 to 174 in 2025-26. NMDGF also prints private-land licenses under DER-3-311 (4 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 | 10/18-10/22 | 174 | 158 | 18% | 28 | 0 | 3.6 | 3 | 4 (1 buck, 0 does) |
| 2024-25 | FAD | Oct 19-23 | 175 | 161 | 14% | 20 | 0 | 3.3 | 2.8 | 2 (0 bucks, 0 does) |
| 2023-24 | FAD | Oct 21-25 | 176 | 168 | 24% | 35 | 0 | 3.7 | 3 | 3 (3 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-3-311 compare with the other Unit 32 deer hunts?
DER-3-311 is one of 7 deer hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 32 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 4th most first-choice applicants of the 7 drawn ones (77). Its 2025-26 success rate, 18%, was the 6th highest of the 7 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 32 deer hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 33.4% public land (1,297,981 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does DER-3-311 have?
NMDOW lists 175 licenses for DER-3-311 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 62). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 175 sold.
What is the success rate for DER-3-311?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives DER-3-311 a 18% success rate, from 158 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 14% to 24%.
How many people applied for DER-3-311 in 2026?
284 applicants listed DER-3-311 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 77 chose it first and 75 of those drew it, 97.4% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 71 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for DER-3-311?
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).