ELK-1-218: elk hunt in Unit 6A, Oct 31-Nov 4
ELK-1-218 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for an antlerless elk with any legal weapon in Unit 6A, October 31 to November 4, with 99 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 77). In the 2026 draw, 485 applicants chose it first and 69 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 99 licenses sold, 83 hunters reporting, a 49% success rate, 1 bull and 45 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: Antlerless elk |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Any legal weapon |
| Dates | October 31 to November 4 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 6A |
| Licenses | 99 (drawn) |
| Who may apply | residents only |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 485 (69 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 49% success, 1 bull, 45 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 47.8% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-1-218?
485 applicants chose ELK-1-218 first in the 2026 draw and 69 drew it on that choice, 14.2% of them. 99 of the 99 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 553 first-choice applicants and 78 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 | 482 | 361 | 650 | 66 | 95 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| All applicants | 485 | 363 | 652 | 69 | 99 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 548 | 371 | 607 | 73 | 91 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 5 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 8 |
| All applicants | 553 | 375 | 608 | 78 | 99 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-1-218?
NMDGF's results for ELK-1-218, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 49% (2025-26), from 83 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 101 in 2023-24 to 99 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 | Nov 8-12 | 99 | 83 | 49% | 1 | 45 | 2.92 | 4.04 |
| 2024-25 | A | Oct 26-30 | 100 | 91 | 40% | 0 | 35 | 3.63 | 4.01 |
| 2023-24 | A | Oct 28-Nov 1 | 101 | 88 | 38% | 0 | 34 | 3.04 | 3.43 |
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-1-218 compare with the other Unit 6A elk hunts?
ELK-1-218 is one of 8 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 6A in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 6th most first-choice applicants of the 6 drawn ones (485). Its 2025-26 success rate, 49%, was the 4th 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-1-218 have?
NMDOW lists 99 licenses for ELK-1-218 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 77). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 100 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-1-218?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-1-218 a 49% success rate, from 83 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 38% to 49%.
How many people applied for ELK-1-218 in 2026?
1,500 applicants listed ELK-1-218 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 485 chose it first and 69 of those drew it, 14.2% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 553 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-1-218?
No. ELK-1-218 is for New Mexico residents only (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 77).