ELK-1-181: elk hunt in Unit 5B, Oct 17-21
ELK-1-181 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for an antlerless elk with any legal weapon in Unit 5B, October 17 to 21, with 59 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 76). In the 2026 draw, 182 applicants chose it first and 39 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 59 licenses sold, 53 hunters reporting, an 18% success rate, 0 bulls and 9 cows taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 76. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landMilitary landTribal landUnit 5BNeighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Species and bag | Elk: Antlerless elk |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Any legal weapon |
| Dates | October 17 to 21 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 5B |
| Licenses | 59 (drawn) |
| Who may apply | residents only |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 182 (39 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 18% success, 0 bulls, 9 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 81% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-1-181?
182 applicants chose ELK-1-181 first in the 2026 draw and 39 drew it on that choice, 21.4% of them. 59 of the 59 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 161 first-choice applicants and 28 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 | 182 | 222 | 170 | 39 | 59 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| All applicants | 182 | 222 | 170 | 39 | 59 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 161 | 182 | 181 | 28 | 59 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| All applicants | 161 | 182 | 183 | 28 | 59 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-1-181?
NMDGF's results for ELK-1-181, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 18% (2025-26), from 53 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 59 in 2023-24 to 59 in 2025-26.
| Season | Bag | Dates | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bulls | Cows | Days hunted, average | Hunter satisfaction, 1 to 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | A | Oct 18-22 | 59 | 53 | 18% | 0 | 9 | 3.62 | 3.31 |
| 2024-25 | A | Oct 12-16 | 59 | 54 | 22% | 0 | 11 | 3.39 | 3 |
| 2023-24 | A | Oct 14-18 | 59 | 47 | 24% | 0 | 11 | 3.37 | 3.53 |
Source: NMDGF 2025-26 elk harvest report, NMDGF 2024-25 elk harvest report and NMDGF 2023-24 elk harvest report and earlier NMDOW elk harvest reports.
How does ELK-1-181 compare with the other Unit 5B elk hunts?
ELK-1-181 is one of 10 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 5B in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 3rd most first-choice applicants of the 9 drawn ones (182). Its 2025-26 success rate, 18%, was the 7th highest of the 10 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 5B elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 81% public land (214,294 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-1-181 have?
NMDOW lists 59 licenses for ELK-1-181 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 76). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 59 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-1-181?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-1-181 a 18% success rate, from 53 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 18% to 24%.
How many people applied for ELK-1-181 in 2026?
574 applicants listed ELK-1-181 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 182 chose it first and 39 of those drew it, 21.4% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 161 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-1-181?
No. ELK-1-181 is for New Mexico residents only (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 76).