DER-3-318: deer hunt in Unit 33 (including Prairie Chicken WMAs, Huey WMA only), Dec 26-Jan 1
DER-3-318 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for an antlerless deer with a muzzleloader in Unit 33, including Prairie Chicken WMAs, Huey WMA only, December 26 to January 1, with 5 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 63). In the 2026 draw, 1 applicant chose it first and 1 drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 2 licenses sold, 0 hunters reporting.
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: Antlerless deer |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Muzzleloader |
| Dates | December 26 to January 1 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 33 |
| Licenses | 5 (drawn) |
| Who may apply | residents only / youth only |
| NMDOW fee class | quality |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 1 (1 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 0 bucks, 0 does |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 57.9% |
How many hunters applied for DER-3-318?
1 applicants chose DER-3-318 first in the 2026 draw and 1 drew it on that choice, 100% of them. 5 of the 5 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 2 first-choice applicants and 2 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 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| All applicants | 1 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 2 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 5 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| All applicants | 2 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 5 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
Where is DER-3-318 held?
DER-3-318 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-3-318?
NMDGF's results for DER-3-318, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 0% (2024-25), from 4 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 5 in 2023-24 to 2 in 2025-26.
| Season | Bag | Dates | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bucks | Does | Days hunted, average | Hunter satisfaction, 1 to 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | A | 2 | 0 | ||||||
| 2024-25 | A | Dec 25-Jan 1, '25 | 5 | 4 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
| 2023-24 | A | Dec 26-Jan 1, '24 | 5 | 4 | 100% | 0 | 4 | 3 | 4.7 |
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-3-318 compare with the other Unit 33 deer hunts?
DER-3-318 is one of 7 deer hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 33 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 7th most first-choice applicants of the 7 drawn ones (1). 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-3-318 have?
NMDOW lists 5 licenses for DER-3-318 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 63). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 5 sold.
What is the success rate for DER-3-318?
NMDGF's 2024-25 harvest report gives DER-3-318 a 0% success rate, from 4 hunters reporting. Over the 2 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 0% to 100%.
How many people applied for DER-3-318 in 2026?
9 applicants listed DER-3-318 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 1 chose it first and 1 of those drew it, 100% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 2 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for DER-3-318?
No. DER-3-318 is for New Mexico residents only (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 63).