ELK-1-216: elk hunt in Unit 6A, Oct 17-21
ELK-1-216 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for a mature bull elk with any legal weapon in Unit 6A, October 17 to 21, with 100 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 77). In the 2026 draw, 1,495 applicants chose it first and 77 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 100 licenses sold, 92 hunters reporting, a 51% success rate, 45 bulls and 0 cows taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 77. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
National forestBLMState trust landWildlife Commission landState parkNational Park ServiceTribal landOther federal (closed)Unit 6ANeighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Species and bag | Elk: Mature bull. A spike bull is not legal |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Any legal weapon |
| Dates | October 17 to 21 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 6A |
| Licenses | 100 (drawn) |
| NMDOW fee class | high-demand |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 1,495 (77 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 51% success, 45 bulls, 0 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 47.8% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-1-216?
1,495 applicants chose ELK-1-216 first in the 2026 draw and 77 drew it on that choice, 5.2% of them. 100 of the 100 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 1,443 first-choice applicants and 86 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 | 1,156 | 856 | 727 | 65 | 84 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 152 | 166 | 143 | 5 | 6 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 187 | 105 | 55 | 7 | 10 |
| All applicants | 1,495 | 1,127 | 925 | 77 | 100 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 1,050 | 795 | 692 | 76 | 84 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 166 | 135 | 139 | 3 | 6 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 227 | 104 | 60 | 7 | 10 |
| All applicants | 1,443 | 1,034 | 891 | 86 | 100 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-1-216?
NMDGF's results for ELK-1-216, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 51% (2025-26), from 92 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 100 in 2023-24 to 100 in 2025-26.
| Season | Bag | Dates | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bulls | Cows | Days hunted, average | Hunter satisfaction, 1 to 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | MB | Oct 18-22 | 100 | 92 | 51% | 45 | 0 | 3.26 | 4.31 |
| 2024-25 | MB | Oct 12-16 | 102 | 90 | 53% | 49 | 0 | 3.53 | 3.88 |
| 2023-24 | MB | Oct 14-18 | 100 | 87 | 43% | 41 | 0 | 3.19 | 3.94 |
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-1-216 compare with the other Unit 6A elk hunts?
ELK-1-216 is one of 8 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 6A in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the most first-choice applicants of the 6 drawn ones (1,495). Its 2025-26 success rate, 51%, was the 3rd highest of the 8 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 6A elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 47.8% public land (404,621 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-1-216 have?
NMDOW lists 100 licenses for ELK-1-216 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 77). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 102 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-1-216?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-1-216 a 51% success rate, from 92 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 43% to 53%.
How many people applied for ELK-1-216 in 2026?
3,547 applicants listed ELK-1-216 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 1,495 chose it first and 77 of those drew it, 5.2% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 1,443 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-1-216?
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).