DER-3-368: deer hunt in Unit 43, Oct 24-28
DER-3-368 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a fork-antlered deer with a muzzleloader in Unit 43, October 24 to 28, with 15 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 65). In the 2026 draw, 30 applicants chose it first and 12 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 15 licenses sold, 14 hunters reporting, a 15% success rate, 2 bucks and 0 does taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 65. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landState parkNational Park ServiceMilitary landUnit 43Neighboring 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 43 |
| Licenses | 15 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 30 (12 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 15% success, 2 bucks, 0 does |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 26.3% |
How many hunters applied for DER-3-368?
30 applicants chose DER-3-368 first in the 2026 draw and 12 drew it on that choice, 40% of them. 15 of the 15 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 16 first-choice applicants and 6 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 | 29 | 40 | 21 | 11 | 14 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| All applicants | 30 | 42 | 22 | 12 | 15 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 15 | 43 | 43 | 6 | 14 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| All applicants | 16 | 43 | 44 | 6 | 15 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on DER-3-368?
NMDGF's results for DER-3-368, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 15% (2025-26), from 14 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 15 in 2023-24 to 15 in 2025-26. NMDGF also prints private-land licenses under DER-3-368 (5 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 | 10/25-10/29 | 15 | 14 | 15% | 2 | 0 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 5 (1 buck, 0 does) |
| 2024-25 | FAD | Oct 19-23 | 15 | 14 | 54% | 8 | 0 | 3.8 | 3.2 | 4 (1 buck, 0 does) |
| 2023-24 | FAD | Oct 21-25 | 15 | 15 | 40% | 5 | 1 | 3.5 | 2.9 | 8 (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-3-368 compare with the other Unit 43 deer hunts?
DER-3-368 is one of 3 deer hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 43 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 2nd most first-choice applicants of the 3 drawn ones (30). Its 2025-26 success rate, 15%, was the 3rd highest of the 3 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 43 deer hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 26.3% public land (320,239 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does DER-3-368 have?
NMDOW lists 15 licenses for DER-3-368 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 65). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 15 sold.
What is the success rate for DER-3-368?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives DER-3-368 a 15% success rate, from 14 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 15% to 54%.
How many people applied for DER-3-368 in 2026?
94 applicants listed DER-3-368 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 30 chose it first and 12 of those drew it, 40% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 16 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for DER-3-368?
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).