DER-3-316: deer hunt in Unit 33 (including Prairie Chicken WMAs, restricted muzzleloader only), Oct 24-28
DER-3-316 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a fork-antlered deer with a muzzleloader in Unit 33, including Prairie Chicken WMAs, restricted muzzleloader only, October 24 to 28, with 140 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 63). In the 2026 draw, 73 applicants chose it first and 54 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 140 licenses sold, 135 hunters reporting, a 15% success rate, 19 bucks and 0 does taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 63. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
BLMState trust landWildlife Commission landNational wildlife refugeState parkMilitary landUnit 33Neighboring 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 33 |
| Licenses | 140 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | quality |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 73 (54 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 15% success, 19 bucks, 0 does |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 57.9% |
How many hunters applied for DER-3-316?
73 applicants chose DER-3-316 first in the 2026 draw and 54 drew it on that choice, 74% of them. 140 of the 140 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 104 first-choice applicants and 68 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 | 64 | 55 | 103 | 53 | 128 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 9 | 12 | 26 | 1 | 8 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| All applicants | 73 | 68 | 132 | 54 | 140 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 91 | 68 | 140 | 63 | 129 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 11 | 6 | 22 | 3 | 8 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| All applicants | 104 | 75 | 165 | 68 | 140 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
Where is DER-3-316 held?
DER-3-316 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-3-316?
NMDGF's results for DER-3-316, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 15% (2025-26), from 135 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 141 in 2023-24 to 140 in 2025-26. NMDGF also prints private-land licenses under DER-3-316; 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 | 10/25-10/29 | 140 | 135 | 15% | 19 | 0 | 3.7 | 2.8 | |
| 2024-25 | FAD | Oct 19-23 | 140 | 137 | 14% | 16 | 0 | 3.7 | 3 | |
| 2023-24 | FAD | Oct 21-25 | 141 | 129 | 16% | 20 | 0 | 3.8 | 3 | 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-3-316 compare with the other Unit 33 deer hunts?
DER-3-316 is one of 7 deer hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 33 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 4th most first-choice applicants of the 7 drawn ones (73). Its 2025-26 success rate, 15%, was the 5th highest of the 6 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 33 deer hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 57.9% public land (842,107 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does DER-3-316 have?
NMDOW lists 140 licenses for DER-3-316 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 63). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 140 sold.
What is the success rate for DER-3-316?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives DER-3-316 a 15% success rate, from 135 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 14% to 16%.
How many people applied for DER-3-316 in 2026?
273 applicants listed DER-3-316 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 73 chose it first and 54 of those drew it, 74% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 104 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for DER-3-316?
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).